Synonyms

No known synonym

Name of the disease in English

Acidosis by gastroenteritis in calves

The disease in brief

This disease is a clinical form of calf gastroenteritis, dominated by metabolic acidosis. It is common and deserves to be mentioned as a specific disease because its mechanism and clinical expression are very specific. The disease is attributed to colibacillary toxins produced by certain strains, carrying CS31A and ColV factors.

Clinic & diagnosis

The disease is suspected in a calf aged 6 days to 1 month presented to the veterinarian for an impossible recovery, or indigestion or sometimes diarrhea; the suspicion criteria are associations such as:

-A calf that staggers, staggers, or cannot stand, or appears drowsy, associated with a full abomasum is noticeable in the lower right flank, more than 2 hours after the meal (Perception of liquid content when shaking the right flank - sound of flow) or swollen flanks, or associated with a tonic eye or mild enophthalmos (no dehydration).

-A "limp" or "drunk" calf, dejected to sleepy, whose reactions to stimuli are very diminished to non-existent, or it does not hold its head up, or does not know how to drink, or its eyelids are swollen; these signs are associated with the full abomasum mentioned above and the absence of enophthalmos.

Typical sign of the disease

No description

Pictures

See below

Diagnostic formulas

No description

Differential diagnosis

-Acidosis -anoxia neonatal hypothermia NV25

-Acidosis-2- with Dehydration- N422

-N417 – Bacterial meningoencephalitis of the newborn (Streptococci, E. coli, etc.)  

Confirm a suspicion?

No description

Prognosis and treatment

The prognosis is rather favorable if the treatment can be well conducted:

1-Acidosis: Treatment is based primarily on controlling acidosis; this is assessed in the general condition section:

-The calves are perfused: the volume and composition of the perfused liquid are defined either by clinical examination alone or by laboratory evaluation.

-Calves that are tonic and have a normal sucking reflex can receive oral treatment, but this is a case that only exists after the infusion to prolong the anti-acidosis treatment.

-2-Antibacterial-anti-inflammatory/general route: The risk of bacteremia is not sufficient in these calves to justify the inclusion of general antibiotics in the treatment; they are only prescribed in the event of general signs such as fever.

Anti-inflammatory treatment may be indicated: Meloxicam

3-Prokinetics: Erythromycin appears to be most effective in emptying the abomasum. 

4-Antidiarrheal-antibacterial/oral route

5-Feed the calf: Milk is stopped as a food source for 24 hours at the most; it is advisable to provide the calf with another source of energy, especially if it is cold.

Prevention

No specific method, apart from overall control of the calf's health.

References

No description