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Coughing buck- Not Pneumonia cough- Help!

ohdeer

ohdeer

Joined Apr 2009
206 Posts | 0+
Saskatchewan, Canada
Hello, I am posting for a friend of ours. He has a two year old buck that began coughing about a month and a half ago. It does not seem like a pneumonia cough. It is not getting any better or any worse. They began with good doses of Biomycin, there was no change, went to draxxin, dewormed with Iver-on (like ivermectin) (pour on) all the time eating well, no change went to Nuflor (buck lost appetite, but no change). Cough still there. (Has kept weight on except when sick with nuflor). When on Nuflor it was the only time he acted ill at all.



Never seems to cough anything up, except a couple times when handling he coughed up what seemed like some chewed cud...



Now off everything. Cough still there, and with Nuflor wearing off, appetite is returning.



Was preemie (1 of quads). Any reason that would be a problem now?



Everyone who has dealt with deer sickness before knows that the fear here is that it is taken too lightly, not enough done and suddenly buck goes downhill quickly and dies.



Any ideas on possible causes? Anyone had any experience like this?

Any suggestions would be appreciated! Of course he is one of the farm's best bucks and top genetics! Help!

Thanks,

Tara <<
 
My first instinct would be an internal problem, but why just happen at two years of age.. If you still think it is pneumonia i would treat with. 4cc of draxinn, 3cc of banimine, 3cc of deximethizone.. I know these dosages seem a little high but deer metabolize drugs much quicker that cattle and most people underdose ... If you have him in the shoot give him some B vitiamins and check his temperature....
 
Preemies' in humans can have lung issues since the lungs are among the last parts to grow. It could be related, or at least some "normal average cold" issues may have taken an already weak lung system and stressed it too far causing lingering affects.

Considering what they have all tried already I guess at this point if he eats, drinks, and seems normal otherwise I would just monitor him and see what happens next.
 
I had a buck die this week that went through what sounds like the same thing. He was sick last year and I treated him with several things but nothing seemed to help, until warm weather finally arrived. By the time his velvet left in September, he looked and acted normal. Then this winter the bug caught him again and there wasn't anything I could do but riddle him with drugs and dewormers like last winter, but it was futile.
 
Hi, I had a doe about a 2 years ago start doing the same thing everyday she cough and hacked off and on gave her everything I could think of nothing helped long story short still doing it today looks fine and going to have her third set of fawns this spring.Only thing I can think of is maybe something wrong internally and its just not bad enough to do her in she was about 3 years old when it started.
 
I posted my answer to the wrong thread...new at this! It might possibly be "Chronic Pneaumonia"...where lungs have scar tissue. We had a similar thing and I wanted to treat her early on. She was becoming skinny. My Dad, Ranch owner, wanted to wait and see..

I'm a firm believer in treating right away. Draxin, an antibiotic, is great.



We've never lost a deer to an infection using that drug. We don't lose too may deer, period. I'm not sure if it's luck or because I have my opinions about illness in the Whitetail.
 
This has been a crazy year weather wise here in Pa, very wet cool summer and now a hellish cold snowy winter, Ive heard of alot of antler infections and pneumonia, Im sure other parts of the country are dealing with these issues also. the deer whisperer makes a good point!! Welcome too the forums!!
 
we had a doe fawn that was born in 08 that had what sounds like a similar problem. coughed all the time and we treated her for and with everything we could think of but the cough never went away. then we were told to try poly serum. cough went away, never came back, she is healthy as a horse. that was about 8 months ago now.
 
Thanks for all the advise! Very helpful. Scott, this was one of his main breeder bucks, cough began shortly after rut, (Probably mid January began).
 
It sounds alot like a few I have had over the years. It sounds as though it is lung worms to me. Give 2 and 1/2 times recomended worming rates and give that dose every 2 weeks for a couple of months to break the cycle. If you only worm once and not do some follow-ups you allow the eggs to hatch. If left he will probably and may already have lung damage. DOESN'T HURT MUCH EXCEPT IT GETS OLD LISTENING TO THE COUGH. Doe's the deer put its head down to cough and cough several times back to back?
 
The poly serum will most likely solve the problem. After a hard rut, the bucks loose some of their natural immunity to bacterial infections. Poly serum boosts the immune system giving the animal a chance to build their own anti-bodies once again. Be careful in ordering poly serum, it is illegal in a couple of states, mine being one of them. If you are in a state that allows its importation, you can get it from Jeffers Farm Supply.... www.jeffers.com
 
Neeby said:
This has been a crazy year weather wise here in Pa, very wet cool summer and now a hellish cold snowy winter, Ive heard of alot of antler infections and pneumonia, Im sure other parts of the country are dealing with these issues also. the deer whisperer makes a good point!! Welcome too the forums!!
Click to expand...



I agree. I have several coughers at the moment. Scared to death. Birds have flocked in since we had all the snow and cold temps and the multiple freeze/thaws have made the place a real mudlot in a lot of places. I don't know what I can do about it on such a large scale. I can't even rotate pens because I have the deer already spread as thin as possible. Open to suggestions.
 
Hello All, I did search and found this thread which seems most applicable.



We live in Berks County PA, and have a pet whitetail doe which came with the property.

We know virtually nothing about deer.



She has this same sort of cough described for about 2 weeks.

Doesn't cough anything up.

Eats and drinks fine, good poop and pee.

Runs around the pen, and the cough does not seem exertion related.

Weight seems fine, eyes look ok.





But I do know wild animals compensate pretty well until they suddenly die.

Her sister died about a year ago after barely 1 day of diarrhea despite everything we did.



She's always been skittish as her past includes abuse.

So I don't know if I could manage shots or even meds to squirt in her mouth.

It can take me 30 minutes of sitting on the ground before she even gets near me.



Meds in feeds are possible.



I dosed her with ivermectin last week, no difference really seen.



Today, I got 100mg/g fenbendazole for worms,

Aureomycin Chlortetracycline 4g/lb and



Some Durvet vites and electrolytes for luck.



Any suggestions?



She is very much loved...

thanks to all,

neal/kas
 
I am having the same thing going on. I hit them with everything nothing helps just that same ol dry cough day after day. No temp. It seems that they cough more if they get worked up. We are going to have blood work done to see what they find i will post and let you know.
 
Blood came back all neg. on all virus that it might be they still are coughing and the vets are scratching their head. Seems to have gotten better now the weather has changed i also tried the poly serum with no luck,Nutra Glo and Diatom. Earth seems to help some and they all got 3x safe guard for 5 days, I dont know?
 
Guys I had two bucks do just what you are saying they had either lung worms are adult liver flukes. I gave them everthing you could think of it would not work. Knock both down gave both bucks 4cc of Ivomec Plus cq By the next day did not here one cough from either buck good luck
 

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