C-2 Calf down and unable to rise

[hopecreek]

Our 3 1/2 month Angus/Holstein steer is down. This started last week and I have been trying to help him. He is weaned, and was doing fine. We had a cold snap/ storm and when all the little steers came in the barn he was wobbly and weak looking so I put him in the hospital stall, he was walking at that time but he laid down and was not able to rise. Had mucus below his eyes, wet nose, no snotty nose. Called the vet then but was out of town. Our other vet nearby is a butcher so I never call them any more. Spotty Black, the calf was first given warm electrolyte water in a bottle as he was not interested in drinking from the little bucket. He had 1/2 gal. of that every 4 hrs and then switched to warm molasses water every 4. Then he was starting to drink from the bucket and nibble hay ( which were in front of him constantly). Periodically tried to get him up and he was so weak, could not rise. Temp was 103.4. The next day it was 104.4 so started him on the only thing I had- some sulfamethazone-trimethaprim I believe, powder put in his grain/alfalfa molasses food which he ate. The next day temp was down 1 degree and looked more bright eyed. The next day even better and called the vet again who gave me some injectable antibiotic which was given later that evening. That evening (before getting the injection) he got up several times tho still really weak. The next day got up in the morning with prompting and got him to walk around a bit (5min) and the next check he was standing and eating out of the feeder- really bright and happy looking. Thought we were doing good, but today, tho temp is now 101.1, he is dry nosed with a little snot and depressed looking and weak again, not getting up and has diarrhea which is the first time he has , his poop was fine before. I am really perplexed as to what to do. Any ideas?? Thanks everyone!! I really appreciate all the help and info shared here and everyone's love for their cows! Ours are special to us too.

[Janene]

The medicines are not only killing the bad bacteria bugs, they are also killing the good ones. Get some yogurt or Probiotics (from a feed store) and give to him orally when he gets fed.

His temp now is actually OK for a calf. Anything higher, then I'd be worried. Give him some time, nobody feels like getting up/around when they're ill. But make sure you get him up, and move around, its a 'tough love' thing.

OH!! Make sure he pees when you get him up. For males, its best to get them to pee when they are up. Keep track of poo and pee, and make notes (on paper) of changes, good/bad, and feeding habits etc. After a few days, it's easy to get mixed up which day he did this type/color of poo, or that, or ate this or not that, or how much of which meds.......(ask me how I know!)
Janene

[hopecreek]

Hi Janene,
These are great ideas, I will do them. Heading down to the barn again in about an hour and can mix up some probiotics and syringe them down him. He is physically unable to rise right now. Yesterday morning he could get his butt up and then I helped him with the front and have tried in the past to get him up on a bale of shavings but he hangs there limply, and also various humorous tries of picking him up. I will keep trying. He is the sweetest little guy. I don't give up.

Thanks so much for your quick help!! It is great to have help with the cows, we are novices.
wendi

[Janene]

Are any of his joints swollen, tender, or stiff? Feel each leg, from the bottom to the top (shoulder/hip area included.)
Note anything abnormal.....any rattle-ing to his breathing?

Make sure he's eating hay. Even if you have to put it in front of him. Give him the best you have to entice him to eat it. Keep him drinking, offering warm water if needed.
Janene

[hopecreek]

I just went and checked Spotty. He was still laying in the same spot as the last time I checked. Poop pretty soft. Did the mean thing and bugged and bugged until he tried getting up and finally got his hind end up and helped with the front. Got him to walk back to the hospital stall and parked at the feeder. He was eating slowly. Cleaned up his butt and got the dose syringe made of probios and gave it to him and he loved it and wanted more. Gave a 6x dose. He then started eating much bigger amounts of the alfalfa at a time and I stood while he ate , must have been 15 minutes or more and then we walked around a little more and then he was wobbling so laid down. He did urinate standing up and also pooped really runny. I put the water bucket by him and the pan with the food with more added probios and some alfalfa. He was pretty bright eyed and had a more moist nose, tho still not normal. I will go back down there about 4. Will keep you posted. Hope that is not too much Probios. (is that possible?)
wendi

[hopecreek]

Oh, the joints- felt them all and they all felt normal. No rattling in the breathing either.
w.

[briarrose]

Might try putting some of Renas drench on his grain. might give him a little more energy and it sure wont hurt him.

[hopecreek]

This morning I tried to get him to rise and he just laid on his side like he was dead, very weak with cold ears but warm mouth. Did not eat much since 5am. Put a heavy blanket on him, rolled him, gave him some molasses water and will have to get the other ingredients together to do the drench. Right after he got the water he drank a lot of the plain water out of his little bucket and started again on the hay. That was an hour ago and will go down there again and try to get him up.
Thanks for everyone's help. Prayers would be appreciated too!!

