# Calf with Pneumonia, need advice



## SSacres (Mar 13, 2011)

Hello, looking for some advice.
I have a 3 week old Jersey calf, that seemed kind of slow this morning but drank his bottle. He normally will eat calf starter pellets from my hand but had no interest this morning. I let him out of his stall around 3:00 to check him again and he coughed a couple times and was breathing hard. Called my vet who did not answer and did not have a emergency phone# on the recording.
Of course it's Sunday and a holiday weekend 
Temp was 104, gave hin 2ml of LA200 and a aspirin bolus, he did take his second bottle this evening. Is there anything else I should do until the vet calls back? When should I give him another injection of LA200? 
I bought the calf from a middleman that gets them from the farm, he pays extra to ensure they get colostrum and vacinated, but didn't know what vacination the farmer gave.

Thanks!


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## AngusLover (Jan 12, 2014)

Jerseys are tough to begin with. 
1st off these things always seem to come up on Sunday of a holiday weekend so your not alone there .
Good job on the temp! Most people neglect that step and it can tell a lot. When you do speak to the vet be sure to include the temp.
Also write down what your doing to this calf along with what your noticing and temps so that you have the information ready. These records can save a life. 
LA200 is every 3 days. 
I'd be getting Vit B in him and oral probiotics ASAP. Especially on a bottle calf that's had antibiotics. The vitamin B will help with appetite and energy and the probiotics will help his gut stabilize. Helps especially when antibiotics kill off good stuff in their gut. 
I would not have given the aspirin bolus. Not needed and can tear up his fragile little gut. Can cause organ issues also at such a young age. The vit B and probiotics will really help that.
At 3 weeks there are very few vaccination to be given yet. Mostly a scours vac but it's not that common. Vac's aren't effective until 2 months according to the manufacturers and most vets.
Good luck. Hope this helps a bit. Raised a lot of bottle calves. They can be great fun. Jerseys are very hard to keep alive compared to other breeds. Keep at it but don't be hard on yourself if it doesn't make it.
Watch for scours now. Especially with the bolus. Keep a close watch. They go down hill very fast.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Keep in mind that there is bacterial and viral pneumonia, but you probably already know that. If it's bacterial, then I'd be upping the ante to something stronger than LA200 as soon as possible....Good advice bye Double R.......Topside


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## myheaven (Apr 14, 2006)

If your local feed store is open and had pen g or dura pen. I would get that. I stick to the dosage of 10cc of pen g and 10 cc of la 200. That for a 300 lbs calf. If I see no improvement then I get draxxin from the vet and hit the calf with that.


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## farmerdan (Aug 17, 2004)

2cc of Draxxin will knock it out quickly. Beware that it's HOT and will burn for a bit. I use it in Holstein calves so you may want to go down 1/2 cc on a Jersey.


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## SSacres (Mar 13, 2011)

Thanks for the advice, the vet still hasn't called, so I left a message for my backup vet too.
Temp is back to normal this morning and he is acting frisky, but there was a cough after he finished his bottle. I did give him probiotics this morning.

DoubleR, I did not give him a whole aspirin bolus, just disolved one in water and gave him some with a syringe, the instruction said for calves, but didn't list a age. I'll get some Banamine from my sister today, in case its needed.

I did not have any of these problems with the Holstein calf, that's now in the freezer, so learning as I go

Thanks again.


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## AngusLover (Jan 12, 2014)

Sounds like he's on the right track. Great that his temps normal! Great job! So many people neglect the temp. Makes a big difference.
Check later for that cough. Bottle calves can and will cough after/during eating when they get milk where it shouldn't be or saliva. Better to not treat him if it's not necessary.
I always recommend having vit b and probiotics on hand. Would not hurt him a bit to have some after being sick and medicated. You said you gave him one dose of probiotics. I'd recommend another couple doses since he's on a 3 day antibiotic. 
Note: DO NOT MIX ANTIBIOTICS
Be careful giving banamine also to young calves. It's hard on organs. Good to have when needed but be sure it's needed before giving it and definitely WITH the Vit B and Probiotics to help with the damage it causes. I would personally choose banamine over aspirin bolus'. Injection over stomach. My person opinion from lots of research .
Jerseys are just plain hard to keep alive as bottle calves. Just know that. Sounds like your very observant and that's what it takes. Great job!
Keep us posted!


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## SSacres (Mar 13, 2011)

Come to find out my vet is out on medical, but I found another vet locally (4 miles from my house) that is new to the area.
Spoke to the new vet on the phone today and he said with the LA200 already given would have to wait till Thursday morning to change antibiotics. He said a sulpha drug with the LA200 might be beneficial and that I could pick some up on my way home. He left it in a big mail box outside, so I picked it up and left payment as instructed.
What I picked up is Dextrose Solution 50%, doesn't say sulfa drug, used for ketosis. Recommended dose for my calf 3.5cc orally, does this make any sense?


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## AngusLover (Jan 12, 2014)

That's not good practice to not put that on his/her message. What if that had been a serious emergency!
If the temp is down and he's improving I'd lean toward your doing fine on what you've done. Especially with the vet having not seen him. Maybe you told him something you haven't shared with us.
Most vets take a while to develop a relationship with clients before leaving stuff for the client like that. I'm surprised. However if all he left was Dextrose you can get that cheep at most supply stores. Vet can charge more .
I agree about waiting till Thursday to change drugs but I DONT understand changing drugs if what you've treated with has worked which obviously with an alert calf, good apatite and a now normal temp means it's working. Again unless there's something you haven't told us that you did tell the vet. 
Has it been opened? Do you see an injection hole where he may have put something in the bottle?
View attachment 29997
generally they are sealed with a metal cap like above photo. If he did he should have labeled the bottle as "added......" Is it this? I pay $3.00 for it and that's our insanely high local prices.
View attachment 29998
What did he charge you for it? That can also tell you if he added to it. Sounds to me like he's just trying to get minerals and energy to your calf. If you've done the probiotics and vit b your already ahead.


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## SSacres (Mar 13, 2011)

He did not recommend the LA200 for treating pneumonia, but understood it was all I had on Sunday. He would come out Thursday if the calf did not continue to improve.

I just looked at the bottle I picked up again, I think he may have reused the Dextrose bottle. The hand written label (almost illegible, typical doctor writing) looks like Albro 12.5% , can't read the rest, 3 1/2 cc 2xday, 5-7 days.


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