Post by justonecow on Apr 29, 2018 15:17:48 GMT -5
OK, have a friend that needs some help. She has a 6-8 week old mini Alpine buckling that is stiff, all four legs and neck. It's like all his muscles are tensed, even his eyes bug out. His head is in normal position but he can't turn it so he has to turn his body to look. He can only open his mouth wide enough to get a nipple in, and he is drinking fine even chewing his cud. He nibbles grass too. Manure and urine normal, temp normal, eye color normal...acts normal except he's stiff. A little back story...friend went to her barn and found this kid on his side unable to get up, he was stiff. She also noticed he was distended on both sides so she thought he was bloated and took him to the vet (Thursday). Vet said it was pneumonia, which he did have, and that the fever was making him stiff (temp 104). Treated w/Excenel and a steroid. Since then he has been given Draxin, Vit B, another steroid shot, and BoSe. She is planning to give him a tetanus shot. Not sure of the dosages on anything but she tends to go on the higher side. So far nothing has helped this little guy, except he does not have pneumonia anymore . His breathing is clear, but it is slow and we think it is because his rib cage is probably not expanding like it should. She is not feeding him large amounts of milk in case his guts are sluggish.
Any ideas? We thought listeriosis, and she has given Vit B but maybe she needs to give more? His head straight not pulled back or to the side and he is not "star gazing". He does not act like he is having neurological problems...he's just stiff! He even has to sleep standing up because if he falls down he can't get up and he panics.
Any ideas? We thought listeriosis, and she has given Vit B but maybe she needs to give more? His head straight not pulled back or to the side and he is not "star gazing". He does not act like he is having neurological problems...he's just stiff! He even has to sleep standing up because if he falls down he can't get up and he panics.