holstein calf having seizures?

[tkmdfarm417]

I have a 1 week old holstein bull calf that is having seizure like episodes....I took him to the vet yesterday afternoon and they said they thought he had a heat stroke, gave his a shot of thiamine, hosed him down, and told me to keep him cool, hosed down, and hydrated. I put fans on him, hosed his down, etc.

Then just a few minutes ago when I went outside he was laying with the other calves looking fine..went to give him an electrolyte bottle and he rolled onto his side eyes back in his head and started twitching/shaking/convulsing like movements I poured water on him instantly from a water bucket and it brought him out of it alot sooner than yesterday about 1-3 min (he did the same thing just longer about 6-8 min) now he is standing up, eyes bright, ears up, licking his nose, looking around...just like yesterday. I got him Thursday he didn't do this on Friday that I know of...He is bottle fed MR...any ideas on how to treat this or what this could be? I will call the vet tomorrow just thought maybe you all have seen this before.
Thanks & God Bless

[ufo_chris]

Could he be epileptic ? Did the vet check him for that? (not sure how you do that?)
I had a chinchilla that used to do the same thing ,came out of it and was fine every time.

[tinknal]

Other than the seizures is the calf acting normal? If so I would knock off the electrolytes. Over feeding of electrolytes can fry their brains.

I wish people would not automatically give electrolytes to normal healthy calves. They have no nutritional value, and if the calf does not have the symptoms that electrolytes are designed to treat they are useless, or worse.

[tkmdfarm417]

Originally Posted by tinknal

Other than the seizures is the calf acting normal? If so I would knock off the electrolytes. Over feeding of electrolytes can fry their brains.

I wish people would not automatically give electrolytes to normal healthy calves. They have no nutritional value, and if the calf does not have the symptoms that electrolytes are designed to treat they are useless, or worse.

He is laying down now kinda acting a little slow but it is hot...I agree giving electrolytes just to give electrolytes is not a good idea however I gave him electrolytes because the vet said to give him one 3 pint bottle in the afternoon to help with dehydration and the poops which he has and shoots out the back in his seizure..the vet said he would act a little off for a couple of days so do electrolytes for 2-3 days. He didn't get the electrolyte bottle earlier today because of his seizure ...I was just wondering if there was something else that could cause this. The vet didn't take blood or anything and he didn't say he would have anymore. I just thought maybe someone on here has had heat stroke calves before or epileptic or something so I could ask the vet tomorrow.
Thanks and God Bless

[tinknal]

Off to google.

[Cheryl aka JM]

I raised 4 bottle calves in 09. One was a holstien bull calf. He had seziures when he was very small, the first month or two. I took him to the vet who said he was probably epileptic and not to worry about it if he was destined to freezer camp anyway. So I just ignored the siezures and told my neighbors if they saw my cow dead in my feild to give him a minuite before they panicked to see if he got up again! He stopped the sezuires after a month or two, when he was 18 months I had him butchered, taste great!

[tinknal]

Couldn't find much, maybe epilepsy. There is a condition called nervous coccidiosis, but it sounds like it affects older calves.

[topside1]

My first thought is that most manufactured eletrolyte powders have a trememdous about of sugars in them...maybe to much sugar is causing bouts of shock...Looks like 75% of the powder is sugar...Topside

BOUNCE BACK ELECTROLYTE-ENERGY SUPPLEMENT FOR DEHYDRATED CALVES

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS: salt (NaCI) (MIN) 10.0%, Salt (NaCI) (MAX) 12.0%, Sodium (MIN) 5.25%, Sodium (MAX) 6.25%, Potassium(K) (MIN) 0.6%

INGREDIENTS: Dextrose, salt, sodium bicarbonate, potassium Chloride, sodium shico Aluminate.

[topside1]

As I mentioned yesterday, I'd get him off feedings of electrolytes...But it's your call.

[gone-a-milkin]

I have seen a few calves with seizures. Seems like they outgrow it in a few months.
Our vet said that their brains aren't completely formed sometimes and nothing much to do for it.
They either die, or get over it.

Some types of poison will cause seizures too, though that doesn't seem to be your situation.


This isn't the same one with the eye problems is it?

So much for $20 calves being cheap, huh?

[gone-a-milkin]

This is the best on-line reference for vetting issues.

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp

[mary,tx]

Originally Posted by gone-a-milkin

So much for $20 calves being cheap, huh?

I've learned the hard way not to buy cheap/problem calves. And I'm sorry to say I've learned it more than once.

[tkmdfarm417]

Thanks everyone for all the info...no this is a different calf than the one with the eye (he is doing wonderful and I did stop the electrolytes for him) this one is around a 100lbs or so he is huge ... he is fine now and has been ok today after his seizure...He drank his evening bottle with no problems..I looking it up also an found some of the same stuff as some of you...I guess we will see tomorrow. Thanks GAM for the link.
Thanks & God Bless

[Madsaw]

Does his head look normal? I have only seen a calf with siezures here once. His head actually seemed more rounded like a polled calf would. But with in a few weeks he looked fine and was over the "Fits".

I only feed electrolytes when a calf is stressed or needs the extra fluid. But, I know a pro calfer that buys calves at the sales barns by the 100's. Mid day every calf gets electrolytes. She says this helps them gain energy from the sugars(which is a good idea in winter) also it helps build up any inbalance in the calf due to lack of natural occur vitamians and minerals. Also in the summer they can also burn alot of important vitamans and minreals in the heat. I canrelate to this idea do to the fact I take regular supplments to my diet to counter lack of certain things too.
Bob

[topside1]

Hope you are feeding calf starter to all your calves, these type feeds are fortified with extras young calves need...Great to hear one-eye is doing well...Topside
http://www.calfnotes.com/pdffiles/CN010.pdf

[tkmdfarm417]

I talked to the vet about the heat stroke he said that it was normal for them to do that and that with heat stroke calves he may continue to have "little fits" like that for awhile and possible the rest of his life that I just had to continue doing what I am doing and pray for the rest...my husband was up at 3am checking on him and I was up at 5am to feed and he was drinking water and looking around both times ... So I guess we will see kinda odd though I think. Thanks & God Bless

Topside....The feed store here had fancy calf 18 percent medicated ..so that is what I got (I do have older cows but I give them 12% sweet feed) the calves have access to hay, feed, water, grass & salt mix at all times and I change what they don't eat twice daily plus feed MR 2x's daily..is there something that I can give them that is better? I have 3 jersey & 2 hostein bull calves.

[farmgirl6]

I've two goats go into seizures and act blind, it was a weird vitamin b thing I guess, gave them shots in the butt and they got better, even the little blind guy