jersey bottle calf questions

topside1 · #21 09/13/10, 07:47 PM

One reason it's not eating grain is because it drinking to much milk. See post #1.
A calf @ three weeks old will be eating roughly one pound of grain per day.
Last reason he's not eating grain is because it hurts to chew.
I'm onboard with Francis and Marc...All jaw knots get lance here at Topside 1. Never seen one the size of a softball, walnut size yes. Don't lance just because I do, do what you thinks best....Topside

topside1 · #22 09/13/10, 07:54 PM

If it's draining and stinks I'd lance, squeeze and douche with 7% iodine several times in a row. Iodine needs to be squirted right into the wound. I do it twice 12 hours apart and then let it heal....Once again that's me.

kirsten · #23 09/14/10, 11:33 AM

Hey guys
You're right. The vet did lance it and put iodine in a vein in its ear. He didn't put it in the wound itself and he told me not to since I asked if I could. But you guys do this all the time? Does it shrink much? How long does it take to heal?

I didn't think of hurting to chew...
I spray for flies.

He is doing a pretty good job of drinking from a bucket. WE have done it twice so far. He likes the nipple to be in the pail even if he isn't drinking out of it properly. But when he has it right side up, he knows to lower it into the milk to drink. He seems like a smart calf and it won't be long before he has it down pat.

kirsten · #24 09/14/10, 11:46 AM

I decided to try irrigating with iodine. Do you use a needle to irrigate it? What size needle?
I also have something else I could use, a syringe with a long curved plastic end to it that I got when I had a tooth pulled but that would hurt more than a needle I think unless I got it in the 3 drainage sites exactly... We'll see. I only have small needles for sheep on hand.

francismilker · #25 09/14/10, 03:29 PM

If it's an open abcess that's draining I use a syringe with the needle removed. If it's not yet been lanced I use an 18 guage needle to prick it and then use another made hole to insert a syringe or two of iodine. NOTE: you might want to have a way to contain the calf's head. They don't take too kindly to this procedure.

I don't think the guage of needle is as important as getting the cleansing effect of the iodine. A little bit goes a long ways towards improving conditions. Usually, once it's been irrigated and allowed to drain well it starts to shrink and dry up pretty quick. If all goes well you shouldn't have more than a wrinkled up sore in a couple of weeks. (once it starts shrinking and drying up I stop irrigating with iodine.)

kirsten · #26 09/15/10, 05:10 PM

OKay I did it this morning but the abscess is pretty hard at this point. I tried to put it in the holes that were draining... one hole took it in and then shot it right back out. Other places would hardly take the iodine in if at all... It is a lot of scar tissue. I don't care that he has an enormous head. I just want to clear up the infection. What is there will never go away. I will keep up with the iodine to clear up what little there is left. But more importantly I guess, is that thanks to you guys, next time I run across this, I can treat it hurriedly and then it can shrivel up like you said! Thanks!

francismilker · #27 09/15/10, 09:39 PM

You'd be surprised how much that hard knot might shrivel over time. It may always be a calous, but maybe not a pouch of leather hanging from the skin.

BTW, running low pressure cool water from the hose is really good therapy for wounds of most kinds and seems to help the skin draw up better. (Just keep it out of the calfs ears)