A Case Of Pneumonia

After an unusual long dry spell, we had several days of sticky, muggy weather. The cows tend to adapt to weather changes, but we had a three month old calf that did not do well with the conditions.
Slipper was born April 5 and had been happily playing with the other three calves around the show barn. She had eaten hay for breakfast on this morning, but by evening she just wanted to lay against the cool cement wall in the barn.
We felt her ears and could tell she was running a temperature, she was also panting slightly. It was the sign of pneumonia.
We gave her a dose of what could be described as ‘baby aspirin’ in an injection form to bring down her fever. Pneumonia can take hold quickly and can infect other calves easily so we moved all but Slipper and her mother out of the barn area. We could stand her up, but she was took weak to nurse and would soon lay back down.
Unfortunately, we were too late to help Slipper and she died within 12 hours of the realization that she was sick.
Before bringing any of the herd back to the barn, we cleaned and disinfected the entire area and spread down a layer of lime in an effort to control the spread of any bacteria. As of this writing the rest of the herd has been untouched by any illness.