New calf going downhill fast!

[Jynuine]

I posted a thread in The cattle and calves but it’s escalated since then. My calf is 48 hours old and he was not nursing well and now has blood in his stool and is lethargic.
We gave him vitamins yesterday but I suspect we need to give him antibiotics…

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I'm sorry your calf is having problems. Have you taken his temp? And, do you have a vet you can call?

 

[Jynuine]

I'm sorry your calf is having problems. Have you taken his temp? And, do you have a vet you can call?

I have not yet but I can- an apparently all the large livestock vets have up and just shut down!!!
Not only that but you can’t even get antibiotics at the feed stores without a prescription from a vet! The closest one is like 3 hours away!!!

I did move him into a stall until my husband gets back with help.

 

[farmerjan]

Just saw your post... we have been chopping corn. Sorry.
Sounds like coccidiosis... blood in stool.
Calf is only 48 hours old so normally coccidiosis is not a problem that young....
Take calf off milk... give electrolytes with something in it for scours... it will "stop it up" ... like immodium in people for diarhea.... Kaopectate if nothing else... Yes, you can give an immodium pill for people to a calf... used it many times. 1 pill per 100 lbs approx.

You can get CORID at the feed store/TSC/ other places. There is a formula on the back on how to mix and to give for like 5 days. BUT, my way of doing it is to give 2cc syringe down the throat (no needle obviously) to get it right in the gut tract right away. And then another 2 cc, same way, for 3-5 days..... This was a vet's suggestion many years ago when they did things that worked and were not always the "bottle directions"..... And try to get fluids in the calf... electrolytes will give them some energy...
.
You didn't say where the calf came from. Did it get colostrum at birth? If not, honestly you are fighting a losing battle. But.... sometimes they will rally. Any calf that comes on this place gets colostrum.... regardless of whether it is 1 day or 5 days old. Disregarding the advice that it only helps up to 24 hours.... If you don't know, get some colostrum REPLACER... preferably not the "supplement".. it is expensive...($25 as opposed to about $8-10)and see if you can get it in the calf. If you can only find the supplement that is better than nothing.
Antibiotics will mess up the gut tract worse so if you do use them, then you also need to use some probiotics to replace the good beneficial bacteria in the gut...

First Defense is an oral paste that is good for getting a calf going and fighting off "bugs" in the system.

If it has been exposed to rotavirus or corona virus then you may very well not save it... Not trying to be negative... just facts of life.
FLUIDS to keep it hydrated... is #1... give it energy.... then try to fight off other stuff. Corid is fairly inexpensive and although they do not normally get it that young... it is not impossible.
Was this calf exposed to chickens/poultry? The cocidiosis is often passed between species from inhaling or eating (nibbling) feed or manure... YEP, the experts say it doesn't happen... BUT yes it does.... and cocidiosis will kill them in 24-48 hours. Corid won't hurt them and you have to use alot to overdose so what have you got to lose by trying it.

 

[Jynuine]

I have Corrid but I don’t think hes going to make it. His eyes are bulging and he can’t even sit up. Yes we have free range chickens but he wasn’t nursing properly from the getgo. It could definitely be coxi or ecoli as a neighbor said he’s dealt with as well.

He was hunched with his tail tucked by yesterday when I realized there was an issue.

My husband said, “He took down the equivalent of a 1/4 dose of electrolytes and scour halt with a half pint of 20/20 high calorie milk replacer. Had to tube it. He was pushing out all attempts at the bottle.”

I wasn’t there- it’s just been a day.

Just saw your post... we have been chopping corn. Sorry.
Sounds like coccidiosis... blood in stool.
Calf is only 48 hours old so normally coccidiosis is not a problem that young....
Take calf off milk... give electrolytes with something in it for scours... it will "stop it up" ... like immodium in people for diarhea.... Kaopectate if nothing else... Yes, you can give an immodium pill for people to a calf... used it many times. 1 pill per 100 lbs approx.

You can get CORID at the feed store/TSC/ other places. There is a formula on the back on how to mix and to give for like 5 days. BUT, my way of doing it is to give 2cc syringe down the throat (no needle obviously) to get it right in the gut tract right away. And then another 2 cc, same way, for 3-5 days..... This was a vet's suggestion many years ago when they did things that worked and were not always the "bottle directions"..... And try to get fluids in the calf... electrolytes will give them some energy...
.
You didn't say where the calf came from. Did it get colostrum at birth? If not, honestly you are fighting a losing battle. But.... sometimes they will rally. Any calf that comes on this place gets colostrum.... regardless of whether it is 1 day or 5 days old. Disregarding the advice that it only helps up to 24 hours.... If you don't know, get some colostrum REPLACER... preferably not the "supplement".. it is expensive...($25 as opposed to about $8-10)and see if you can get it in the calf. If you can only find the supplement that is better than nothing.
Antibiotics will mess up the gut tract worse so if you do use them, then you also need to use some probiotics to replace the good beneficial bacteria in the gut...

First Defense is an oral paste that is good for getting a calf going and fighting off "bugs" in the system.

If it has been exposed to rotavirus or corona virus then you may very well not save it... Not trying to be negative... just facts of life.
FLUIDS to keep it hydrated... is #1... give it energy.... then try to fight off other stuff. Corid is fairly inexpensive and although they do not normally get it that young... it is not impossible.
Was this calf exposed to chickens/poultry? The cocidiosis is often passed between species from inhaling or eating (nibbling) feed or manure... YEP, the experts say it doesn't happen... BUT yes it does.... and cocidiosis will kill them in 24-48 hours. Corid won't hurt them and you have to use alot to overdose so what have you got to lose by trying it.

 

[farmerjan]

Any update?????

 

[Jynuine]

Yes! We got him over the hump! We gave him a couple of doses of antibiotics and have been bottle feeding him- he’s secluded to our lambing stall right now and he’s been eating like a champ!

We tried originally to put him back out with mama after a day or two and getting better but trying to keep up with her rotation around the pastures wiped him out and set him back again- so we just pulled him outright until he’s on solids.

Sorry for taking so long, I actually have major surgery TOMORROW and it was denied literally last week by my insurance so I thought it wasn’t going to happen!
My surgeons appealed and then it was approved but not rescheduled .

I’m not ready at all… I have e 9 kids, a farm, and my room looked like I was a hoarder. I’ve been organizing and washing and finishing projects for the past week since I’m going to be down!

 

[Baymule]

I’m thrilled that the calf is doing so good! Thanks for the update.
What surgery are you having? I just had knee replacement surgery. That’s HARD for a farmer, to be “good” and let someone else do it!! LOL

 

[farmerjan]

Congrats on managing to pull him through. Too bad that he can't stay with the cow...
Best of luck and prayers for the surgery to go well. I had both knees replaced just a year ago and am finally feeling like they are a real part of me... not 100% but they are finally doing more of what I want and need them to do like the "old real knees" without the pain I had. My ankle replacement nearly 3 years ago was a breeze compared to the knees. But I am glad that I had both done at once and won't have to do it again.

 

[Jynuine]

I’m thrilled that the calf is doing so good! Thanks for the update.
What surgery are you having? I just had knee replacement surgery. That’s HARD for a farmer, to be “good” and let someone else do it!! LOL

Well, after pushing out 9 kiddos in 20 years I’m having pelvic floor surgery and the back vaginal wall fixed as well as a bladder sling.
So I’m freaking out. I won’t be able to do much for 4-6 weeks. My husband blew his knee and has no ACL- he needs surgery too!