# New calf with eye infection



## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

My sister just came home from the dairy farm we work at with a brand new calf. Boss is gone on a hunting trip and the hired man let her bring it home for some TLC. He was born yesterday. This is the smallest full-term calf I have ever seen. Dam was Holstien, sire was Jersey. He *might* weigh 25 lbs. I'm guessing less. I can pick him up and carry him under one arm with ease.
He has an eye problem. Don't think its pinkeye. It is slightly swollen and matted shut. Not running or irritated like pinkeye. The eye underneath looks normal. I'm guessing he has gotten something in it, injured it, birth trauma...something like that. At his young age and small size I don't want to give him anything very strong. I think for now we will just wash it gently with a warm rag and unmatt it and see how it looks. 
Any other suggestions on the eye?


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## Highland (May 10, 2002)

He's in good hands! He'll be fine


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## georgec (Jul 9, 2007)

Flush the eye with a warm saline solution, 1/4 teaspoon salt to 1 cup boiling water, then let the water cool to luke warm..

George


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## Up North (Nov 29, 2005)

The eyeball is the fastest healing organ on a mammal.
However, the nature of it is that an infection can enter easily.
The Saline solution suggested by George C may well be an effective remedy.
Another method of eliminating infection is to take a tube of Today mastitis treatment, have your sister sit on calf and hold eyelids open fully, then inject Today directly onto upper half of eyeball. Then let eyelids close and solution will dissapate naturally and tearing action will wash it away in time.
Good Luck with Little Dude.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

Thanks Y'all! He has a good appetite, though I'm not sure he ate for the first 12 hours as they left him with his dam and I don't think he could reach the udder on that tall heifer. I guess we'll see how he goes.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Emily, one of my goat kids had a crusty eye. Used LA200 drops 3x's a day directly into the eyeball, cleared up in two days....All was well, just a thought


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Emily, one of my goat kids had a crusty eye. Used LA200 drops 3x's a day directly into the eyeball, cleared up in two days....All was well, just a thought...TJ


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

Thanks John.  I got a better look at it this morning when we moved him from the garage to the front yard. In the daylight it is obvious that it has been injured. The eyeball is not normal as I had thought, but milky blue so it has been traumatized by something. The upper eyelid is extremely swollen and puffed out making it very hard to see his eye. The lower eyelid has a bad cut on the *inside*, rather far down. I had to peel it back a ways to find the cut. I swabbed it out really well with the saline solution and it seemed to relieve the pressure and his eye is now partly open, though still so swollen around it that you cannot see his eyeball.
Despite all that he is spunky and has a great appetite. Leaving piles of yellow manure all over our yard.  
Here he is with my 10 year old sister. She couldn't believe how light he was.


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