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Cure For Scours? Never mind, I don't need it anymore :(

R

Ranchy

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Apr 14, 2006
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Location
scenic mountains of western New Mexico
One of the calves we got to put on the milk cow has developed a pretty fair case of scours. He's got a wet nose and shiny eyes, but has diareah something awful. I'm afraid he's going to get dehydrated and die........

We've cut his milk consumption down, given him boluses, nothing seems to be helping at the moment.

I've thought about maybe giving him some Gatorade or something like that........does anyone know if it's safe for calves? Or is there something else I can give him? He sucks a bottle really well, so that's not a problem.

Thanks!
 
Ranchy, what color are the scours? If they're a green color, thats not your standard milk scours. The only thing we've found that works up here is a shot of NuFlor, a couple boluses, and get a couple bags of electrolytes into him.

If the NuFlor doesn't start to work in 24 hours, you may have to switch to Liquimycin.

Rod
 
Ranchy,if you dont have any store bought electrolyte solution on hand,there are several home made ones,I really have never heard about the "gatorade" if some one dont post their's soon I will find mine,been a while since I had a scouring calve................good luck
 
Thanks, HayMaker, if you don't mind sharing, I'd love to have it for next time.

I got up there, the calf had fallen over on his side, so I rolled him back on his belly, and he took 2 or 3 good swallows, and fell over dead. I guess I waited too long between checks, and he was just too far gone.

Damn, that makes ya feel terrible.......it was so quick, at 12:30, he was up and ate good.......just had the runs so bad...... :(

Thanks for all your help, guys.......I really do appreciate it.
 
Dont feel to bad Ranchy,losing a head of livestock is just part of raising cattle,here's the home made electrolyte formula that I use,but I would urge you to keep the comercial variety on hand,I really believe everybody ought to have a well stocked vet box.
When using any kinda electrolyte formula commercial packet or home made,mix only the amount you are gonna use now,if it sits to long it may seperate or lose its potency.Im gonna make this simple.
Add the following ingredients to 2 quarts warm water
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
For a dehydrated calf,give this to him every 6 to 8 hours,until he feels well enough to nurse again and bowel movements begin to firm up,if your calf is severely dehydrated you may have to give this to him every three hours,also I like to give them liquid antibiotics in a syringe, squirt it in the back of their mouth.
Servere diarrhea kills many calves every year and its alot more complicated than what I stated here Ranchy,but I have saved more than one with this method..............good luck

PS I am assuming you have a tube feeder and know how to use it.
 
Ranchy, keep a close watch on those other calves. There is a strong
possiblity they could get scours too.

Haymakers potion is a good one. His mention of putting anitbiotics
in the mouth works better than a scour bolus. Think about it, if
a calf is dehydrated, how is it going to dissolve a bolus? When we had
all the trouble we had, we used Gentocin down the throat. I think
2 cc by mouth and 1 cc in the muscle, or maybe it was the other way
around.

In these situations, try some Kaopectate or Pepto-Bismol if you haven't got anything on hand for cattle. Liquid treatment seems to work
best. But you must keep them hydrated at all costs.

I hope you don't get any more sick ones.
 
Faster horses said:
Ranchy, keep a close watch on those other calves. There is a strong
possiblity they could get scours too.

Haymakers potion is a good one. His mention of putting anitbiotics
in the mouth works better than a scour bolus. Think about it, if
a calf is dehydrated, how is it going to dissolve a bolus? When we had
all the trouble we had, we used Gentocin down the throat. I think
2 cc by mouth and 1 cc in the muscle, or maybe it was the other way
around.
Click to expand...

Gentamycin does work -- but it's also prohibited in food producing animals due to a withdrawal of 18 months -- and yes that is 18 months.

I dislike KaoPec because of the fact that it's meant to bind with toxins and bacteria in the gut -- and I feel it also binds with any oral antibiotics. BismuKote or Pepto is along the lines of asprin and so does not have that problem.

I've had success with Spectam (spectinomycin) orally at 10-20cc's once or twice a day depending what I feel that particular calf warrants.

If I recall correctly tetracyclines bind with milk and so I wouldn't use those orally with milk replacer if you find yourself in that situation.

I've also had good results with Nuflor or oxytet200 systemically (IM/SC) and SMZ/TMP tablets orally. I feel my best treatment results come from systemic PLUS oral treatment -- two routes of antibiotic therapy.

