how often do you feed electrolytes

[cowie4]

Hi how often do I try to feed electrolytes to a weak, dehydrated calf?
I'll start from beginning... Bought Jersey bulls yesterday and all were doing great, but this am went out to feed and 2 were weak and not really in mood to suck. So DH and I took one at a time and fed them electrolytes. The 1st boy did good after he put up a stink and drank the whole bottle. The 2nd one we had to use a syringe on and took an hour to get 2 pints in. He was cold and shivering so we brought him in our house to warm up. Maybe a little overboard but I cant just let him be cold. Anyway...He was in from about 9-5 with a heating pad, warm house and he finally looked to be perking up. He stop shivering and his mouth was warm instead of cold. Every 2-3 hours I tried to get him to drink some electrolytes. He would fight it then suck for about 30 secs and stop, let him rest for a min then do all over again. I managed to get a whole 2 qt bottle in while he was inside and a Sustain III tab (per my vet). Took him back out to the calf barn where we have sectioned off an area for him and put him back in there (with the heat lamp). Me and the kiddos went out to feed at 7pm and he seems just as bad as he was this am. So sat there after the others were fed and got him to drink a pint and a 1/2. DH, who is at work, said dont need to do anymore til maybe 11-12 when he gets home but I think I should try this poor baby again around 9 and then maybe 2 hours after that. Am I doing to much? I dont feel like he is getting enough and I am just so darn determined to bring him back or to know that I did everything possible to help him if he should perish. Thanks for any advise you can give

 

[redtailgal]

Do they have a fever or runny poop? If not, I wouldn't try him again until midnight, like your hubby said. You can overload the body on electrolytes.

I think more information may help.

How old are these calves?

Do they have any other symptoms?

Where did you get them?

 

[cowie4]

Hi RTG, I got them from a lady about an hour a way from me. They all seemed good when I got them, I made sure I took someone who has calf experience with me. The really weak one is scoury, they are 3-5 days old. I had hoped it was just from the milk replacer. I asked the gal what she fed them and she said I dont know the name of it. I did half strength of mine. I use the jersey blend which is 28/25. She gave them all an advantage 7 shot right before we loaded them up. He has no labored breathing but the sides of his nostrils are slightly runny. You can tell he is really dehydrated. His eyes are sunken in, hes lethargic. I mentioned to my FIL that his legs were cold and he told me that thats not a good sign. I went back out to check on him at 9:15 and cleaned out the wet poopy hay and put fresh hay in and made sure I put a little extra in. Covered him up with it and adjusted the heat lamp. He has such a mournful moo. It just breaks my heart. I cant find the thermometer that FIL swears is here ( he used to have cattle) so tomorrow am its off to town to get that and stock up on electrolytes (just in case). I really hope he is able to pull through the night but its not looking so good. I am going to try warm electros at midnight when DH gets home. Is there anything else I can give him? On a side note the other one who was eh this am is doing really good. He was up jumping and running with the others.

 

[jhm47]

I'd cut down to 1.5 quarts twice a day. 2 quarts is too much for a young, small calf like a Jersey. You will be far better off by underfeeding them a bit than by overfeeding them. Calves this young can't take that much at one time, let alone several times a day.

 

[redtailgal]

http://www.backyardherds.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2952-calves-scours

I'd start him on the above scour regimen.

No more milk, not even replacer until he isnt dehydrated. Get him away from the other calves.

Give him the electrolytes, make sure that you use warm water. This time add a little of some sort of syrup to the mix, molasses or some sort of pancake syrup. (about 1 tbsp per quart). I dont normally suggest this with a scouring calf, but he is sounding pretty poor and needs a sugar boost. Also, if you have some yogurt, put a little yogurt in his fluid to help with the gut balance.

In the morning give him more electrolytes and then call and talk to a vet. Ask him about "saddlebagging" or sub Q rehydration. This calf needs fluid. Get what you need from the vet and do it. You may want to take in some of the poo for a fecal analysis (it shouldnt cost much). Get his recommendations, be sure to ask about shipping fever. Also, get a shot of B12 for him.

Encourage the calf to get up and move a little.

Honestly, I wonder if the little guy is overwhelmed. Having a vaccination, moving, having his diet changed.....it would make me sick too. (I am not being critical of you here, please dont be offended, this sort of thing happens.)

The runny nose could just be a sign of stress right now.

Cold legs are not a good sign. He needs to get up and move to encourage some circulation. Try to prop him, put a bale of hay on each side so that he is laying up on his chest and not on his side.

To recap:

keep him away from the other calves.

Give warm electrolytes with syrup tonight and possibly yogurt. (Dont use buttermilk, it could bloat him at this point)

Encourage him to walk or at least stand for a few minutes (if he wont walk, rub his legs briskly)

lay him on his chest with his legs under him.

More electrolytes in the morning (no syrup, and use warm water).

Call vet: saddlebag sub Q fluids, B12 injection, Shipping fever, fecal

NO MILK. He is cold and dehydrated.....his body wont process milk right now, and he will bloat.

Be ready to lose him, but fight for him. It doesnt sound good right now, but I have seen calves worse than him pull through.

 

[Cricket]

You got excellent advise! A lot of times scours hit between the 3rd and 5th day, about the time you think you're going to get away without it. I get my calves on the farm I work at--they almost all get it unless they are born out to pasture. Don't beat yourself up if the little guy doesn't make it! Cold mouth and legs isn't good, but as RTG said, sometimes they surprise you. Good luck!

 

[cowie4]

Thank you all for the knowledge. Last night when DH got home we brought "Rocky" in to the house. I was up til 1:30 am rubbing his legs encouraging him to walk. Got 0.5 pint of warm electro in him and decided that since I had to be up at 6am to call it a night. Told Rocky to keep fighting. Got up this morn with dread and lo and behold he was ALIVE!! He is still dehydrated but he doesnt have a runny nose and no poops in kennel. He searched out nipple and ate 1.5 qt of electros. He got up and walked around for a good 20 minutes. Set up an area in my spare room so he could stay inside and walk around for today atleast. I am going to make him a calf blanket this afternoon. Our temps are still getting below frost level overnight. He still has a long way to go it seems but hopefully he comes out a champ.
....Ok so he still is runny but he took some water out of the bucket I have there so fingers crossed he doesnt go backwards!

 

[redtailgal]

Once he isnt dehydrated, he will be able to maintain his temperature better.

Keep an eye on his poops, and give him electolytes today. If he goes without having any runny poo, follow the directions on the link I gave you to reintroduce the milk.

A beach towel works great for a calf blanket, if it s really cold, take two and sew them together and stuff them with something (newspapers work great, old t'shirts etc etc). Dont forget to cut a hole for his head to go thru before you sew anything.

Offer him more electro every three hours or so today, if he is still having runny poop.

I'm so glad he made it through the night!

Your doing great with him!

 

[cowie4]

Ok update time! Rocky is doing great!! Called vet this am and she recommended the B12 shot too and a shot of an antibiotic. DH went to get that and some more ReSorb. I gave all of that and let him rest. At 1130 offered more electro and water. He drinks better from the pail than the bottle. Came home today at 5, just praying he was ok and he saw me and mooed!! Oh it was music to my ears! Gave him a warm bottle of Resorb again, he even butted the bottle when it got low, and he was walking around. Now he is resting once again! I guess Rocky was a good name! lol Thank you once again for all the advise!

Oh and he looks like a normal calf now, his eyes arent sunken in and his face has filled out!

 

[redtailgal]

I'm so glad to hear this! Been a rough day, I needed some good news.

Take it real easy on starting him back on the milk, its better to have him loose some weight than get back into a problem.