[hopecreek]

12noon I got him up and he is pretty weak but put some food in his mouth and he chewed it so kept doing that and he really liked the salt block so he had that and more probios. I left him standing as I had an appt. and when I got back he had layed down by the flake of alfalfa I left there and was eating it and more lively. Still diahhrea so do you think I should give some more electrolytes? He is not interested in the grain.
wendi

[briarrose]

Just noticed that you are in Oregon. See if you can find some Sulmet at your feed store. If not look for some bounceback, SMZ or Sustain bolases. I'm in So Or and can get most of those here. It will help the scours. How long ago was he weaned? If he will still take a bottle, Heat to 101 degrees and see if you can get him jump started. Once in a while in the colder months I will have a freshely weaned calf backslide. If he will take the milk it will help keep him warm and put food into his system that he needs.

Is there any blood in his stool? does he have a temp?

[hopecreek]

Hi Briarrose,
Spotty is 3 1/2 months and has been weaned for about a month tho is still a big fan of bottles. He is on an injectable antibiotic already, Resflor I believe it is called. Janene thought that the antibiotic was what was giving him the diarrhea as before his stool was fine. I do have some milk here if you think he would profit from it.

[briarrose]

I would put him back on some milk i her will drink it, just make sure it is good and hot. Start small 1/3 a bottle 3 times a day and see how he does. If it goes well I would give him a full bottle twice a day. It sure wont hurt him and it may help his stool. I would try it.

[hopecreek]

Well, there is some good news today with Spotty. He did better last night and got him up and we walked a couple small laps in the barn and then he stayed up and licked his salt block and picked at hay . Got more probios and a bottle.
This morning was up when I went out there and had been eating hay and his grain. He had another bottle and we walked a couple bigger laps outside in the sunshine. I would have liked to leave him out there but I had to leave so hopefully tomorrow will be nice too.
Now, my question. I talked to the vet today as he is due to get another of the Resflor shots, she thought he probably had a virus and the antibiotics are just to help him not get a secondary infection. I thought that the shot was pretty hard on him and am wondering if he still really needs it. I do have some immune booster in a shot form that is from Crystal Creek that I will give him. I also have some herbal immune booster that I just picked up that is available as well. Just made some herbal tea for him-slippery elm and comfrey that is cooling that he could have later tho should maybe have given him that before.
Any thoughts on the second shot??

[Heidi]

That's a hard one. No one wants to give antibiotics unnecessarily, especially in young calves. My only reasons for suggesting to go ahead with the second round of shots, is that having given him the first round, if there is a secondary infection there, being kept at bay, or indeed, if it wasn't a virus, then not giving him the second round could lead to a residual bacteria breeding up, and being antibiotic resistant. Of course, I'm going from a human perspective, where we are always told to finish the course of anitbiotics, to avoid the increase in multiantibiotic resitant bacteria. Obviously, the down side is that it does take a toll on his poor little body.
I would tell your vet about your concerns, and be lead by their professional opinion.
I do hope he continues to improve. You and he have done so well!
Heidi

[hopecreek]

Hi All!!
Spotty did get the second shot. I also gave him some Check (by Crystal Creek, have any of you used this stuff?) and some aloe and more of the comfrey/slippery elm tea. He is getting up and down great and eating much better. Looks pretty perky and poops are getting more normal. Temp 101.4. I did talk to the vet before the shot was due and she thought that it may have been a coincidence with the change in poop and the shot timing. She knows (now) how I feel about antibiotics. I wanted to not give the shot but thought that I should listen to folks (thanks to everyone that has helped Spotty so much!! )that are more experienced and knowledgeable about cows than I am. I think he may be ready to leave the 911 list!!!! YAY!
Blessings!
wendi

[jerseylovinliz]

I'm so glad he's doing better! I'd give another round of probios b/c he did get more antibiotics. Other than that just keep an eye on him! I probably wouldn't turn him out in a huge area quite yet. I'd let him stay calm, quiet, eat, rest & get stronger for a while.

Wonderful news he's feeling better! You did good!

Liz

[hopecreek]

Here's an update on Spotty black-
He is able to get up and walk around now fine, is still in the barn and is starting to eat with more gusto. He is getting grass hay with some livestock blend grain and some kelp and vitamins. I have still been giving the Check with some aloe vera and the tea. Also 1x per day a big dose of probios. His poop is looking much better.
Thanks for all your help and support, it can get overwhelming especially with limited knowledge of cows so I really appreciate all your expertise!!!

[hopecreek]

Little Spotty still is not 100%, did not feel that well yesterday and layed down much of it and did not eat much, he is still on supportive therapy. I took a manure sample in to the vet's yesterday to see if that holds any info. Temp was 101.9 in the morning and 101.4 in the evening. He seems a little better today.

[WoodSpryte Farm/Tiffany]

hoping little fella bounces back.. I worry as I have one that is not yet 3 months. I check him all the time. Even doing everything right they can still crash.. Makes it a little unnerving!

[hopecreek]

The vet's office did not find anything in the manure. He is in a stall in the barn with access to a pen outside. He is still getting-
yogurt with Crystal Creek's Check and aloe vera 2x per day and a 1 gallon bucket of molassas water with some probios in it. Also has access to normal water and grass hay. Gave some alfalfa hay today and tho enthused with it, only ate a little bit and then laid down. He also gets some livestock blend pellets and does manage to eat about 1 lb a day.
Thanks for the kind words, Tiffany.
Yes, those Jerseys can be tender at a young age. Is your little one a heifer or bull?
wendi