Calf not feeding properly..

bbam · 30-09-2012 11:02am #1

Rearing animals is just such a learning curve...

We have a calf (AAX about 11 weeks) that had an inner ear infection, got the vet to treat it when she was here and after a week or so it seemed to improve and the calf now holds its head normally... But seems to be deaf or near completely deaf, I presumed from the infection.
I have noticed she isn't gaining weight as per the other calves.. I've taken it into keep a closer eye on it and increase feeding..

Sat this-morning watching it eating crunch and something stood out straight away.. Instead of eating the crunch as other calves she just licks at it bit like a cat lapping milk.. While chewing she sticks the tongue out loosing allot of feed. Compared to the calf she is in with I'd say she's only eating at 1/10 the rate of others..

No scour, no coughing, she's a poll so wasn't de-horned, oral drenched two weeks ago..

I'll check later for ulcers or sores in her mouth...
Any other ideas what I should be looking for ??

whelan1 · 30-09-2012 11:32am

has she been bvd tested? look in her mouth could be dipteria(sp) also had a calf a few years ago that was droopy on one side of its face , its ear, eye ans mouth where as if it had a stroke, i had to put it down in the end as it couldnt chew

yessam · 30-09-2012 12:01pm

My policy on situations like this is the "it's better to be giving money to the vet rather than the knackery". If an animal is not eating, it's going downhill fast.

whelan1 · 30-09-2012 12:19pm

i am a good few years around:cool: and have never seen an ear infection in an animal... what where the symptoms?

bbam · 30-09-2012 1:00pm

Standing with a tilt on its head, raised temperature, bit stumbly and unsure on its feet, i looked it up on tinternet, and then vet agreed when she examined. I'd Never saw it before either.

bbam · 30-09-2012 1:06pm

yessam wrote: »

My policy on situations like this is the "it's better to be giving money to the vet rather than the knackery". If an animal is not eating, it's going downhill fast.

I think balance is the key. You need to be able to see symptoms and figure out possible causes. You also need to be able to treat a certain level yourself, sometimes with the advice of the vet rather than a callout.
Then you need to be able to realise when to call the vet out.

snowman707 · 30-09-2012 1:13pm

bbam wrote: »

Standing with a tilt on its head, raised temperature, bit stumbly and unsure on its feet, i looked it up on tinternet, and then vet agreed when she examined. I'd Never saw it before either.

notice anything unusual about it's eyes ?

off chance of meningitis but do't think so

whelan1 · 30-09-2012 1:17pm

snowman707 wrote: »

notice anything unusual about it's eyes ?

off chance of meningitis but do't think so

does seem to be in its head, doesnt it? would vet have noticed this?

bbam · 30-09-2012 1:17pm

snowman707 wrote: »

notice anything unusual about it's eyes ?

off chance of meningitis but do't think so

Nope, both are clear and normal..

pakalasa · 30-09-2012 1:57pm

The middle ear controls the balance. We had an animal with middle ear infection, years ago. Barely remember it now, but the animals balance was a bit wobbly. Can't remember much else.

bbam · 30-09-2012 4:11pm

Calf's mouth is perfect, nothing odd at all.
Nothing on or under the tongue...

Temperature is good, 102.

whelan1 · 30-09-2012 5:22pm

how about giving the calf an apetite stimulant or stimulex? is it still on milk? if not maybe put it back on milk

bbam · 30-09-2012 5:38pm

No, off milk about two weeks and out at grass. Lack of thrive is evident since coming off milk as the rest of the bunch are gaining well on fresh grass and 1kg of crunch too..

Interestingly I emptied the trough and put in some beef nuts, she seems to be making a better attempt to eat rather than licking the feed, its hard to lick up a beef nut :rolleyes:..

I'm tempted to put her back on milk but she'd be in on her own and being alone isn't great either.. Might get a few more sucks and run her back in with the new group again??

whelan1 · 30-09-2012 6:01pm

has she a bvd tag? would be very slow to mix her with a"new" batch of calves as she might pass something on to them

snowman707 · 30-09-2012 6:17pm

don't think it's bvd most likely still the ear prob

i would inclined for long term course of antibiotics

bbam · 30-09-2012 8:03pm

whelan1 wrote: »

has she a bvd tag? would be very slow to mix her with a"new" batch of calves as she might pass something on to them

no tag, none of them have..
It will be a definite advantage for buying when the system kicks in full scale

snowman707 wrote: »

don't think it's bvd most likely still the ear prob

i would inclined for long term course of antibiotics

I was wondering about that... maybe thats why she's still deaf ??
I suppose if it were bad enough maybe the jaw/throat might be sore, maybe swallowing might be sore..
Phone call to the vet tomorrow...

whelan1 · 30-09-2012 8:10pm

What injections did she get and for how long?

