Neonatal Calf GI Disease Flashcards
What percentage of calf deaths in the first 6 weeks of life are scour related?
40%
What is the cause of death of scour?
Dehydration and acidosis
Name 4 things that can cause Diarrhoea in calves
Rotavirus/ Coronavirus
E.coli/ F5
Salmonella
Clostridium Perfringens
What causes cryptosporidium?
Environmental pressures
Excreted oocysts immediately infective
What is malabsorptive diarrhoea?
Crypto (villi), corona (villi), clostridium (mucosal necrosis), BVD (crypts)
Rate of cell loss higher than cell replacement
Reduction in small intestinal surface area for enzyme digestion and absorption
of water and nutrients
osmotic diarrhoea
What is hypersecretory diarrhoea?
E.coli (villi damage as well), salmonella
Pathogen secretes enterotoxin
Chloride channels open
Net secretion of chloride, sodium and water into intestinal lumen
Overwhelms the absorptive capacity of the large intestine so increased fluid
content of faeces
What is the end result of diarrhoea?
Dehydration and metabolic acidosis from either an electrolyte imbalance or D-lactate build up
What is D-lactate acidosis?
Calves with diarrhoea have damage to the intestinal enterocytes
allows undigested carbohydrates to reach the large intestine
-> acidification
D-lactate is also produced following ruminal drinking of milk, although at lower levels
What are the clinical signs of D-lactaemia?
Decreased palpebral reflex, broad based stance and ataxic movements due to direct toxic effects on the brain
What D-lactate acidosis signs are associated with dehydration?
reduced suckle reflex, enopthalmus, increased skin tent
How does Diarrhoea cause hyper K+?
acidaeamia induced dysregulation of internal K+ balance
What does hyperkalaemia cause?
Neuromuscular excitability and muscular weakness
What are the diagnostics for diarrhoea?
- Impossible to tell the exact cause of scours based on clinical signs
and the nature of the scour alone. - Rapid on farm diagnostics on faeces (“Rainbow test”)
ELISA - Lab PCR
- Faecal egg counts
- Haematology/ Biochem
What is a first generation oral fluid?
sodium, potassium and (insufficient) glucose.
effective in treating dehydration associated with scour but cannot correct acidosis.
What is a second generation oral fluid?
contain bicarbonate or bicarbonate precursor such as lactate, propionate or citrate
very effective at treating dehydration and acidosis
do not provide any energy to the calf
What is a third generation oral fluid?
contain much higher concentrations of glucose to counter the energy deficit when milk
feeding is stopped during treatment.
What is a fourth generation oral fluid?
contain amino acid glutamine.
used as both an energy source, as well as for protein synthesis, to facilitate sodium
absorption from the small intestine and to help sustain the intestinal villus form and
function.
What are the two forms of calf diptheria?
Necrotic stomatitis
Necrotic laryngitis
What are the clinical signs of calf diptheria?
external swelling on the side of the mandible, or a lesion on
the tongue. Foul smelling breathe, Cough, pyrexia, difficulty swallowing
How would you diagnose calf diptheria?
Visual inspection of the oral cavity +/- speculum and light to
visualise the larynx.
How would you treat calf diptheria?
Necrotic stomatitis - systemic administration of beta lactams
Necrotic laryngitis - extended AB course 2-3 weeks
What are the risk factors for calf diptheria?
Unhygienic environment, dirty shared feeding
vessels, dry rough grazing or forage, erupting teeth, calves
suffering from other concurrent upper respiratory diseases
What is rumenal tympany/ Bloat?
- Accumulation of gas in the rumen
- most commonly seen 1–2 hours after feeding milk
often associated with a pasty scour and bouts of colic - Caused by feeding errors that lead to incomplete oesophageal groove
closure.
Incorrect temperature, bucket feeding, incorrect concentration - Milk entering the rumen ferments and produces bloat with severe colic
- Also gorging on concentrates
What is atresia ani?
- Congenital absence of anus
- Lack of faeces
- Gradual development of abdominal distension
- Calves develop colic after ~3 days
- If rectum is present, there may be a soft bulge from pressure of
accumulated faeces
Can attempt treatment by incision
