he wont get up

Well white muscle, in cattle can resemble pneumonia coupled with stiffness or not being able to get up so I really think you should get a double shot of e-sel into him and cover your basis for secondary with a sot of antibiotic. I agree with agmantoo, if the outcome is that the calf dies, don't eat him. L

He is 10 months old and was on the mom for colostrum. i got him at a week old and he went on a nurse cow. He has been on hay for some months now.

I called and have not found e-sel. I will try expanding my search.

The SEL stands for Selemium...the below info maybe helpful...If it were my animal I'd be treating with Selemium...Why not.

Effects of Selenium Deficiency
The first important evidence of Se deficiency has been
aptly named “white muscle disease.” It involves muscle
damage (myopathy), in the course of which calcium salts
may be deposited among the muscle fibers in parts of
the bodies of affected animals. These salts give the
involved areas a whitish appearance. Both skeletal muscles,
such as those of the legs and back, and heart muscles
may be affected. When skeletal muscles are affected,
the animals may have difficulty walking and may be
unable to rise and follow the herd. When the heart is
affected, the animal may die from sudden heart failure.
Some animals show signs of respiratory distress, which
may lead the owner to treat them for pneumonia.

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TOPSIDE FARMS

Suppling Selenium to Your Animals
The oldest accepted method of providing needed selenium
is by injection. Several preparations that contain both
selenium and vitamin E are available commercially. The
manufacturers of these have carefully calculated safe
and effective dosage levels, and their recommendations
should be followed closely.
Several other methods of selenium supplementation
have been developed. Selenium may be given
mixed in feed or in salt mixes offered to animals free
choice. Based on research findings, the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) approved the addition of
selenium to complete feeds at a level of 0.1 ppm in
1974. Subsequently, it has increased the allowable limit
to 0.3 ppm, with corresponding levels in salt mixes calculated
on the proportion of salt intake to the total feed
intake. Selenium is usually obtained in the form of one
of its salts, usually sodium selenite, Na2SeO3. Because
the amounts of selenium needed are so small, mixing
presents problems. Commercial supplement mixing is
recommended over home mixing.
Selenium has also been given effectively in the form
of heavy pellets, or “bullets” that lodge in the forestomach
of ruminant animals and gradually release selenium
to the animal.

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TOPSIDE FARMS

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.h...2-00b0d0204ae5

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TOPSIDE FARMS

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.h...5-8a9504416bd6

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TOPSIDE FARMS

No telling what's wrong with your bull, but here a cheap possible fix...Time is against you..

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TOPSIDE FARMS

Thanks Topside, I ordered the oral gel since the other requires a prescription. I was hoping to find it locally because of the time issue, but no such luck.

I'd like to hear more about the cuts on his legs. What's that about? Has he been caught in a fence? Something happened,,, how deep and extensive are the cuts? Also, what's the deal with the lump,? Just how big and how long has he had this?
I would be wondering about these things,, ?

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* I'm supposed to respect my elders, but its getting harder and harder for me to find one. .*-

The cuts are not deep, we dont have any kind of fence to get caught on, there is a single strand of hot wire and some pipe fencing. Not sure but I have been looking at them more and they look like leisons more than abrasions. The lump has been there for a few months but it can be touched without causing discomfort so we left it alone. We spoke with several people about it and that was the general consensus.

Would it be possible to post a picture of the calf and the lump and lesions? ..ck

Keep in mind, my advice is just a means of damage control. Hard to say what to do first, personally I'd be doing anything and everything to try to correct the problem. Your action will decide whether the freezer is full or empty...The local cattleman you mentioned surely would have meds, even if we all keep guessing doing something is better than digging a hole....Keep in touch,,,,Topside

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TOPSIDE FARMS

Keep in mind that if you start giving meds by guess, you eliminate any chance of salvage for slaughter.

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* I'm supposed to respect my elders, but its getting harder and harder for me to find one. .*-

I know what you mean by the meds topside. With the snotty nose I would not even worry about WM. Now you say he is loose. ANotehr sign of the onset of pneumonia. Did you give the calf the pencillinn YET ? Even in a pinch penni will by you a little time till you get teh proper meds to treat it. Most likely being in cattle country you should have a neighbor or 2 that have on hand pnuemonia specfic drugs. Also a form of sulfa is good too.
Bob

Pretty hard to diagnose without seeing him, not even a photo. Just guessing.

If he's bright and alert and eating well, like others, I'd be less inclined to think pneumonia, and like you said, no fever.

Probably injury as others have said.

As for selenium, I wouldn't think you have much deficiency in Kansas, as this map shows.
http://www.saanendoah.com/map1.html
Selenium comes from the soil into the plants used as feed. We're deficient in the northwest with our volcanic soils.

I would think low colostrum would lead to illness sooner than ten months. Antibodies from the mom in the colostrum last a couple months, at which time the calf can start making it's own antibodies.

Simple penicillin is often not effective for pneumonia, as bacteria have become resistant.

With bigger cows, laying down for long periods can cause muscle damage - their weight cuts off circulation. Might not be as bad with him, but as has been suggested, roll him from side to side. Also good to have deep, soft bedding.

And hopefully you can get a vet.

I was thinking 'picture' as a clue to whether this calf has been thriving up til recently, or just barely getting by. Is he pot-bellied with a bad coat and parasite ridden and ready for anything to take him out, or is he shiny-coated and healthy looking and has had a small set back or injury that could be easily dealt with? ck.

Sounds like pneumonia to me, not good, definately get some penicillin in him if you can. Keep him warm, the fact that he is eating and drinking is a good sign. If he stops eating or drinking you will likely lose him.

What was the outcome here? I just hate it when a thread like this just fades away and we never know what the end results were.

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* I'm supposed to respect my elders, but its getting harder and harder for me to find one. .*-

Ditto. I was wondering earlier in the day what the results were and hoping they were all good.

Cheers,
Ronnie