calves with fluid in lungs

vanderbadger

anyone else have this problem, i had to bring a calf to vet the other morning, she was born the night before, came out the right way, I gave her a small pull by hand but no jack or anything, calf was pretty weak but she sucked a bit so i thought she would be fine, the following morning she could hardly stir, no energy and shaking her head like she was trying to wake herself, anyway turned out to be fluid in lungs and she is coming round now, its my second one this year with the same thing, i suppose i should hang the upside down after calving maybe ?

pakalasa

I always put them in the sitting up position with some straw at one side to prop them up. Have the head facing downhill if slope on floor. That should be enough. I don't think you are meant to hang them upside down.

mf240

pakalasa wrote: »

I always put them in the sitting up position with some straw at one side to prop them up. Have the head facing downhill if slope on floor. That should be enough. I don't think you are meant to hang them upside down.

When I pulling a calf I go real handy when I get the shoulders out and when the calves chest is in the bearing and the cow forces A huge amout of fluid will be forced out of the calfs lungs and out his mouth.

I find if you dont give time for this to happen the calf will be slower to get going breathing.

Somebody else might be able to explain it better it made sense in my head:o

jomoloney

are the cows getting adequate iodine pre calving?

vanderbadger

jomoloney wrote: »

are the cows getting adequate iodine pre calving?

they are getting kerry pre calver mineral anyway, dont know what the iodine content is now

vanderbadger

mf240 wrote: »

When I pulling a calf I go real handy when I get the shoulders out and when the calves chest is in the bearing and the cow forces A huge amout of fluid will be forced out of the calfs lungs and out his mouth.

I find if you dont give time for this to happen the calf will be slower to get going breathing.

Somebody else might be able to explain it better it made sense in my head:o

well in these 2 cases one calved herself and the other was practically out, i was there i gave a tug on the legs but that was it

greysides

mf240 wrote: »

When I pulling a calf I go real handy when I get the shoulders out and when the calves chest is in the bearing and the cow forces A huge amout of fluid will be forced out of the calfs lungs and out his mouth.

It's a good tip.

jersey101

Had a nice red and white heifer out a NR cow this morning came backwards. Had to hang him upside down to get him to wake up and put water in her ear good bit of fluid in his lungs i think. Should i call the vet

pakalasa

A vet said it to me a while back that calves shoudnt be hung up to drain the fluid out of the lungs. Fluid in the lungs is sterile and the calf will naturally absorb it into the lungs.

jersey101

pakalasa wrote: »

A vet said it to me a while back that calves shoudnt be hung up to drain the fluid out of the lungs. Fluid in the lungs is sterile and the calf will naturally absorb it into the lungs.

thanks for that i just wanted the calve to wake up is all didnt know what to do

grazeaway

we always go to clear the calves airway as at it born (straw or grass or whatever) then put them ina sitiing position. if they are not breathign well and the air way seems blocked i'll hand them up by the back legs, just to get any fluid out. this would usually only happen after a hard calving. once the air way is clear they and they can start to breath then there isnt much more i can do. we would often do liek CPR to brign them around nothing more dishearthening then seeing a new born calf died as it is trying to get air into its lungs.

pakalasa

" Elevate the calf's neck, with the nose and mouth pointing down towards the floor to allow fluid to drain from the nose and mouth. DO NOT hang the calf upside down. Fluid in the lower airways will not drain this way and these fluids will be absorbed from the lungs anyway. More important is to get the calf breathing vigorously.
If the calf is not breathing very well, you can stimulate a response by tickling the inside of the nose with a clean straw or small rubber tube. When the calf responds it will breathe more vigorously and it will clear some of the fluid from the upper respiratory tact allowing the calf to inflate the lungs better. If this does not help the calf you will have to be a little more aggressive. Please see Calf Resuscitation
Vigorously rub and dry the calf with warm towels. A hair dryer is an inexpensive and great means to help dry the calf and fluff up the haircoat.
"

From;
http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/ilm/proinfo/calving/notes/postcalvingcare.htm

redzerologhlen

pakalasa wrote: »

" Elevate the calf's neck, with the nose and mouth pointing down towards the floor to allow fluid to drain from the nose and mouth. DO NOT hang the calf upside down. Fluid in the lower airways will not drain this way and these fluids will be absorbed from the lungs anyway. More important is to get the calf breathing vigorously.
If the calf is not breathing very well, you can stimulate a response by tickling the inside of the nose with a clean straw or small rubber tube. When the calf responds it will breathe more vigorously and it will clear some of the fluid from the upper respiratory tact allowing the calf to inflate the lungs better. If this does not help the calf you will have to be a little more aggressive. Please see Calf Resuscitation
Vigorously rub and dry the calf with warm towels. A hair dryer is an inexpensive and great means to help dry the calf and fluff up the haircoat.
"

From;
http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/ilm/proinfo/calving/notes/postcalvingcare.htm

I normally throw a shot of cold water into their ear to stimulate their breathing after a bit of a pull.

yellow50HX

pakalasa wrote: »

" Elevate the calf's neck, with the nose and mouth pointing down towards the floor to allow fluid to drain from the nose and mouth. DO NOT hang the calf upside down. Fluid in the lower airways will not drain this way and these fluids will be absorbed from the lungs anyway. More important is to get the calf breathing vigorously.
If the calf is not breathing very well, you can stimulate a response by tickling the inside of the nose with a clean straw or small rubber tube. When the calf responds it will breathe more vigorously and it will clear some of the fluid from the upper respiratory tact allowing the calf to inflate the lungs better. If this does not help the calf you will have to be a little more aggressive. Please see Calf Resuscitation
Vigorously rub and dry the calf with warm towels. A hair dryer is an inexpensive and great means to help dry the calf and fluff up the haircoat.
"

From;
http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/ilm/proinfo/calving/notes/postcalvingcare.htm

thats good info, we do most of that anyway but wouldnt have a hair dryer, i'd say the missus would get fair odd with me if i took off with it to dry a calf

jersey101

5hrs later calve still hasnt got up. Gave it 3 of beestings 3, hrs ago

yellow50HX

jersey101 wrote: »

5hrs later calve still hasnt got up. Gave it 3 of beestings 3, hrs ago

have you tried standing her?

put her in a small pen with a heat lamp over her. we usually make these up with pallets in the corner of the shed to keep it warm for them.

pakalasa

Is she sitting up or thrown out flat. If she's strong enough to sit up, put her across a small bale of straw or hay. Even if she's thrown out flat, work the legs back and forth to get them going. A good strong rub with straw or a towel will get her warm too.

vanderbadger

jersey101 wrote: »

5hrs later calve still hasnt got up. Gave it 3 of beestings 3, hrs ago

sounds like fluid alright, it seems to really knock stuffing out of new calves, no interest in sucking or anything, if you go to your vets they should give you a few ml of some diuretic and also those multi vit injections seems to give calves a great lift, in my experience you will notice a big diff in calf a few hrs after injection

jersey101

Was talking to vet he told me to just keep the beestings in to calf said i probley damaged the calves back pulling it out said give it a day and if it aint any better he'll be out. I think it he back is damaged because ive tried to stand her and no use

jersey101

Vet came over unexpectedly this evening and gave me a bottle of croynoxin for the calf. Could have told me to give it some over the phone ha