Good loser · 30-09-2012 9:45pm

I'd put her inside on her own and back on milk and hay/silage. Then you will know for sure how much she is eating.

bbam · 30-09-2012 9:54pm

whelan1 wrote: »

What injections did she get and for how long?

Long acting, 30 Day antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory, don't have the names, the head tilt cleared in a few days so I thought we were quids in...

Good loser wrote: »

I'd put her inside on her own and back on milk and hay/silage. Then you will know for sure how much she is eating.

Yeah.. She's in again but has a cellmate for the moment, another wee girl that had a bit of bloat--she'll be out tomorrow though.

PatQfarmer · 01-10-2012 12:29pm

bbam wrote: »

Long acting, 30 Day antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory, don't have the names, the head tilt cleared in a few days so I thought we were quids in...

30-day antibiotic???
Never heard of it, what's that?

bbam · 01-10-2012 12:50pm

PatQfarmer wrote: »

30-day antibiotic???
Never heard of it, what's that?

Hands up I wasn't there when the vet called, the brother was and that's how it was relayed to me.
Waiting for vet to call me back.

Manoffeeling · 01-10-2012 2:33pm

whelan1 wrote: »

i am a good few years around:cool: and have never seen an ear infection in an animal... what where the symptoms?

My vet told me that my bull had a stroke.

KatyMac · 03-10-2012 11:25am

Manoffeeling wrote: »

My vet told me that my bull had a stroke.

That happened to me with a 2 year old heifer a few years ago. Poor cratur wasn't able to get up, she travelled in circles on the ground - one way trip to the knackers. But for a couple of weeks before hand she was holding her head to the side and my vet also thought there was something wrong with her ear and treated for that.

bbam · 03-10-2012 12:06pm

Well things are looking up.
I got some LA antibiotics from the office for the calf as the vet thinks its a relapse of the inner ear problem.

I've put her back on a bottle of milk twice a day too.

She's filled out great, seems brighter and livelier. Her hearing seems to be coming back too. Last injection on Sat and I plan to let her out after that. Hopefully she'll come to me in the field for milk , I'll keep that up for a while in hopes of her catching up on weight gains.

( The LA isn't 30 days, every 3 days.

)

cow man · 03-10-2012 8:07pm

Listeriosis
one symptomn is ear drop

snowman707 · 03-10-2012 10:03pm

bbam wrote: »

Well things are looking up.
I got some LA antibiotics from the office for the calf as the vet thinks its a relapse of the inner ear problem.

I've put her back on a bottle of milk twice a day too.

She's filled out great, seems brighter and livelier. Her hearing seems to be coming back too. Last injection on Sat and I plan to let her out after that. Hopefully she'll come to me in the field for milk , I'll keep that up for a while in hopes of her catching up on weight gains.

( The LA isn't 30 days, every 3 days. )

good news .. only thing is I wouldn't be too inclined to let her out too quickly. but if you do , just monitor her progress , looks like she already has had 1 relapse already , don't tempt fate again

PatQfarmer · 04-10-2012 8:19am

bbam wrote: »

Well things are looking up.

( The LA isn't 30 days, every 3 days. )

Glad to hear calf is on the mend. Was wondering about 30day antibio, back to normal 3day now:)
Like snowman, I'd be slow to let it out for a while. It's cold and wet, once they get used to inner warmth, not good for them to have major temperature changes. May be a nuisance, but I'd say she's inside for most of the rest of the year, unless you get a couple of "pet" days.

bbam · 04-10-2012 8:38am

PatQfarmer wrote: »

Glad to hear calf is on the mend. Was wondering about 30day antibio, back to normal 3day now:)
Like snowman, I'd be slow to let it out for a while. It's cold and wet, once they get used to inner warmth, not good for them to have major temperature changes. May be a nuisance, but I'd say she's inside for most of the rest of the year, unless you get a couple of "pet" days.

Yea..
I've a little training paddock, more of a haggard really, maybe later she'll get access to that but for the moment she's building back up and inmuch better form..

Farmer Pudsey · 04-10-2012 8:49am

I had a dog that got a middle ear infection a few years ago. Her balance went. Took her to vet he explained that middle ear infections can come relapse very fast. I be inclined to let her inside until next April/May.

Also often in cases like this the normal (daily) antibiotic is better than the LA one. If the animal will be inside for a while I always use the one you give every day.

If she relapses again I would use a different antibiotic, get one you inject daily and leave her inside until net year.

Keep her on milk if you can.

Calf not feeding properly..

Comments