Synonyms

No known synonym

Name of the disease in English

D-lactic acidosis of 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. The symptoms are due to the accumulation of D-lactic acid, produced by bacterial fermentation in the intestine.

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 that is noticeable in the lower right flank, more than 2 hours after feeding (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 severe dehydration).

-A "limp" or "drunk" calf, dejected to sleepy, whose reactions to stimuli are very diminished or non-existent; 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.

Certain symptoms are typical of this D-lactic metabolic acidosis: calf that staggers, can no longer get up, loss of the sucking reflex.

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 the acidosis; this is assessed in the general condition section: sodium bicarbonate infusion, quantity based on the weight of the calf and the severity of the acidosis (deficit base)

-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.

3- Anti-diarrheal-antibacterial/oral route

Prevention

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

References

No description