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There is an interesting stereotype in modern society: if an animal is foaming at the mouth, it is rabid. In fact, clinical symptoms usually differ from the popular understanding of this disease. There are other reasons too. If a calf is foaming at the mouth, it is not rabid, it has serious problems with its digestive system.
Several reasons why a cow foams at the mouth
There is really no reason why a calf might foam at the mouth. Some diseases cause drooling. But due to the abundant salivation, restless behavior of the calf, and constant chewing movements, the saliva forms a foam. Moreover, this usually happens when the disease is already advanced and treatment is late.
Theoretically, foam in the mouth can occur for the following reasons:
- stomatitis;
- poisoning;
- tympany;
- inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract;
- blockage of the esophagus.
But all these problems begin much earlier than the foam appears. If you carefully monitor the calves and notice changes in their behavior, things are unlikely to come to foam.
There are plenty of plants in the meadows that can cause poisoning or burns to a calf’s mouth.
Stomatitis
Inflammatory process on the oral mucosa. Occurs due to local exposure to irritants. Can be primary or secondary. Primary stomatitis is:
- biological;
- thermal;
- chemical;
- mechanical.
The type depends on the type of damaging factor. Secondary stomatitis occurs with diseases of the stomach or pharynx. May be a symptom of an infection.
Mechanical stomatitis occurs due to damage to the oral cavity by foreign hard objects or improper abrasion of teeth. The simplest and safest type of disease. It is enough to file the teeth, eliminate roughage and make sure there is no garbage in the pasture to remove the cause of the disease. Mouth wounds are treated by washing them with disinfectant solutions.
Chemical and thermal stomatitis most often occur due to improper administration of medications or feeding too hot food (bran brewed with boiling water in winter). Chemical causes may be:
- too concentrated hydrochlorides, acetic acid or gallstones;
- poisonous burning plants;
- the calf licking warming ointments from other parts of the body.
It is sometimes difficult to eliminate the cause, but this type of stomatitis does not pose any particular danger.
Secondary ones, which are a symptom of another disease, are among the most difficult. They cannot be eliminated until the true cause is eliminated.
The list of signs of any of stomatitis does not include foam at the mouth. Even excessive drooling is not the most characteristic sign of the disease. But calves do foam. This is not a symptom - it is a consequence of pain. Animals tend to lick wounds that cause anxiety.The saliva whips into a foam as the calf constantly chews and moves its tongue, trying to relieve the pain.
Since one of the signs of foot and mouth disease is stomatitis, foam in the mouth may also appear due to a “restless” tongue
Poisoning
There are two reasons for the appearance of foam during poisoning:
- chemical stomatitis;
- foam from the nose, as a symptom of poisoning with certain plants and substances.
With severe intoxication, foam can come not only from the nose, but also from the mouth.
Symptoms of poisoning vary and depend on the effect of the poison. Excitation and inhibition of the central nervous system, salivation and dry mucous membranes are possible. The most characteristic symptom is diarrhea. But even diarrhea does not always happen.
It is not foam, but drool that appears when poisoned by compounds:
- copper;
- barium;
- arsenic;
- lead;
- chlorine;
- mercury;
- nitrophenol;
- calbamic acid;
- alkalis;
- urea.
Foam in case of poisoning with all these substances appears already in the preagonal state, when the calf does not control muscle movements.
Many poisonous plants cause excessive salivation. Foam is not indicated anywhere in the symptoms. But this does not mean that it will definitely not happen. As with stomatitis, it can appear if the calf actively works with its jaws and tongue. Drooling and, possibly, foam in the mouth can also appear due to poisoning with “honest” food. If the products contain excess nitrates. This symptom is also typical for feeds that form:
- mustard oil (rapeseed, field mustard, camelina and others);
- solanine (greened or sprouted potatoes);
- hydrocyanic acid (wild clover, vetch, sorghum, flax, manna and others);
- copper (soybean and bean cakes).
Feed often becomes toxic if stored improperly.
The development of diarrhea in a calf due to poisoning is much more likely than foaming at the mouth
Table salt poisoning
The only type of intoxication in which foam in the mouth is a “legitimate” symptom. The lethal dose of salt for cattle is 3-6g/kg live weight. For this reason, it is not advisable to feed calves salt. Much better to hang a licker. The animals themselves will lick off the salt as much as they need.
