Coughing Calf

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showstud

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Apr 10, 2008
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87
I have a 5 month old calf that is mopeing around coughing. She looks great, not dehyhydrated and doesn't have the scours. She isn't eating much and isn't sucking on the cow. Her only symptoms are coughing, runny nose and she is breathing heavy...what could be the problem? I have her a shot of penicillin. the only thing i can think of is the weather we have been having. We had several nights that were very cool and rainy and now its HOT again?? Would that have anything to do with it?
 

LUKE

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Jun 21, 2009
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317
We had a heifer that was coughing pretty bad and had a runny nose. We gave her penicillin too, but it didn't help. Come to find out all she needed was wormed.
 

herefordfootball

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Apr 10, 2009
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Location
Northern, Indiana
Almost sounds a little bit like pneumonia. I'm not a 100% sure though. How long did you give her penicillin and how much? We had a calf with a similar problem without the heavy breathing. We gave her 3 shots of pen at 3cc a shot over three days and she popped right up on that 4th day.
 

DL

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Jan 29, 2007
Messages
3,622
showstud said:
I have a 5 month old calf that is mopeing around coughing. She looks great, not dehyhydrated and doesn't have the scours. She isn't eating much and isn't sucking on the cow. Her only symptoms are coughing, runny nose and she is breathing heavy...what could be the problem? I have her a shot of penicillin. the only thing i can think of is the weather we have been having. We had several nights that were very cool and rainy and now its HOT again?? Would that have anything to do with it?

I would interpret your post differently than you do - I am not sure how a coughing calf, moping around and not eating can look great - her symptoms include coughing, runny nose, heavy breathing, moping and not eating. Does the calf have an elevated temperature?

Remember cattle are considered prey animals and hide their signs until they can no longer hide them - that combination says to me that this calf is sick - probably with pneumonia (although you can get the same combination of signs with heart failure due to a congenital heart problem) ---

call your vet
 

luv2show21

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May 5, 2009
Messages
105
Location
West Central MO
Yeah, sure sounds like pneumonia to me.  Call the vet...those calves can't take much of that before it gets them.  Nuflor and Banamine should fix you right up.  Nuflor really takes care of that stuff...but it's pricey.
 

Vacanballs

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Dec 2, 2008
Messages
102
Draxin will work the best.. and its a one shot deal.. no multiple injections.. just be careful not to get any in you.. banimine will help the calf feel better.. give it a few days
 
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