Pathophysiology of Severe Diarrhoea and Suggested Intravenous Fluid Therapy in Calves of Different Ages Under Field Conditions

Abstract

Bouda 1., 1. Doubek. M. Medina-Cruz. L. Paasch M., E. Candanosa A., R. Dvorak, V. Soska: Pathophysiology of Severe Diarrhoea and Suggested Intravenous Fluid Therapy in Calves of Different Ages under Field Conditions. Acta vet. Bmo 1997, 66: 87-94. Selected clinical and biochemical variables were studied in 2 groups of severely dehydrated. diarrhoeic calves before and after fluid therapy. Group 1 (n = 10) included calves aged 2 to 7 d, Group 2 (n = 9) calves aged 8 to 14 d. Clinical examination and blood sampling for biochemical and haematological analyses were performed in each animal before and after fluid therapy. Samples of faeces for microbiological examination were taken before intravenous (IV) rehydration. Solutions used for IV rehydration contained salts of NaC!, NaHC03, KCI and glucose in different quantities for calves in Groups 1 and 2. These rehydration solutions were infused IV at a volume of 41 to each calf during 3 hours and then followed by oral rehydration. In Group 1, rotavirus in faeces was diagnosed in 50.0 % of all calves; combined infectious agents rotavirus and Cryptosporidillm spp. occurred in 10.0 %, none of the calves had in faeces coronavirus, enterotoxigenic E. coli K99 and Salmonella spp.; that means in 40% of calves of this group no infectious agents were isolated. In Group 2, coronavirus was found in 11.1 %, combined infectious agents rota virus and Cryptosporidiwn spp. were diagnosed in 55.5%. none of the calves had enterotoxigenic E. coli K99 or Salmonella spp in faeces. Before IV rehydration diarrhoeic calves in Group 2 presented mean blood values of pH 7.12, base excess (BE) -14.72 mmolll, standard bicarbonate (SB) 9.86 mmolll which were significantly lower (P<O.OS) than in calves in Group 1 before IV rehydration, where pH was 7.16. BE -11.68 mmolll and SB 12.S4 mmolli. In both groups of calves before IV rehydration these low values of blood pH. BE. SB and normal value of pCO,. corresponded to partially compensated metabolic acidosis. The differences in blood values of pH, BE. SB. PCV. urea and K in both groups before and after rehydration were significant (P < 0.(1). The metabolic acidosis together with hyperkalemia, prerenal uremia and haemoconcentration were restored after fluid therapy. Rehydration was successful in 79.0 % of all diarrhoeic calves. Calves aged 8 d or older suffering from severe diarrhoea needed more bicarbonate for IV rehydration than diarrhoeic calves younger than 8 d. The suggested composition and volume of solutions for IV rehydration used in this study simplify fluid therapy in severely diarrhoeic calves of different ages in lateral or sternal recumbency without suckling reflex and under field conditions. Neonatal diarrhoea, dehydration. metaholic acidosis, hyperkalemia, uremia, packed cell volullle, fluid therapy, calf