Hemlock

[chipchap]

i have a 6 mo calf that may have been mildly poisoned by hemlock, or something similar. Does anybody have any experience of this and what the symptoms are?
I'm not going to post the symptoms here yet, because it may influence the answers!

 

[chipchap]

Possibly water dropwort, aka hemlock water dropwort

 

[jondear]

Possibly water dropwort, aka hemlock water dropwort

Don't think the plant on its own would harm unless has access to roots

 

[organicguy]

St Johns Wort photosensitive?

 

[chipchap]

The roots of water dropwort are definitely very poisonous. The leaves are said to be harmless, but the shoots are also mildly poisonous.
A bit of a mystery what is wrong with the calf, I will post the symptoms later.

 

[Danllan]

Call your vet!

 

[chipchap]

Call your vet!

Vet is only an economic prospect for whole herd jobs and farm herd health planning these days, maybe a caesarean or a prolapsed uterus of a young cow. Sad I know, but reality.

 

[Danllan]

Vet is only an economic prospect for whole herd jobs and farm herd health planning these days, maybe a caesarean or a prolapsed uterus of a young cow. Sad I know, but reality.

Don't know about the vets in Shrops, but over here - Carms - 'phone advice isn't charged for, it's all 'part of the service', and good PR too I guess. How about asking for an opinion from @bovine ?

As for the remainder of your post, I know and agree...

 

[Deereone]

Calves will scour from eating hemlock. I should ask the advice of your vet over the phone. It won't cost you, and you can take it or leave it.

 

[Global ovine]

I have seen rams poisoned by hemlock. They were OK until moved and then fell over trembling and behaving like they had a severe case of grass staggers. When I eventually got them into a shed the stink of hemlock almost made me retch.
A saw an unfortunately pet goat die of hemlock poisoning once. It also went into uncontrolled trembling and squealed like a stuck pig. It vomited up hemlock confirming the problem. A traumatic death to watch helplessly.

If you leave the animal alone and not make it stressed it may be OK, as those rams seemed OK until gathered. But if like the goat, it will be curtains.

Best of luck.

 

[chipchap]

Calf is recumbent I.e. Can't get up. The last time I saw her standing, she struggled to get up.
No fitting. No rigidity in the limbs, although I have dosed with selenium.
Calf suckles when I get the cow into position, by enticing her with a bucket of rolled oats. Calf is grazing some when it can and drinking water from a bucket.
I think it is a nerve problem, and still suspect water dropwort.
The calf seems to be regaining its strength, although it still cannot get up. It seems to be making more effort to get up this last day or two. Doesn't seem to be in any pain.

 

[chipchap]

Calf was up last night, and seems almost normal today. Scouring a bit, and a bit weak on the front axle.