Help, I have a 6 month old Char/Brax calf that has frothy bloat. The calf has been weaned for 2 months, originally he was a bottle calf then went to one of my Jersey cow's. I first treated him with Therabloat and Banamine, that afternoon he was no better and we took him to the vet and he ran a tube in his stomach and got a little gas off and gave him another bottle of Therabloat. Today he is no better, doesnt act like he is in any pain. I have him in the lot with hay and water and he has access to a little grass. I at this point will try anything. The vet said he will just have to get over it.Has anyone ever used baking soda? BeLinda

-- BeLindaAdams (abar@lcc.net), July 25, 2001

Answers

You can use 35cc of vegestable oil if the animal is over 500 pounds with one tsp. of soda disolved into a cup of tepid water then use 35cc of this mixture give the oil first or you won't get it down then give the soda. probias is a good thing to have on hand also. you can give the oil and soda mixture every two or three hours as needed

-- Diane Brown (oleoranch3@aol.com), July 25, 2001.

BeLinda, make sure and read the directions on your Therabloat. I use Bloat Release which is made for frothy bloat, contains the sodium that you would normally use. Frothy bloat is caused from gas, and to kill the gas you use baking soda. Now grain overload is treated differently, in a goat with 1 quart of oil tubed into the rumen. For frothy bloat... the directions on Thera Bloat actually tell you not to use more oil! Continue with the banamine and walking or kneading the rumen. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), July 25, 2001.

Has he poohed yet? that is the key to effictevly stopping bloat. one of the important things in treating it is to keep the animal from laying down or not moving. Walk him a lot. i used Milk of magnesia on one of my bucks who "partied in the grain bin" cause hubby forgot to shut the lid to the big metal grain box we had. And of course its new Years Day and not vet handy. our vet was away. I haven't tried thearbloat yet, ordered some from jeffers and hop i never have to use it again.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), July 26, 2001.