calf with ear problems

[creeksidefarm]

We have a 500# feeder calf that has both ears that have been drooping for about 3 weeks. Our vet has treated him with antibiotic and steroids. The soft tissue inside the ear butt is swelled and the ear is not red and has no discharge. The vet now feels that it must be some type of allergy. He has been in a cool room set at about 66 degrees. Does anyone have any idea what his problem could be.

 

[OH Breeder]

bump

posted in wrong section. Bring back up for poster.gggg

 

[wonderchic]

The nephews fat steer had one drooping ear (slightly) and we were told that he got some water in it and it could possibly always droop. And it did.  All summer. I hope someone gives you a magic solution! That is a rough one with both drooping. Good luck

 

[leanbeef]

Can cattle get ear mites?... I don't know that I've seen them in cattle, but I've had other livestock get them, and the symptoms are always droopy ears. Mineral oil in the ears will kill them. They make stuff specifically for treatment, but that's basically what it is. 

 

[obie105]

Did he break it? I'm not sure what it is called but when your breaking a calf to lead and they pull so hard they tear the underlying soft tissue where the ear attaches to the head and it makes the ear droopy. It takes time to heal but when it does it will perk back up. I worked for a guy that it happend to one of his. It took about 6 weeks but it came back.

 

[RidinHeifer]

Is he just like that?  I have lambs that are just droopy earred because they are...they also are the ones that just go along like "whatever, okay I put my foot there if you want me to" then fall asleep bracing. We did have  a steer we ate that was so loaded with hair(not sure where it came from-hereford and Angus commercial herd- that had droopy ears from young age...never worried about them and they never went away...  Maybe you could take a fold of skin from the tops of the ears(where they go into the head)  and super glue them up LOL!

 

[leanbeef]

Yeah...we've had a couple of cattle over the years that had ugly, droopy ears. These were Simmies...no Brahman influence. A couple years ago, one of our best bull calves had REALLY ugly, floppy ears. I think it's genetic, although his mother doesn't look like that and she's never had another calf that looked like this one. He pretty much had those ears from birth. They aren't gonna just GET that way unless something causes it, but if they are born that way, then ur not gonna fix em.

 

[CAB]

If the calf's ears were not normally drooping there is a reason for them all of a sudden drooping. My guess which is just what it is without observing the calf would be that it has an inner ear infection or basically has a sinus head cold. One of the first signs of sickness is droopy ears. I would treat the calf with Micotil if you have some. !.5 to 3 mls/100 lbs.

 

[DL]

If the calf's ears were not normally drooping there is a reason for them all of a sudden drooping. My guess which is just what it is without observing the calf would be that it has an inner ear infection or basically has a sinus head cold. One of the first signs of sickness is droopy ears. I would treat the calf with Micotil if you have some. !.5 to 3 mls/100 lbs.

Wow CAB - that is rich! I agree with your statement that if the ears are drooping something is abnormal - BUT (gotta love the internet diagnosis without seeing the calf) inner ear infections do not usually result in swelling of the external ear canal, furthermore inner ear infections usually affect balance or locomotion in some way - but the really rich part of your advise (IMHO) is to encourage a young person (creekside farm maybe is not young to use a drug that has killed people (ie Micotil) with a dose that is excessive (ie 3 ml/1oo lbs is twice the label dose) and because you are not a veterinarian you didn't feel it necessary to provide a with hold for your extra label dose of Micotil.

creekside - did the calf respond to the treatment the vet prescribed? What bedding are you using in the cold room? How much of the day does he spend in it? When is your fair? I would call your vet back and see if he/she has any ideas to treat the allergy - there may be topical (in the ear) things that could help

 

[CAB]

If the calf's ears were not normally drooping there is a reason for them all of a sudden drooping. My guess which is just what it is without observing the calf would be that it has an inner ear infection or basically has a sinus head cold. One of the first signs of sickness is droopy ears. I would treat the calf with Micotil if you have some. !.5 to 3 mls/100 lbs.

Wow CAB - that is rich! I agree with your statement that if the ears are drooping something is abnormal - BUT (gotta love the internet diagnosis without seeing the calf) inner ear infections do not usually result in swelling of the external ear canal, furthermore inner ear infections usually affect balance or locomotion in some way - but the really rich part of your advise (IMHO) is to encourage a young person (creekside farm maybe is not young to use a drug that has killed people (ie Micotil) with a dose that is excessive (ie 3 ml/1oo lbs is twice the label dose) and because you are not a veterinarian you didn't feel it necessary to provide a with hold for your extra label dose of Micotil.

creekside - did the calf respond to the treatment the vet prescribed? What bedding are you using in the cold room? How much of the day does he spend in it? When is your fair? I would call your vet back and see if he/she has any ideas to treat the allergy - there may be topical (in the ear) things that could help

Dosage is as stated on the bottle 1.5 to 3mls per 100lbs of body weight with my vets recommending the dosage towards the upper end. I have used it to treat calves with droopy ears & showing signs of not feeling well with good response. I did state," without observing the calf". Sorry to have stepped on your toes again, but good luck to the original poster that was looking for help.
 Yes the bottle does come with warnings about the dangers associated with micotil and I would highly recommend that if you are going to use Micotil that you read about these dangers and take appropriate precautions.

 

[DL]

If the calf's ears were not normally drooping there is a reason for them all of a sudden drooping. My guess which is just what it is without observing the calf would be that it has an inner ear infection or basically has a sinus head cold. One of the first signs of sickness is droopy ears. I would treat the calf with Micotil if you have some. !.5 to 3 mls/100 lbs.

Wow CAB - that is rich! I agree with your statement that if the ears are drooping something is abnormal - BUT (gotta love the internet diagnosis without seeing the calf) inner ear infections do not usually result in swelling of the external ear canal, furthermore inner ear infections usually affect balance or locomotion in some way - but the really rich part of your advise (IMHO) is to encourage a young person (creekside farm maybe is not young to use a drug that has killed people (ie Micotil) with a dose that is excessive (ie 3 ml/1oo lbs is twice the label dose) and because you are not a veterinarian you didn't feel it necessary to provide a with hold for your extra label dose of Micotil.

creekside - did the calf respond to the treatment the vet prescribed? What bedding are you using in the cold room? How much of the day does he spend in it? When is your fair? I would call your vet back and see if he/she has any ideas to treat the allergy - there may be topical (in the ear) things that could help

Dosage is as stated on the bottle 1.5 to 3mls per 100lbs of body weight with my vets recommending the dosage towards the upper end. I have used it to treat calves with droopy ears & showing signs of not feeling well with good response. I did state without observing the calf. Sorry to have stepped on your toes again, but good luck to the original poster that was looking for help.
  Yes the bottle does come with warnings about the dangers associated with micotil and I would highly recommend that if you are going to use Micotil that you read about these dangers and take appropriate precautions.

You didn't step on my toes - my toes are just fine - I am however bothered by the cavalier way people on this board recommend powerful and dangerous drugs for cattle without a diagnosis and without acknowledging the potential dangers or discussing the withhold. And often these recommendations are going to youth - with all the concerns about drug use in the animals we raise for food one would think adults would perhaps provide a little better guidance

My bad however, re the 3 ml per 100 dose - it is not now extra label.. The original label was 1.5 ml/100 lbs and since I do not use Micotil nor do I stock Micotil (there are safer alternatives with the same or better spectrum) I looked at the old label - my apology.