calf fitting

[ann]

one of my 5mth old calves has gone into what can only be called an epileptic fit and we just don't know why, she is well grown had recently suckled her mum doesn't have a high temperature or lung congestion, the vet has given her a hugh dose of sedative which has finally stopped the poor thing from fitting plus just about everything else we can think about to cover all eventualities, there is nothing toxic in the field so we are at a loss. She is now inside with her mum but I will be very surprised if she is still alive in the morning. Has any one else experience this before.

[jems5]

had one in the spring only 3 months old we gave it magnesium,calcium and also antibiotics over 3 days and seems to be fully recovered it was a case of give if every thing and hope for the best,.Never had i before in 25 years.

[Duncan MacIntyre]

Could be staggers(magnesium deficiency), cerebrocortical necrosis, or some other brain trouble causing encephalitis/meiningitis. I would go with some magnesium (your vet may have in house biochemistry and able to check Mg levels) and antibiotics such as tetracyclines, and throw in Combivit (not general multivit) as this has significant amount of thiamine in case it is CCN. CCN is caused by lack of thiamine but it is thought to be secondary to the presence of bacteria in the rumen that destroy thiamine, rather than a straghtforward lack of thiamine in diet. Antibiotics like tetracyline may help reduce such bacteria hence recommendation to use that. Sorry did not see this post till this morning.

Duncan

[ann]

Thanks Duncan & Jems for your replies, after 2 very worrying days we look as though we may have turned the corner, she managed to get up for a few minutes tonight and suck her mother on one side before her energy ran out, but I have been keeping her going with lectades which fortunately she will drink out of a bowl and she has started eating a bit of silage if I hand feeder. Just taking each day as it comes, but she certainly is a little fighter.