what do I do now

draggahaus · #1 03/13/08, 11:19 PM

2 of my new calves have a raspy cough. What are the next steps I need to take?
Heather

draggahaus · #2 03/13/08, 11:55 PM

Also when you give antibiotics do you just give it once or for a few days?

Madsaw · #3 03/14/08, 07:29 AM

Heather,
Can you get to a large animal vet for meds for them? If so see about getting Draxxin. Its cost a bit per shot but its just one shot and only 1.1 cc per hundred body weight. This is real good for pnuemonia. Or another good one thats cheaper but needs to be repeated in 3 days and is more dose is Nuflur.
Or there is Micotil also. It fall between teh 2 for cost and needs to handled with CAUTION! Or the old stand by of pencillin and a sulfa based drug would work too but would take long and more shots.
Bob

draggahaus · #4 03/14/08, 08:51 AM

I called the vet, but it might take all day for him to get back to me. Is there anything that I can do now before that call? I have the pencillin.
One of the calves died lastnight. the other doesn't look very good.

JKB07 · #5 03/14/08, 07:59 PM

Theres not an animal in the wolrld that could benifit from pencillin these days. You really need to get some Nuflor or Draxin in this calf.... hope you can save him... let us know

JKB

draggahaus · #6 03/14/08, 08:15 PM

I lost them both. I have one that is doing very good. hopefully he will not get sick. I have started him on the pencillin...and I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Thanks for the help

topside1 · #7 03/15/08, 07:55 AM

Drag, you really need to move the remaining calf to a fresh pen immediately. JKB is right penicillin does little good for today's infectious diseases. Look up and do some reading on "BRD".

draggahaus · #8 03/15/08, 08:16 AM

ok thanks

Madsaw · #9 03/15/08, 11:41 AM

There is also products to feed and mix in the water that has sulfer in them. This does help to a extent in control of pneumonia also. The common pills people take (Bactrum) can be used in smaller calves instead of useing Sustain 3 in calves. I been dairy farming for 20 yrs. Been through alot of problems. It was great when Nuflur came oout. But, then there was a strain that Micotil had to be used on. Now Draxxin is a more safer and broad range drug of choice now days. Last yr we went back to useing Micotil due to the fact the bug would not respond to Draxxin or Micotil.
Yes Micotil will kill you!! Even a wet needle wil make you good and sick if you stick yourself.
Some signs I go by when watching calves for pneumonia are:
Discharge from the nose, in younger calves you will see a real clear thin run. Usally just a damp look under the nostrils. Older cattles will be more of the thicker snot.
Body posture. They will stand humped up and shiver. Old cattle will have a rough coat if the have had low grade pneumonia for along time.
Rattle or coughing.
Scours, a calf will somtimes scour before it shows sign of pnuemonia. So start treating then and the calf will bounce back faster.
Also the calf or cattle will be slow to get up adn come and eat.
Bob

draggahaus · #10 03/15/08, 01:07 PM

Thanks Bob good info.