firesweepranch
Well-known member
OK, I need some help. My neighbor has a calf that I need some help problem solving on. First, let me start by saying, my neighbor DOES NOT vaccinate, nor, in my opinion, feed her cattle enough (they have about 13 cows running with a bull year round and calf whenever the cows pleases). So, they bought a day old half Angus half dairy black bull calf in April. Now, according them them, they bottle fed the calf twice a day for 60 days, then kicked him out with the cows hoping he would start sucking on one of the cows. If he came up to the barn, they would give him a little grain. So I get a call on yesterday because he is down and will not get up. When I get there, he is literally skin and bones, way skinnier than any dairy calf I have ever seen and I just assume he is dead because he is flat out. They noticed Saturday that he did not come up when they called him, and found him laying on the ground not getting up so they brought him up to the barn and started giving him a bottle. He would sit up for a bottle, but go right back down after sucking the bottle. So I get the call yesterday to come look at him (they do not want any more "bills" in him so no vet). I get a bottle of electrolytes to tube him (he is extremely dehydrated and has diarrhea), but his owner swears he will suck a bottle, he just can not get him to sit up to take it. The calf looks dead to me, but I go in and roll him up on his chest and he takes the entire bottle (sucking, not tubing) with gusto ??? Then he stays in that position for several minutes before he flops back over, and proceeds to thrash around like he is running on his side. I swear it was death throws, and tell the neighbor that I will back at noon to check on him. I gave him 4 CC Baytril, (they gave him 2 sulfa boluses on Sunday). Back at noon, expecting a dead calf, and he is in the same position, just rotated around from the thrashing. This time, I gave him a bottle of powdered milk since I figure he is starving. He drank it with gusto with me propping him up on my legs. That time he stayed up for several minutes before I left. Last night, his owners reported that with assistance, he got up and walked around for several minutes looking for another bottle of milk. I am shocked he is even alive (still has pure water stools - yellow). So I go over this morning to check, and he is back to the same position and will not sit up. After a bottle of milk, he will stay propped up and look at you like he wants more. I had the owner give another bottle of electrolytes at noon, which he took with gusto again. I go back tonight to check, and once again he is laying flat and not getting up. With lots of effort, I get him propped up on my leg and he takes the milk bottle with gusto, but flops back over when he is done and does the scramble. OK, I am thinking he needs more calories ??? So I get a handful of grain and offer it to him and he eats it with some aggression, about a cup full. I try to get him to drink water but no go. Now, there is bright red blood in his stools (still water), so is that because of the irritated digestive system or should I treat him for Coccidiosis?
I am at a loss here for what is truly going on. The guy has a tremendous will to live, so I am willing to keep trying as long as he is. Can starvation cause this? Any ideas or suggestions on where to go from here? Thanks for any help!
I am at a loss here for what is truly going on. The guy has a tremendous will to live, so I am willing to keep trying as long as he is. Can starvation cause this? Any ideas or suggestions on where to go from here? Thanks for any help!