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If all the symptoms are detected in time, and the treatment of pneumonia in calves is carried out under the supervision of a specialist, then the animals will quickly return to normal, and without any negative consequences. With an advanced stage, pneumonia can become chronic and lead to serious disorders of the respiratory and digestive systems, which will inevitably affect the development of young animals.
Most often, pneumonia or pneumonia develops in calves up to 5 months of age. Adults are less susceptible to this disease.
Causes of pneumonia in cattle
It is customary to distinguish the following reasons why young animals develop pneumonia:
- Unfavorable conditions of detention. If calves sleep on a cold, damp floor without bedding and are in a room that is rarely ventilated, the risk of pneumonia is greatly increased.
- Stress after weaning early. It is not recommended to wean young calves from breast milk too early.
- Castration in young bulls.
- Poor feed quality or eating disorder. Calves in particular often develop pneumonia during the transition from dairy feeding to roughage, as any sudden change in diet weakens the animal's body.
- Illiterate transportation. Animals can catch cold during transportation during the cold season.
- Lack of movement and oxygen deficiency due to infrequent walking. Without movement, the muscles of animals atrophy, as a result of which ventilation of the lungs weakens.
- Viral and bacterial infections.
- Overheating in the sun, which causes a violation of thermoregulation.
- Keeping a large number of animals in cramped circumstances. When a large number of cows and calves are gathered in the same room, there is a rapid accumulation of large amounts of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide in the air, which does not have the best effect on the health of the cattle.
Pneumonia symptoms
The success of treatment largely depends on how early pneumonia is detected in cattle. Pneumonia in calves is evidenced by the following changes in the behavior and well-being of animals:
- rapid and labored breathing;
- frequent cough;
- watery discharge from the nose and eyes;
- high body temperature;
- rare stools, diarrhea;
- lack of gum;
- the oppressed state of the animal as a whole (lethargy, apathy, ears are lowered).
Some symptoms alone do not always mean that the calf has pneumonia. Very often, cough and minor nasal discharge are observed in individuals kept in a barn with musty air. In this case, it is enough to transfer the animals to another room or to ensure regular ventilation of the former place.
The course of the disease
The disease can be acute or chronic. In especially advanced cases, the course of the disease is accompanied by the abundant formation of abscesses.
The acute form of pneumonia primarily involves a sharp increase in body temperature, cough, and discharge from the nose and eyes.The appetite and general condition of the animals is satisfactory, although sometimes there is apathy in the behavior of the calves. Sick animals do not move unnecessarily and prefer to lie still. If the disease is started, its symptoms will begin to expand: the stool will change, the calves will begin to refuse food, etc.
The chronic course of pneumonia in cattle is characterized by a clear lag in development:
- sick calves are smaller than their peers;
- there are bald patches and bald patches on the coat;
- dry skin.
Just as in the acute form, animals move little, cough and show constant shortness of breath. Occasionally, mucous nasal discharge can be observed in infected calves. At the same time, the body temperature of sick calves is normal, which is one of the main differences between the chronic form of pneumonia and the acute one.
Diagnostics
A specialist should diagnose pneumonia in cattle - almost all the symptoms of pneumonia, to one degree or another, overlap with some other diseases. In particular, in independent attempts to determine the root of the problem, it is very easy to confuse pneumonia with tuberculosis and dictyocaulosis. These diseases are treated in completely different ways.
In addition, before the final diagnosis is made, the possibility of the following diseases in calves should be excluded:
- chlamydia;
- bronchitis;
- viral diarrhea.
Confirm the diagnosis after laboratory tests. The best way to determine if an animal's lungs are inflamed or not is to take a chest x-ray. Sometimes a lung biopsy is done to make a definitive diagnosis.
Treatment methods
Before proceeding directly to the treatment of pneumonia in calves, it is necessary to isolate the animal and create the most comfortable conditions for it. It is important that the sick individual is quiet and calm, has access to fresh water, and the bedding in the stall is clean. Cattle nutrition is no less important - it will not be superfluous to dilute calf feed with vitamin supplements. It is also recommended to take the animals outside more often if the weather is dry and warm.
