Opal is scouring

[Christina R.]

My 7 week old calf (dexter holstein x) seems to have scoured during the night. I could see dark gray loose poop one spot in the barn, lighter gray poop on the outside barn wall, and dark gray loose poop on the part of her tail that faces her rear end. She is up and walking around, lifts her head and is curious when she is laying down. Tried licking her butt, scratches her ears, etc.

She goes up to the stock tank and drinks, goes up to Corabelle (her mom) to nurse,but doesn't suck long as I have neosporin and bag balm on one of Corabelle's teats (Opal's favorite).

Corabelle has a sore on that teat where Opal's lower teeth would hit, so Corabelle hasn't been letting her nurse from that side. When I went outside to milk this am, her quarter was full and dripping milk. Corabelle let me milk her from all four quarters, then Opal went up to her to nurse, but obviously didn't like the bag balm taste.

I saw Opal hang out at the stock tank and place her chin in it, drink from it, lick from it, then place her chin in it again. I know, I should take her temp and give you that info., but I haven't done that yet. I did a mastitis test on Corabelle and it was negative.

The cattle are around free range chickens and 3 goats, so I also wonder if coccidia could be a factor.

I plan on going to the feed store to get anti scours. The vet said that wouldn't hurt and make sure she stays hydrated. I'll bet Opal will give me a fit getting that anti scours stuff down her.

This is my first experience with scours, so wanted to know what everyone else would recommend and look for. Is there a chance that I should also let her ride it out (with the anti scour stuff on hand, but don't give it to her) or is that too risky?

[JeffNY]

Chickens and cows dont mix, so I would restrict that some. I would treat her with some cayopectate. I forget the dosage, might be something like 30-35CC's. Either way, good luck.


Jeff

[Christina R.]

I just gave Opal the rest of the probios I had. I bought some electrolytes, but they only had enough for one day's supply. I also bought Kaopectate. A book I had said 2-4 oz. I hope this all goes well. I'll also clean her bedding, but her bedding is already fairly clean. I'll just clean it due to where she pooped. It's a small yard, so I hope she doesn't reinfect herself. Actually, like I said, I hope it all gets better quick. I hate sick lil' ones.

[JeffNY]

Well there are different types of scours, and hers might have to do with the fact she over ate. We had scours with a Jersey calf, she over ate and got the runs. We cut back, she cleared up. One old farmer told us "its better that they are hungry, than over fed".


Jeff

[Christina R.]

This morning things seemed to be ok. I didn't see signs of the runs anywhere. She seemed to be back to nursing on her mom as usual. In early afternoon she started in with white scours. I looked this up on the internet and they said it was undigested milk (nutritional scours). I gave her 2 oz of Kaopectate, she still seemed to be pooping too much, so I gave her 2 more oz. She's been drinking water and I got a little of the electrolyte into her (even though she is up and around and drinking from the tank) and she isn't pooping as much. The most recent seemed to have a lighter tan color and some consistency to it. Her temp was 103 during the warmest part of the day and every now and then she grinds her teeth.

More probios is in at the feed store, so I'll get more of that tomorrow. I'm going to try seperating her from her momma to keep her from eating as Jeff suggested, but I'm sure that will not go over well with either of them. There is a half door on the barn, so I'm hoping the momma will be satisfied with being outside and Opal inside. Chances are Corabelle will just keep the whole neighborhood up having a fit that the arrangements are not to her suiting.

I keep hoping it all goes well and returns to normal by tomorrow evening.

[dieselfreak]

Good luck on your scours. When my calves had scours, I bought some Re-Sorb Oral Hydration electrolyte mix and took the calf completely off milk and just fed it the Re-Sorb. Within 2 days the calf was back to normal and hasn't had scours since(about two months now)!!

[Christina R.]

I gave Opal the rest of the resorb this morning (it was only a little). She drank out of the tank today. I got other electrolyte powder at the feed store (they are still out of the resorb). Is any electrolyte stuff going to be ok or does resorb have something special for the stomach lining? I also mixed up a teaspoon The package said 5 grams for a dosage) of powdered probiotic in about 10 cc of water and gave her that.

She was seperated from her mom for almost 24 hours now. She pooped some semi consistent whitish gray poop twice this morning and pasty, runny poop (same color) with sporadic tiny chunks of black (the vet said the kaopectate should make her poop black) twice in a half an hour a little bit ago. I think the second time was due to stress of being chased to get the halter on her (it's staying on now).

Here's today's set of questions.... When do I let her back on her momma? Should I give her more kaopectate this evening? What is a good gage for kaopectate is it having runnier poop or having runnier poop many times in a short amount of time?

How long does this usually take to get better? Are the electrolytes enough nutrition for a few days? At least she still isn't dehydrated. How often can I give her the probiotic?

Thanks for helping me. I don't think I'm going to lose her, but I sure want her better fast.

[Jennifer L.]

Gray, loose manure is a red flag for Coccidiosis, and at 7 weeks she's at a perfect age to have it. If she is not on a starter feed with a coccidiostat in it, she should be. Right now, get her going on treatment with Corid. Your vet or feed store should have it.

If it's bad enough cocci can kill a calf, or affect it's abilty to extract nutrients from the small intestine for the calf's entire life, so don't let it go too long.

I went through hell with cocci about 20 years ago. Couldn't get a calf to stay alive after they hit about two months. I kept thinking "well, they just have scours" and treated them for it. This went on for awhile before I had the vet there and he diagnosed cocci almost instantly. He said the gray manure is the signal for it every time.

Good luck with her.

Jennifer

[Christina R.]

Thanks Jennifer. I'll call the vet first thing tomorrow. I went into town for about two hours, came home and found she busted out of the barn (actually she must have worked the latch with her tongue) and was laying out in the yard with her momma. Hopefully whatever she drank won't exasperate things.

With coocidia besides the meds and probably eashing the barn floor down with bleach is there something else I should do? Bedding is in the yard, so will she keep reinfecting herself?

[agmantoo]

Before you jump out the basement window read thiis
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex3455

[Christina R.]

Just back from the vet... the fecal sample came back negative for coccidia or any other parasite. Today the stools are still runny, but of a pasty consistency and mustard yellow. The next lab test would be $130. and I won't find out until Tues. He also said to keep the kaopectate in her.

I'll let the vet know by 4pm if I'm going to pursue that test. She is still alert and hydrated, so I don;t know if it was something she ate (the neighbor said he threw over some chocolate covered graham crackers and other stuff on Sat (the runs started during the night on Sunday/Monday).

I'll keep you posted, but feel free to chime in with your opinion.

[Goat Freak]

Just wanted to tell ya that the lady at the feed store that we get feed at said that when her filly got the scours she gave her Imodium chewable tablets, for humans, and that she got over it, we tried it with a baby goat that had the scours and it worked. By the way, she used one tablet for her filly, so that would be about one tablet for a baby cow. Good Lcuk, I will be praying for your little girl. Bye.

[Teacupliz]

I love Biosol-- it clears up bacteral scours in a day or so.
Liz

[Christina R.]

GREAT NEWS!!! Opal had her first kind of formed stool late yesterday afternoon. I'm going to give her one more doseage of the probiotic today, but lay off the kaopectate. I saw another stool this morning, the color is turning more toward normal and having a little more form to it. I'm glad this bout is over!!! Thanks for all the advice and prayers!!!

[Goat Freak]

CONGRATS on the formed poop! Yippee! I hope and pray that her health continues to improve. Good Luck, bye.

[Jennifer L.]

EXCELLENT! So glad she's getting back to normal and it's NOT cocci! That's just a miserable one.

Hey, if you neighbor is throwing away Chocolate covered graham crackers, could he throw some to me?

Jennifer