Joint ill

Dunedin

Just have my first case of Joint ill in years.

I am injecting calf with Noroclav since tues. Calf is two weeks old. To be fair she calved in the morning (6.30am) just as I was leaving for work and calf didn't get biestings prob about 6pm that evening.

Back leg centre joint is the main one but she is not awful bad - can walk and get up fairly ok. Small amount of swelling in front kneecap but not too bad.

What kind of success rates have ye had for a full cure for this type of thing??

greysides

Keep the antibiotic going for longer than you think necessary. Remember you are dealing with a calf, born with zero immunity of any sort, that probably didn't get any colostrum until the pipeline was virtually closed. Other joints may yet flare up and then a likely win becomes a lot less certain.

So, in my opinion, at least 7 days treatment, 10-14 not out of the way. Stop too soon and it will flare up again.


PS: Check navel. If necessary, turn up and look.

rancher

greysides wrote: »

Keep the antibiotic going for longer than you think necessary. Remember you are dealing with a calf, born with zero immunity of any sort, that probably didn't get any colostrum until the pipeline was virtually closed. Other joints may yet flare up and then a likely win becomes a lot less certain.

So, in my opinion, at least 7 days treatment, 10-14 not out of the way. Stop too soon and it will flare up again.


PS: Check navel. If necessary, turn up and look.

Much harder cured the second time

dzer2

I use synulox for this find it gives a quicker response but dont spare it.

Tomjim

have a calf with joint ill. It has come back a second time and been injecting norclovac since sat and there is a slow response ie calf still lame on front leg and a little on the back.

Calf has been seen by vet and calf is thriving. What are the chances of survival?

Should I be doing anything else?

Alibaba

Tomjim wrote: »

have a calf with joint ill. It has come back a second time and been injecting norclovac since sat and there is a slow response ie calf still lame on front leg and a little on the back.

Calf has been seen by vet and calf is thriving. What are the chances of survival?

Should I be doing anything else?

I'd imagine calf should be ok.
It's a cursed painful thing , but i've had a few of them over the years and find most of them grow out of it as they get older.
Keep the treatment going for a few days anyway.

1chippy

Some of the iodines out there are useless but if you get a good type they will save you a lot of hassle. Always found linco spectun better for joint ail and as the rest said keep giving it for as long as possable.

greysides

Talking about iodine.......... I strongly suspect that some 'strong navels' I came across on a farm were not true infections but a response to the iodine spray being used.

Just bear it in mind if you are having more problems with the spray than you had before using it. It seems to cause a very fibrous (hard) reaction.

The farm I'm thinking of subsequently showed a mild iodine deficiency on blood samples, which may/may not have had something to do with it.

bosallagh88

greysides wrote: »

Talking about iodine.......... I strongly suspect that some 'strong navels' I came across on a farm were not true infections but a response to the iodine spray being used.

Just bear it in mind if you are having more problems with the spray than you had before using it. It seems to cause a very fibrous (hard) reaction.

The farm I'm thinking of subsequently showed a mild iodine deficiency on blood samples, which may/may not have had something to do with it.

Hi sorry to bring up an old thread have a 5 day old calf with a hard feeling cord and swollen navel had no iodine left so watered down some novigen disinfectant would this be a reaction ? give it antibiotic long acting if it is joint Ill could I give it a synlox tablet as well ?

greysides

I would consider a hard navel to be scar tissue, the aftermath of a resolved infection. I would expect an active infection where the navel feels swollen and tense but is squashable i.e. there is some 'give' in it when squeezed. Usually the squeeze will result in a flinch of the belly. If the calf is sat up on its arse, like a ewe, the bottom of the navel may have a cheesy pus on it.
I've no experience of Novugen to comment on it.

I see oral medicines as just an alternative delivery method. It may allow the use of antibiotics not available by other means. Injectables might be better in cases where digestive system absorption is in doubt.

Just my opinion, but I don't trust long-acting preparations where there's a serious job to be done. I always think they put user convenience over patient needs. I prefer day by day administration.