Sick calf-

L1985

Hi guys have a bit of a head scratcher for ye.
Calf born three weeks ago-cow was wicked after calving and I couldn’t get close enough to check it was sucking. So calf didn’t get beastings until around 12hours old. Calf was a v bad sucker so spent around a week getting it drinking and giving it vitamins. Kept a very close eye on it.
Last Thursday evening found the calf lying down wouldn’t get up so bought it in. No scour or temp just v down in itself and wouldn’t suck again.
So sat he kept standing in corners staring at the wall for hours and was frothing at the mouth. Called vet and the calves eyes were rolling in his head. Vet said prob was lack of beastings is the issue and have him b12 and something else. Said nothing else he could do.
Calf then drank the cow yesterday.
But stomach tubes him today as he wouldn’t suck. Issue is he is still standing and staring and throwing his head around v weirdly. Staggers sometimes when getting up and goes around in circles...
Still no temp or scour and his suck is still v weak. Eyes are bright ears down slightly nose is warm.....I’m honestly baffled. Any ideas? He’s a great calf....

patsy_mccabe

Sounds like Meningitis.

_Brian

L1985 wrote: »

Hi guys have a bit of a head scratcher for ye.
Calf born three weeks ago-cow was wicked after calving and I couldn’t get close enough to check it was sucking. So calf didn’t get beastings until around 12hours old. Calf was a v bad sucker so spent around a week getting it drinking and giving it vitamins. Kept a very close eye on it.
Last Thursday evening found the calf lying down wouldn’t get up so bought it in. No scour or temp just v down in itself and wouldn’t suck again.
So sat he kept standing in corners staring at the wall for hours and was frothing at the mouth. Called vet and the calves eyes were rolling in his head. Vet said prob was lack of beastings is the issue and have him b12 and something else. Said nothing else he could do.
Calf then drank the cow yesterday.
But stomach tubes him today as he wouldn’t suck. Issue is he is still standing and staring and throwing his head around v weirdly. Staggers sometimes when getting up and goes around in circles...
Still no temp or scour and his suck is still v weak. Eyes are bright ears down slightly nose is warm.....I’m honestly baffled. Any ideas? He’s a great calf....

Only time I saw an animal staggering and throwing its head around was meningitis..


2Lit electrolyte, 3 times daily if its not sucking.


When you say he wouldnt suck, are you sure hes not sucking when your not about.

L1985

Vet said it wasn’t and no temp. That was my first thought but it doesn’t look like it. Could it be a brain injury?
Yes I’m feeding him plenty. Well I took the cow away this morning and he wouldn’t drink this afternoon so I can monitor tomorrow if he tries to drink again. He wouldn’t suck the bottle thou and her teats are awkward sized as well.
Also he is grinding his teeth a lot....

Lady Haywire

Grinding his teeth is a sign of discomfort so can't tell us much!
It really does sound like meningitis to me as well though, something 'brainy' with the staring at the wall & rolling eyes. Is it possible to get a vet in the morning for a second opinion? Or do you have a thermometer to go take his temp now?

L1985

Deff hasn’t a temp-been checking that regularly and as I said eyes are clear. TBH the vet was very sanguine-he May live or die it’s hard to know and loaded him with some antibiotics and vitamins!! So I don’t really know if a second visit by him will help....
Also surely meningitis would have killed him by now or maybe I’m wrong in that?

_Brian

Maybe some inner ear problem causing pain and the head shaking ??

Say my name

Could have even been a kick in the head from the cow.

L1985

Brian-good idea but I don’t think so as it doesn’t really explain the standing and staring at walls...it’s v odd looking.
I’m thinking that’s what happened say my name but where do I go from this if it’s a brain injury? Do they get better? can he survive or.....if I could just get him sucking again it would be a great help!!

Say my name

All you can do is try and continue feeding it and see what happens.

TooOldBoots

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Sounds like Meningitis.

