Bella has Phneumonia - Best treatment route???

Bleenie

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Bella(blind calf i've posted about) has developed Phneumonia,she has the fast shallow breathing and did not want to get up tonight for her bottle. She did finish her bottle once she got up but it was obviously a drain on her.

I have Tylan50 & Pennicillin on hand. I read online that Baytril is best but I cannot get any until the Vet opens tomorrow. only because I want to treat it ASAP,I am giving her 1.5ml of penicillin and 5ml of tylan50, both IM, different sites. I've never treated a calf for this so I am doing what I can at this point. I will be visiting the vet in the morning but want some help from cattle owners.

This girl has been through too much and I can't let this get the best of her now...


ETA:
She has had a heatlamp since day 1 but it's recentlybeen raining A LOT. She didn't even flinch when I gave her the injections and I hadto poke twice with the Penn. :(
 

redtailgal

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ug. This poor little girl.

Do what you can tonight. Your doing right.

When you talk with the vet, see about nuflor, and possibly a little banamine, or a corticosteroid to help with the swelling and inflammation in the lungs and bronchial tubes. I'd also get some B12 complex, enough for 4-5 injections, and I'd get the vet's opinion on administering Bovine Selinium (BoSe......pronounced Bo (long o sound) say...Bo Say)

I have some success in the past by treating the congestion/breathing difficulties by taking a large coffee cup full of very hot water and slapping a dab of vicks vapor rub in it. I"ll hold this near the nose (they may not like the smell). I've also taken vicks and smeared it on a paper towel, then stuffed it in a hamster ball near the calf so they have long term vapor luvin'. It does seem to aid in the congestion a little.

Another product that I've recently been turned on to (used it on goats, but havent had a need to use it on a calf yet) is Vet Rx, found in the farm store. Its a small bottle of a mentholated liquid that can be dripped directly into the nose. It does aid in breaking up congestion and opening up those airways. You can also take a very warm wet dish towel and lay across her shoulders, drapped downward (put a trashbag under it to keep her dry) to help loosen up her lungs a little.

Keep her warm and dry, but not hot. Very hot and dry air will be harder for her to breath. I know that moving drains her, but she needs to stand up every couple hours and have her position changed every couple hours.

Encourage her to drink.

Be sure that her mouth is warm and her belly is not sloshy sounding before you feed her. Check this each time you feed her, and rest her a couple times during her bottle. Take the bottle away, give her a chance to breath and give the bottle back.

Her little GI system is going to be a total wreck.....take it real cautious about feeding her right now. Watch her carefully for bloat and/or scours. I'd REALLY recommend going ahead and getting actual Probios at this point, and giving her a hearty dose every day for a couple weeks.


Double check her mouth, make sure that she does not have a deformity in the upper palate that would cause her to aspirate her milk, and make sure that your milk isnt Soy based.

This onset of pneumonia makes me very concerned for her.....with the antibiotics that she has already been on, I am concerned that it is a "stagnant" pneumonia, meaning that it developed from her lack of mobility and/or generalized weakness. This particular kind of pneumonia is very difficult to beat, esp if she was not able to get any colostrum (honestly, I would be surprised if she ever suckled her mother).

I am sorry that she is getting sicker. Continue to fight for her for as long as you feel it is warranted, hopefully she will pull through. However, and I mean this in the nicest way that I can, you need to come to terms that it's a very real possibility that she is not going to survive. You've put a lot of work into her, and a bottle baby steals your heart as it is, but when you work like this to keep them alive, well.....it makes it pretty hard when they die. Work hard for her, but steel up your spine, I fear your heart may be broken soon.

I'll be hoping and cheering for both you and Bella. Please keep us posted? :fl
 

Bleenie

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I checked on her late last night and her breathing was improved but not 100%...

When I went out this morning she jumped up and was breathing good! Should I continue another treatment of the same antibiotics? I will still talk to the Vet but it's the same one that told me her eyes will do what they want to do(meaning rupture).