Most important thing is keeping a calf hydrated -- that will kill them faster than anything. Dehydration does not become apparent until a calf has lost 6% of its body weight, if I remember the numbers correctly, so I'd assume any scouring calf is dehydrated.

Severe diarrhea also results in loss of important electrolytes, vitamins, minerals, etc. I tend to give an automatic shot of Bo-Se, Vit B Complex, and Vit A & D to any scouring calves. It is vital that the calf does not slip into a state of acidosis which can easily come about through loss of body fluids. Corrected by sodium bicarbonate aka baking soda. Also sodium chloride as salt is neccessary for the calf, as is dextrose.

Rehydration for a calf by IV can be composed of a 1000mL bottle of sodium chloride/saline solution or Lactated Ringers with 5-10cc's of dextrose added. Can go SubQ if neccessary.

I really like Purina's electrolyte solution for oral use -- it includes probiotics as well -- sure gives them a boost.

I'd certainly agree with what FH said about watching the other calves -- any time I've had ONE calf on a nurse cow come down with scours, the entire set ended up with it. Very easy to transfer as they move from teat to teat.

Good luck with the others.
 
Some guys around here use a paste on calves when they are born. It comes from Select Sires. Some guys fought Scours for years and this paste pretty well stopped the battle. I use Probias. This is as a preventative, but also helps with them when they get scours in addition to the above efforts,

PPRM
 
I was worried about that when you posted the pictures of the holstein's.I bought a calf to put on a cow about 5 years ago it died and I got scours in all the other calves lost 25 out of a 100 I would'nt buy a bucket calf for anything now scours suck.
 
Thanks, everyone! I'm sure going to print out your recipe for electrolytes, HayMaker.......I actually have it, but Al's ENT gave it to me, after he had his Septoplasty last year, for nose spray......it was just smaller amounts. lol Guess if it's good for one thing, it oughtta help something else, huh?

The other two calves seem to be fine.......up running, bucking and playing. I don't know if they'll come down with them, too, but will sure keep a watch on them, and try to get it stopped before it gets such a good hold on them.

I know that the dead calf was eating a lot, cause hubby brought almost 2 gallons of milk to the house, this was after the other two had finished.....he was older than the two that are left, so maybe he just got too much of a good thing.

Again, thank you all for your input and concern. You're the best! :nod:

:cboy:
 
Well, our worst fears are confirmed, the two remaining calves now are scouring. :(

FIL brought up a drench gun, and we gave each one of the boys a quart of the electrolyte mixture from HayMaker's recipe.....

I've also got the bottle nipple and drench gun soaking in Clorox water, maybe if I can get all the "bad germs" killed off, they'll live through this.

The Holstein calf is worse than Sweet Pea's baby, but neither of them are doing much good.

Got some more meds in town yesterday, so have that to give them...hope it works.

Damn, I'm just sick about this........ :(
 
You've probably already research it all, but thought this might help.

TREATMENT OF CALF SCOURS


What causes calf scours? As new calves arrive, so does the threat of the common condition known as "calf scours" or neonatal calf diarrhea. Infectious agents such as viruses and bacteria cause this condition. These agents have the common property of causing a net loss of water and electrolytes from the calf's body via the gut. This causes potentially life-threatening dehydration and electrolyte imbalances that can result in death. The main infectious organisms that can cause diarrhea in beef calves are:

Rota virus

Corona virus

Cryptosporidium parvum

E. coli (K99 enterotoxigenic form)

The first 3 on the list usually cause diarrhea at 7 to 21 days of age, while the common E. coli strains cause diarrhea within the first few days of life. The diarrhea is the result of a combination of factors including: (1) dose (number) of organisms the calf is exposed to, (2) calf immunity (colostrum), and (3) stress on the calf. The number of organisms in the calf's environment is a result of sanitation or the lack of sanitation, i.e., mud, manure, and other cattle. The immunity of the calf is dependent on the quality and quantity of colostrum that the calf received from the cow. Calves that do not receive adequate colostrum are much more susceptible to disease and are at much greater risk of dying from the resulting diarrhea that occurs. Stressful conditions (low milk production by underfed cows, bad weather, crowding) further increase the risk of diarrhea in young calves. The balance of all these factors determine if disease occurs and the severity of disease.