Drug treatment
All medicines for the treatment of pneumonia are prescribed by a doctor. In no case should you do the treatment yourself - any mistake can only worsen the condition of the infected calves.
For the most part, pneumonia is successfully treated with various antibiotics. They are represented by a great variety, and the choice of a specific drug depends on the type of cattle (meat, milk, meat and milk), the age of the affected individuals and the cause of the disease.
The most popular drugs for the treatment of pneumonia include the following drugs:
- "Cefazolin" is an antibiotic for intramuscular injection of the drug. It is highly discouraged to mix treatment with "Cefazolin" with other medicines of strong influence.
- If the cough is dry, you can give the calves "Mukaltin", which quickly thinns phlegm and helps to remove it from the respiratory tract.
- Very often, for the treatment of pneumonia in cattle, "Isoniazid" is used, which is injected into the trachea.
In addition, the following drugs are used to treat pneumonia, which are less common, however, they do a good job with the task:
- "Farmazin";
- "Tetracycline";
- "Streptomycin".
Additionally, the veterinarian may prescribe warming procedures, inhalations and rubbing. Novocaine blockade helps well with pneumonia. In any case, the best result is obtained by complex treatment, when intravenous or intramuscular injections are combined with external influence on sick calves.
Folk ways
Young calves are fed with a solution of soda, slightly warmed up before use. In addition, the following herbs have worked well in the treatment of pneumonia:
- thyme;
- liquorice root;
- mother and stepmother.
Decoctions and infusions are made from these herbs, which are also aimed at stimulating the excretion of phlegm.
Effects
If the treatment of pneumonia in cattle is started, it can become chronic or lead to serious disturbances in the functioning of the respiratory system. In addition, the cardiovascular and digestive systems can be irreversibly damaged, they are closely related to the work of the lungs. Finally, if the disease is difficult for an animal, it can subsequently cause a general weakening of the immune system in calves. In general, they will be more susceptible to adverse environmental conditions and various infectious diseases.
Pneumonia is extremely rarely fatal.
Prophylaxis
Preventive measures against pneumonia in calves include compliance with the following recommendations:
- First of all, it is necessary to ensure good ventilation of the premises where the calves are kept. For this, a forced ventilation system is often installed in barns for convenience. In addition, calves with pneumonia need to be walked from time to time to prevent muscle atrophy.
- Drinking colostrum for small calves is a good prevention against pneumonia. They should receive the first portion within 3-5 hours after birth, the approximate volume is 3-4 liters. This natural food supplement activates the full functioning of the gastrointestinal tract on the first day of life and helps to strengthen the immune system.
- Proper feeding by itself reduces the risk of pneumonia in calves. A complete diet for calves should include milk feeding (5-7 liters per day) and free access to clean water. Starter feeds are introduced gradually so as not to stress the calves.
- In the barn, the minimum sanitary requirements must be observed: the bedding must be changed in a timely manner, the premises and equipment themselves are periodically disinfected.
Separately, it is worth highlighting such a method of prevention as vaccination. Currently, calves can be vaccinated against pneumonia with the help of various medications prescribed by a veterinarian. On the other hand, in addition to highly specialized vaccines, there are complex vaccines that neutralize the action of several types of bacteria at once.
Conclusion
The most important thing is to detect the first symptoms in time, and the treatment of pneumonia in calves will take very little time. It is important to closely monitor the young in the first 2-3 months of life, so as not to miss violations in the behavior of animals. A healthy calf is mobile, its coat is smooth and shiny, and the stool is regular. He does not refuse food and often drinks water.If you notice any deviations from these baselines, you should take a closer look at the calf. Of course, only a veterinarian can make an accurate diagnosis - the symptoms of pneumonia largely overlap with other diseases, however, vigilance never hurts.
Additional information on the treatment of pneumonia in calves can be found in the video below:
