Bloat advice

[kgchis]

I have a calf that I just got who is bloated. She is about 4 months old 400 lbs. So far breathing is normal.

She can't get up on her own, but we have been putting her one her feet every morning. She is getting only grass hay (no legumes). After getting on her feet, she stands and moves around the pen some all day.

We have tried giving her mineral oil. We also tried tubing her twice. Both times we got some of the gas out but nowhere near all of it.

I know you can cut a hole in the rumen and get the gas out, but I would like to keep this as a last resort and do it only if her breathing becomes labored.

Does anyone know of anything else to try? Is there a time of day for the tubing that is best (morning on an empty stomach or afternoon)? Is there a trick to getting the gas out?

My vet will be back the day after Christmas. Hopefully I can keep her going until then.

Thanks to everyone in advance.

[Up North]

http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=133155

Perhaps this discussion from a while back will provide some ideas for you. Good Luck with calf.

[ksfarmer]

How long has this calf been this way?

[kgchis]

She has been this way less than a week. I have been having to help her to her feet for the past 2 days.

[ksfarmer]

I'm having trouble believing this is bloat. Does she eat and drink normally? Have you taken her temp? It sounds like she is getting weaker. Could she have an obstruction in her digestive tract? Is her bowel movement normal? I don't think I would wait too long to get her to a vet. I know this can be difficult over the holidays but I am afraid this calf is going downhill.

[kgchis]

Bowel movements are normal. Each morning there is a pile of poop at the end of where she is laying. I also have seen her poop a couple times while standing and eating. Poop is not runny. It is firm but not bricks. I also saw her peeing today as well so the kidneys seem normal.

She seems to be eating normally and taking water.

Oh when I first got her last Tuesday. She did seem a little puffed and her coat was poor. I assumed worms. So she was dewormed that day as well.

I failed to mention before. Yesterday when I tubed her I got a little green foam in the tube. Today I got brown liquid along with some gas.

[Valmai]

Doesn't sound like bloat to me.

[kgchis]

Just a quick update

She finally started deflating a little bit yesterday. The mineral oil has loosened her bowels. She is now burping and passing gas.

She is still a little swollen (left side larger than the right). At least I can now see her backbone all the way down her back.

I saw the vet. He said just keep up the mineral oil, keep getting her on her feet, and hopefully she will get the extra gas out. Oh he also said just keep her on straight hay like I was already doing.

This morning she tried to get up on her own (still needed a little help), but getting her up was easier than what it has been.

Other than being blown up like a ballon, she looks OK (Head up, ears up, bright eyes). Once we get her up every morning, she takes water and hay.