The story of the bloated calf…..pix included….Update 6.29.15
Dec 3, 2014 8:34:52 GMT -5
dutchbelt, MameeT, and 2 more like this
Post by corrae on Dec 3, 2014 8:34:52 GMT -5
We have acquired a "poor doing" calf from our rancher neighbor. This calf has been a chronic bloater--DH and neighbor have known about this since, oh, about late August, early September. By rights, any calf (or cow) bloated this badly should be dead dead dead. Rancher left him off the truck when the other calves were shipped, and planned on shipping him with a smaller load. Both vet and I told him the calf not only wouldn't make the trip, but he'd not even bring a few pennies at the sale, in the condition he was in. So, being the sucker I am, I convinced rancher to give me the calf. A sorrier looking creature couldn't be imagined….totally bloated, totally miserable. After this picture was taken, we tubed him to release the gas, and then drenched with a huge dose of probios and corn oil. The next morning, Friday, the bloat was down and he was eating. Tubing and drenching on a daily basis, though, was not an option: too stressful and too time consuming. Both DH and I work, and this calf is straight off the range. Wild and not particularly interested in being friends with people.
Last Friday I had vet come out and put a fistula in. There was no time, honestly, to use probiotics, or other methods--this calf was going downhill fast and the fistula was a definite cure for this calf's problem. It was either that or shoot him. Vet and I both felt he had a chance, with a fistula, to grow and gain. So this is what we did. For those who don't know, a fistula is essentially a surgical hole cut through the calf's side, into the rumen. We decided that since this calf had been bloating for so long, and most likely there was permanent damage to rumen, we'd put in a permanent fistula--she's stitched the hole open --for the rest of his life he'll have a hole in his side.
That being said, as soon as the procedure was finished, the calf came out of the head catch and we put him in a stall with an armful of lovely grass hay, a bucket of clean water, and some calf starter. I can assure you, it was incredibly heartwarming to see that emaciated, formerly bloated calf, head right over to the water, drink a couple gallons, scope out the grain (he'd never seen THAT before), try it, like it, and, once he finished the grain, tuck into the hay and he's pretty much never looked back. He is an eating machine.
I wash the incision site once a day with a solution of betadine scrub and warm water, and use iodine ointment on the edges. The orangey glow you see on the incision is the ointment. We will worm him this weekend, but he's doing great. The rumen bubbles and squeaks, and yes, the calf carries around with him a miasma of stink--I keep thinking of Pigpen on Peanuts, but he goes outside bucking and kicking, and is doing exceptionally well. Ultimately, he'll most likely go in our freezer next fall, but for now, he's a sweet and sensible calf (he's tamed down incredibly) and is well on the way to being halter broke.
Just wanted to share his story. I will keep you updated as to his progress.
Last Friday I had vet come out and put a fistula in. There was no time, honestly, to use probiotics, or other methods--this calf was going downhill fast and the fistula was a definite cure for this calf's problem. It was either that or shoot him. Vet and I both felt he had a chance, with a fistula, to grow and gain. So this is what we did. For those who don't know, a fistula is essentially a surgical hole cut through the calf's side, into the rumen. We decided that since this calf had been bloating for so long, and most likely there was permanent damage to rumen, we'd put in a permanent fistula--she's stitched the hole open --for the rest of his life he'll have a hole in his side.
That being said, as soon as the procedure was finished, the calf came out of the head catch and we put him in a stall with an armful of lovely grass hay, a bucket of clean water, and some calf starter. I can assure you, it was incredibly heartwarming to see that emaciated, formerly bloated calf, head right over to the water, drink a couple gallons, scope out the grain (he'd never seen THAT before), try it, like it, and, once he finished the grain, tuck into the hay and he's pretty much never looked back. He is an eating machine.
I wash the incision site once a day with a solution of betadine scrub and warm water, and use iodine ointment on the edges. The orangey glow you see on the incision is the ointment. We will worm him this weekend, but he's doing great. The rumen bubbles and squeaks, and yes, the calf carries around with him a miasma of stink--I keep thinking of Pigpen on Peanuts, but he goes outside bucking and kicking, and is doing exceptionally well. Ultimately, he'll most likely go in our freezer next fall, but for now, he's a sweet and sensible calf (he's tamed down incredibly) and is well on the way to being halter broke.
Just wanted to share his story. I will keep you updated as to his progress.