Calf with balance issues/ seizures

AnFeirmeoir

I have a 2 and half month old heifer. Looks healthy but from birth had some sort of mental/balance problems. Has gotten worse in past 2 weeks.
On good day youd notice a bit of stumbling. On a bad day shed be stretched out unable to stand. Usually recovers after an hour.

The cow had same issue with her previous calf but worse and i put him down after a month.
Vet says a vitamin deficiency but nothing he has perscribed works really.

Question. Would kepak take an animal this age and condition? or is she for the bullet. Always deal with mart so dont know. Shame as shes a muscley healthey looking calf.

Cow is def for the road after this.

Kevhog1988

Hardly magnesium deficiency?. Sounds a bit like the staggers that sheep get. Rather than the bullet stick it on donedeal with a disclosure and someone will take a chance on it.

whelan2

I assume meningitis has been ruled out? Had one a few years ago and the seizures got worse. It was a pedigree Angus ended up getting him shot

AnFeirmeoir

whelan2 wrote: »

I assume meningitis has been ruled out? Had one a few years ago and the seizures got worse. It was a pedigree Angus ended up getting him shot

Only reason id rule it out is the last calf had it and this one had if from the second she was born. I do think its getting worse. Was hoping shed improve once she started eating grass right but seems the opposite. Is menengitis just a catch all word for all brain issues in animals?

Lady Haywire

If last years calf was similar last year, it means' it's not a one off. I'd give a growvite/vit shot to him, see how it does. Cow a bolus or vit shot too.

It's not just a one off if it's happened twice, tis the cow or the feeding.

dohc turbo2

I have a cow here 4 th calver , 2 calves best ever last years calf collapsed in the yard , the vet was actually just coming in couldn’t explain what happened him anyway we did put bit and vet went out got calf up he looked perfect , 2 weeks later we found him dead in the field , was 3 months old , so on to this year calf born fine calf triving very well 2 months in we spotted his was getting all dirty compared to other calves , started getting seizures , they were getting worse , after the seizures he would be absolutely perfect , they were happening more frequently 4-6 a day so we put him down , cow is to be culled . Vet reckoned it was like epilepsy, had never seen it before .

AnFeirmeoir

dohc turbo2 wrote: »

I have a cow here 4 th calver , 2 calves best ever last years calf collapsed in the yard , the vet was actually just coming in couldn’t explain what happened him anyway we did put bit and vet went out got calf up he looked perfect , 2 weeks later we found him dead in the field , was 3 months old , so on to this year calf born fine calf triving very well 2 months in we spotted his was getting all dirty compared to other calves , started getting seizures , they were getting worse , after the seizures he would be absolutely perfect , they were happening more frequently 4-6 a day so we put him down , cow is to be culled . Vet reckoned it was like epilepsy, had never seen it before .

Very same here she had 2 good calves then the last 2 with this issue

greysides

Could be something like Cerebellar hypoplasia (congenital malformation of the hind brain) but the result of a blood test of cow and calf for Neospora might be interesting.

dohc turbo2

AnFeirmeoir wrote: »

Very same here she had 2 good calves then the last 2 with this issue

Vet advised me to cull , it broke my heart to see the calf have the fits , I’ve the cow away from bull waitin for better prices to get rid