When should I treat the calf? Calves running around the pasture with their tails in the air, bucking and kicking with yellow or white diarrhea may not need treatment. The main indications for treatment are (1) general disposition, (2) appetite, (3) dehydration, and (4) body temperature. If the calf is weak, depressed, or reluctant to move these are all indications that something is wrong. If the calf is not eating, the cow's udder will be distended and this is sign of trouble also. Dehydration can be evaluated easily by pulling up the skin on the side of the neck or shoulder. In a normal calf, the skin snaps back into position quickly. In a dehydrated calf, the skin remains "tented" for a period of time–the longer it remains "tented" the worse the dehydration. Also, as dehydration worsens, the eyeballs sink back away from the eyelids–this is a bad sign and fluids are indicated immediately. Normal body temperature (measured with a rectal thermometer) is 100.5° F to 102.5 ° F. Body temperatures less than 100 ° F and greater than 102.5 ° F is a sign of problems and treatment should be started.

What are the recommended treatments? The main treatment is fluid therapy. Secondary treatments are antibiotics and nursing care. Because the main problem in scouring calves is loss of body fluid and electrolytes, the primary treatment must be aimed at restoring the water balance. The calves are thirsty, but they are too sick to drink. Therefore, the first line of treatment is oral electrolyte solutions. There are a number of excellent commercial products on the market for treatment of calf scours. All of these products contain glucose or a similar material, sodium chloride (table salt), and other electrolytes. The glucose and sodium allow the animal to absorb the water they need from their digestive tract. Giving straight water does not work. Usually 2 liters (just over 2 quarts) of the oral fluid solution is given 1 to 3 times per day to the sick calf. Consult with your veterinarian regarding the appropriate oral electrolyte product for your operation. Always follow the label mixing instructions–do not add too much powder to the solution as this may kill the calf and unnecessarily adds to the cost of treatment. Antibiotics are often given to scouring calves even though antibiotics do not kill most of the calf scours agents. Due to damage in the gut of scouring calves, bacteria will "leak" into the blood stream of these calves and cause further problems. Antibiotics are of value for this reason. Again, consult with your veterinarian regarding the correct choice of antibiotics to give. Many of the antibiotics are not labeled for calf scours and thus require a prescription from your veterinarian and an extended withdrawal time. Avoid the use of injectable gentamicin or kanamycin. Tissue residues from these drugs can persist for up to one year and this can cause problems in the packing plant. Long acting tetracyclines can cause some kidney damage in dehydrated calves and should be avoided. Baytril® is not labeled for scouring calves and should not be used. In addition to fluids and antibiotics, nursing care may be essential for the calves to recover. Shelter from the wind, heat lamps, etc can be very helpful. However, this requires some type of facility and may result in a contaminated environment and increased spread of the germs that cause calf scours. Additionally, the problem of separating the cow and calf has to be solved. When treating sick calves, always treat them after you have attended to all the normal calves. This will decrease the spread of germs from the sick calves to the younger healthy calves. Also, keep all your treatment equipment clean–including your hands and clothes, as you can easily transmit these agents.

When do I need additional help? If your treatment methods are not working, contact your veterinarian immediately for additional help. If more than 5% of your calves are scouring and require treatment, you need help. If death loss is greater than 2% due to calf scours contact your veterinarian. Many advances have made the diagnosis of these conditions. Your veterinarian can submit refrigerated (not frozen) stool samples to the University of California's veterinary diagnostic laboratory and receive answers in as little as a few days. Freshly dead calves can also be examined to determine the cause of the diarrhea and to aid in determining those factors needed for prevention and treatment in your herd.
 
I've used Gatorade as a electrolyte drench for years and had wonderful success with it!!

We also buy the $$$$ store version of Immodium in tablet form and use that along with the Gatgorade....hadn't lost a calf in almost 12 years from scours.
 
Ranchy, you really need to get some antibiotics into them. Keeping them hydrated and putting electrolytes into them is fine -- but you have to kill whatever pathogen is causing the scours or you're not getting anywhere.

Even if all you have is LA200, it's better than nothing.

What's the cow eating right now? If she's on grain, cut her back by at least half to slow up her milk production. That's your main problem -- after you lost the first calf the others got all the extra milk.

Calves with the cow or separate? In your place I'd separate them from the cow and put them together twice a day to nurse. That lets you see who's eating, who's not, and makes sure they get closer-to-equal portions.

I've raised quite a few calves on nurse cows so I've been in your shoes before -- isn't fun but with TLC and plenty of attention they can make it just fine. Good luck. :)
 

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