EFFICIENCY OF SELENIUM-CONTAINING DRUG IN THE TREATMENT OF CALVES WITH SIGNS OF WHITE-MUSCULAR DISEASE

Abstract

The article presents the results of clinical trials of veterinary medicinal selenium-containing drug in the treatment of calves with signs of white-muscular disease. The drug, a solution for oral use, was used in the recommended dosage for 5 days.
 Blood for laboratory research was selected from animals before and after application of the drug. Studies of hematological and biochemical parameters were conducted according to generally accepted methods. The therapeutic efficiency of the drug was evaluated by comparing with the data obtained before treatment and with the indicators of healthy animals of the control group. Based on the data obtained and their statistical analysis, the conclusion about drug’s effect on the morphofunctional state of calves’s body was made.
 Laboratory studies of the morphological parameters of calves’s blood with signs of a white-muscular disease in the period before use of the drug revealed significant deviations from the values of the physiological norm. The reliably lower content of hemoglobin, number of erythrocytes, leukocytes and the value of the hematocrit indicator, compared to the healthy calves of the control group, are established. The biochemical profile of calves’s serum was marked by its lower content of total protein, serum albumin and a lower concentration of Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, as well as urea and creatinine content. At the same time, the activity of serum "muscle enzymes" – AST and CK was significantly higher, against the background of a reduced blood glucose content, which is a characteristic feature of white-muscular disease of calves.
 A comparative analysis of hematological indicators of calves after application of the drug showed activation of hematopoetic processes, which was confirmed by red blood indicators and normalization of the number of leukocytes and indicated the improvement of the physiological condition of animals. Serum biochemical indices of calves of the experimental group after treatment indicated a significant increase in the content of total protein, serum albumin and a significant decrease in the activity of "muscle enzymes" and the gradual normalization of serum glucose concentration. However, the difference in these indicators with the calves of the control group was still traced. Other biochemical parameters of calves of the experimental group did not differ reliably from the serum indicators of the control group.
 During the observation period, the clinical condition of sick calves has improved significantly. Clinical examination of animals of the experimental group after 2 weeks from the last drug application confirmed the absence of clinical signs of muscular dystrophy in calves. No side effects and negative phenomena in calves of the experimental group have been detected during the clinical trial period.