The leak is always acute. Intoxication occurs within 30 minutes after consuming excess salt. Symptoms of sodium chloride poisoning:
- loss of appetite;
- dyspnea;
- vomiting is possible;
- dilated pupils;
- excitation;
- aimless movement.
With further development of intoxication, diarrhea develops and general weakness increases. Muscle tremors and cyanosis of the mucous membranes appear. Further, with salt poisoning, you can observe convulsions similar to epileptic ones. At the same time, foam appears in the mouth. But even in this case, this is only a consequence of the “churning” of saliva due to the movements of the tongue and jaws uncontrolled by the calf. The animal dies a few hours after the first symptoms appear from asphyxia.
Survival depends on timely assistance:
- gastric lavage several times;
- intravenous infusions of calcium chloride in the maximum dose and glucose with caffeine.
Calcium chloride can be replaced by intramuscular administration of calcium gluconate.
Bloating
This is what cows usually call tympania. The release of gases in the rumen is not always combined with foaming of the contents of the forestomach. More often, only gas formation occurs, which saves the lives of a large number of calves. Foamy tympany is more dangerous for animals.
Since there is no belching during tympany, the appearance of foam in the calf’s mouth means that the rumen is overfilled with fermenting contents. The appearance of this mass in the cow’s mouth means a weakening of the sphincter and a very poor condition of the animal.
The owner must have a special “talent” to bring the development of tympania to the point of foaming at the mouth
Qatar gastrointestinal tract
Previously, the word “catarrh” was used to describe almost any disease of the gastrointestinal tract, from gastritis to ulcers and viral enteritis. Today this term has almost fallen into disuse. Instead, more specific types of diseases are usually called. Various diseases have only one thing in common: an inflammatory process that affects the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract.
Foaming at the mouth is not on any list of symptoms of “catarrh.” But diarrhea is often found in various variations: from watery to bloody.
Esophageal blockage
Foam is also not included in the list of symptoms. If the esophagus is not completely blocked, the calf can swallow saliva and water, but cannot eat. When it’s full, the animals don’t eat and get worried. They cannot swallow saliva, and it flows out. The belching stops and tympany develops. Cows make swallowing movements in an attempt to push the foreign object through.
Foam can form precisely when trying to push out the obstruction using swallowing movements. Even if the blockage is not complete, the calf will move its tongue and jaw to clear the obstruction.
The characteristic position of the head of a cow when the esophagus is blocked, thanks to the active work of the jaws and tongue, the animal will soon begin to foam
What to do if your calf is foaming at the mouth
Call a veterinarian immediately.You will be very lucky if the appearance of foam is associated with stomatitis. However, this problem may just be a symptom of a more serious disease. The appearance of foam in the mouth during poisoning means severe intoxication, when the calf can only be pumped out with the help of intensive care and droppers.
The worst thing is if it turns out to be a fermented mass from the tripe. Although belching is normal for cows, if there are health problems, it stops. The appearance of foamy vomit in the calf's mouth means that the sphincters have begun to weaken and the animal is most likely in a preagonal state.
However, this may also be due to the fact that owners prefer to look for free help on forums. While the owner receives answers, analyzes information or conducts experiments on the calf, time will be lost. The veterinarian will arrive when the disease is already advanced. Therefore, first of all, you need to call a veterinarian.
Prevention measures
All diseases that cause a calf to foam at the mouth are somehow related to diet. The exception is infectious viral diseases. But even here, animals’ resistance is higher if they receive adequate nutrition. Therefore, first of all, prevention means high-quality feed and the absence of poisonous plants in the pasture. Next in importance are vaccinations against diseases; the list of symptoms includes:
- stomatitis;
- gastritis;
- inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa.
Good living conditions also help strengthen the immune system. Otherwise, the prevention of foam depends on the cause that caused this phenomenon.It may be necessary to check pastures for the presence of inedible items, and clear the farm area of mineral poisons.
Conclusion
If a calf is foaming at the mouth, this is a very alarming sign indicating the last stage of the disease. There is no point in asking on forums and social networks “why does my calf have foam”; you need to look at other signs of the disease. Foam is not a symptom. This is a sign of the final stage of the disease.
Well done, the description is very good and detailed, thank you