I'd +1 that too.
If the Vet hasn't treated it for Meningitis by now then the damage could already be done. With Meningitis if you don't get it in time then its rare that they survive any great length of time.
If you are giving him antibiotics then ordinary penicillin.

Lime Tree Farm

Check his mouth and tongue for cuts. He may have a bit of a stick or some other small foreign body lodged in his mouth, causing discomfort.

We had one that baffled the vet, until it was mentioned that his mouth seemed sore.

greysides

Sounds like meningitis +/- septicemia to me. That would need intensive antibiotic treatment and it may be too late at this stage. As I see it, the problem started with the cow's attitude delaying colostrum intake, giving the bugs a head start. Cows like that are fine...... only when everything goes straightforwardly!

One thing I've seen a couple of examples of recently is how lack of colostrum makes curing a calf nigh on impossible.

L1985

Cow has been earmarked to go! I don’t keep cows that are wild and she’s had her chance she’s not good with the calf either which doesn’t help.
Good news is calf’s sucking this morning and this evening and again is very lively. Bad news is when I got him out of the house he had some sort of fit and was throwing his head back and jerking on the floor/ once I got him up he was fine and was mad to drink off the cow....I really don’t think it’s meningitis as he wouldn’t be getting better. Vet didn’t leave any antibiotic for him.
Mouth is better as well and I havnt heard much teeth grinding today.
So I’m baffled but I’m leaning towards a brain injury.

valtra2

Not to take over your tread but I have a calf here to that 3 weeks old and all grand till few days ago and she was stretched out on ground and could not get up. She was tenced up but when you put her up she can walk like as if she had something stuck up her bum. Vet said clostridadil deasese. She loaded up on drugs but not to much hope for her. Her hips are swollen up. And when she lyes down she can't get up. She just teances up

tanko

valtra2 wrote: »

Not to take over your tread but I have a calf here to that 3 weeks old and all grand till few days ago and she was stretched out on ground and could not get up. She was tenced up but when you put her up she can walk like as if she had something stuck up her bum. Vet said clostridadil deasese. She loaded up on drugs but not to much hope for her. Her hips are swollen up. And when she lyes down she can't get up. She just teances up

You hardly dehorned her recently?

L1985

No idea valtra-sounds terrible thou hope it comes out of it. Its a head wreck at times.

greysides

L1985 wrote: »

Good news is calf’s sucking this morning and this evening and again is very lively. Bad news is when I got him out of the house he had some sort of fit and was throwing his head back and jerking on the floor/ once I got him up he was fine and was mad to drink off the cow....I really don’t think it’s meningitis as he wouldn’t be getting better. Vet didn’t leave any antibiotic for him.
Mouth is better as well and I havnt heard much teeth grinding today.
So I’m baffled but I’m leaning towards a brain injury.

Convulsing would be a sign of meningitis. Check with your vet if he needs more antibiotics. Even long-acting antibiotics don't work for long enough for this problem. Vitamin B1 is a bit of a brain tonic.

L1985

Convulsing would be a sign of meningitis. Check with your vet if he needs more antibiotics. Even long-acting antibiotics don't work for long enough for this problem. Vitamin B1 is a bit of a brain tonic.

Apologies greyside the vet did give him that he got a couple of shots of either b1 or b12 and “kelucy”? Vets handwritings hard to read but finished them since yesterday. I’ll call him in the morning and see what they say. He wasn’t too invested in the calf at the first visit let’s just put it that way. He was a lot sicker then thou then he is now as well but the fits only started the last two days.

L1985

Hi guys so an update!
Spoke with the vet and all of ye were right so I apologize as it was meningitis. I asked him last Sat if it was meningitis and he said it was swelling in the brain-he wasn’t really listening to me thou!
So got another couple of doses off the vet on Monday-calf was doing better sucking the cow, alert in himself but kept having those fits. Heard him roaring at 5 this morning and got up and it was a death roar and he passed away. Drying cow off and she’s going to the mart on sat as I couldn’t be dealing with her.