Yesterday I had to buy more formula, made sure it was milk base and good fat & protein level... 20% - 20%... just 2% difference than the most expensive stuff. I also bought a tub of ProBios & a Puffer for their eyes. Bella's eyes are looking great today too, the white looks smaller! I am puffing their eyes with every feeding. I'm upto about $200 into them but i'm not too worried. I was more into the last dairy rescue heifer I brought home(neglected dog bite in a joint)... I was just glad she got an awesome home. :)

Here's a couple pictures for you guys,I can see it but i don'tknow how well it shows in the pictures... Bella is looking very shiny & she's got a little more "padding" on her rump now. I've been adding an egg to their milk every feeding.

duuco.jpg


Butterscotch wouldn't hold still for a good picture. when her bottle is done she knocks it on the ground then comes for me :ep :hide lol.
2lbdyz4.jpg



Redtailgal, Thank you for for being honest about it all. We've lost calves in the past so I understand how fast they can go downhill... I was pretty worried I would only find one live baby this morning. This girl is obviously a fighter and hopefully she keeps it up.
 

redtailgal

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You should continue any antibiotic for its full suggested duration and at the full suggested dose...........to do otherwise would only be to "vaccinate" the bacteria and create a super bacteria.

Yes, talk to your vet. I know it sounds harsh, but he was correct when he told you that her eyes would just do what they do. Once they get to that point, it's every man's guessing game as to how it will end. He was being bluntly honest, a trait that I highly respect in anyone, lol. Make sure that you are giving the FULL does of the antibiotic and double check how long the proper dosage length is for your specific antibiotic. This is very important.

I am glad that she was breathing better for you today, but dont let your guard down. Some calves will show increased symptoms at night, much like a sick child often gets sicker at night, then feels a little better during the day when there are more distractions.

What about the lump you found on butterscotch? has it cleared up, softened up, any changes?

I see some considerable weakness in Bella's hindlegs. Poor girl hasnt been able to move and develop those muscles properly and its left her to get behind on her development. Encourage her to walk a little each time you feed her. It will help build up some muscle and help clear those lungs.
 

Bleenie

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I did talk to the Vet and he said to follow up with a 10-15ml dose of Penn today and then 10ml for the next 3 days. And get some DMSO for the swelling. I have a friend looking for her DMSO for me. The Vet doesn'tuse Tylan at all but I think it helped her as well so I will continue with it for the next 3 days also.

He's very good and very blunt, that's one of the things I like best about him... When my Rottweiler was limping I suspected her of being kicked by the horse but he flat out told me it's possible it was a kick but likely Cancer... the next day she lumped up so we had xray's done and it was confirmed Bone cancer throughout her body. He's Very much for the animals more than the people.

I think I just didn't want to hear that her eyes might rupture. :th


I am going to give her the meds later in the day, I don't want to give them too close together and have the Penn. make her scour.
 

animalfarm

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Just a thought...try dropping the bottles one rung lower on the fence. Their heads are too high and it might be contributing to the situation with milk going down the wrong pipe and sucking back too much air. A calf on a cow would have to duck its head down to at least shoulder level to nurse.
 

Royd Wood

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animalfarm said:
Just a thought...try dropping the bottles one rung lower on the fence. Their heads are too high and it might be contributing to the situation with milk going down the wrong pipe and sucking back too much air. A calf on a cow would have to duck its head down to at least shoulder level to nurse.
x 2

deff too high
 

Bleenie

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I have started lowering their bottles because I was worried about just that. I remember my dad always telling us their necks have to be curved, not straight. To start with, Bella REFUSED to take the bottle if it was on the next bar down, I don't know why but i thought maybe it had something to do with her not being able to see well or soemthing... that sounds really stupid now that i'm saying it! She will take the bottle lower now though.

So Butterscotch is doing great. She will be getting bucket trained starting tomorrow morning... when I mixed the formula tonight there was a little extra so I took the bucket out just in case i decided she'd be fine to eat it. When she finished her bottle she stuck her head through the fence and devoured the extra right out of the bucket! I almost couldn't believe it! In the past most our calves hated being switched to bucket feedings.

Bella started getting better & being more active until this afternoon. She took a minute to get out of her hutch and before getting up she scoured all over her rear end. the yellow slimy poo is back. I don't know if it has to do with the antibiotics(or eye puffer) or not but I am so ready for her to get past it. Her eyes are looking better everyday. The ulcer has minimized to what looks like a large spot of white paint in the middle of each eye, sticks out a little but at least I am starting to see some of the color behind it. She's still getting the antibiotics and I MIGHT try her with the bucket tomorrow but I will have to seperate them, Butterscotch is a beast when her milk is gone.

Here's a couple videos of Butterscotch playing today, can you tell she's feeling better? :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8QkLMRag1c&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHG1MI0GMd8&feature=plcp
 
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