3 week old calf down and another in the same pen down overnight

[Sbrock1011]

We had a friend bring over a lame 3 week old bottle baby. She drinks her bottles fine and is bright eyed but she couldnt walk or stand on her own for very long. Long story short, we put her in a pen with a mini bull that we just bought a week ago. He is spunky and pretty wild. This morning when we went out the mini bull was lame! Any ideas on what could cause this over night? He hadn't been exposed to the calf even 24 hours!

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

First - welcome to the boards!!
2nd - I don't know if you have cows and calves - but - you need to realize that a healthy calf from one farm has totally DIFFERENT healthy bugs than your herd is immune to. Every time you bring in a new animal, you are risking getting the rest of your calves sick.
The lameness is NOT "catchy". They may have gotten playing more than the mini was previously.
I would suggest giving a shot of Selenium (MuSe or Multimin90 - must get from a vet). You don't have your location listed (PLEASE go to your profile and fill out your location - location means a lot when we are trying to give advice!!!)
"MOST" of the USA is Selenium deficient. If a calf is deficient, it affects their large muscles. 90% of calves born in USA "should" get a SE shot.

 

[alisonb]

You will have to give us more info. Has the first calf healed and now normal? If not, does it have any swollen leg joints or swollen navel? Same with the second calf, any swollen joints or navel. Is he totally lame or is he getting around? Could be something like Infectious Arthritis(navel/joint ill)...as said, we need more info ;-)

 

[Sbrock1011]

Sorry for the delay! I forgot that I created an account on here. We live in Oklahoma. We think it was just a coincidence type of deal with the little bull calf. Idk. We gave both calves penicillin 2 days in a row. The bull calf is 100 percent back to normal but the other is still not up. I took her to the vet and he said that he though she has a developmental disability. I found out that she was premature but I dont know HOW preemie she was. I am putting 5ccs of lixotinic in her bottles twice a day and we have been suspending her just enough that she has to use her back legs for about an hr a day. Shes getting big enough that shes harder to move around so idk what we are going to do...I've never seen anything like this! She stands on her back knuckles when you get her up and when she tries to take a step she falls over.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

You can use PVC pipe & insulation tubes to make a brace for her knuckles. Use vet wrap to hold in place.

 

[darcelina4]

Give her dexamethasone. It helps them adjust to life outside the womb fast. You are giving too much lixotinic. Too much is bad
Too much iron can cause constipation. I'm in Oklahoma too. Lots of vets here are not well experienced in calves.

 

[Sbrock1011]

Ok. Do you think I should half the lixotinic dose? Several people have said to give her a shot of Bose but our vet said that it wouldn't make a difference in her. He is very confident that she will grow out of this if we continue to work with her. I on the other hand dont know! She is getting irritated skin on both hind legs from constantly laying there peeing on herself. I flip her a few times a day but I have a feeling that it will just get worse the heavier she gets

 

[Sbrock1011]

I bought a tube of Selenium and Vitamin E gel over the counter and I am planning on giving her 5 ml of that today. I know it's not as potent as the shot so I'm unsure on whether it will even be effective.

 

[Buck Randall]

Give her dexamethasone. It helps them adjust to life outside the womb fast.

Dexamethasone stimulates surfactant production in fetuses, allowing them to breathe. If the calf wasn't premature/isn't having trouble breathing, there's no benefit. Giving dexamethasone when it isn't needed is harmful because it suppresses the immune system.