Ruminant Fluid Therapy

Question 1

What needs to be addressed when you think fluid therapy is needed?

Answer 1

What needs to be addressed?
What can we do to address it?
How is it best addressed in the field?
Mature cattle then calves

Question 2

How do you determine the presumptive diagnosis in the field?

Answer 2

History and signalment, PE, Clinical signs, diagnostics

Question 3

What are some basic diagnostics that can be performed in the field?

Answer 3

Ketostix, Urinalysis and chem stick, azostix, blood glucose, ketometer, pH paper, ultrasound and rectal probe

Question 4

How do you know your patient is hypovolemic or in shock?

Answer 4

Increased HR, RR, Pale MM, Increased CRT, Weakness, depression
-Hemorrhage septicemia and endotoxemia can cause

Question 5

What are some signs of dehydration?

Answer 5

Recession of globe, increased skin turgor, dry and tacky MM, increased HR

Question 6

How dehydrated is an animal with eyes obviously sunken, 3-6 sec skin tent and tachy MM?

Answer 6

8-10%

Question 7

What % dehydrated is a cow with slight eye recession, 2-3 sec tent and moist MM?

Answer 7

6-8%

Question 8

What % dehydrated is a cow with severely sunken eyes, 4-6 sec tent, and dry MM?

Answer 8

10-12%

Question 9

What makes the difference between how you treat a calf and a cow?

Answer 9

Rumen

Question 10

When a patient is dehydrated what else do they likely need?

Answer 10

Water, electrolytes (NA and CL)
Hyponatremia
Hypokalemia
Hypochloremia
Hypocalcemia

Question 11

What are some things that could cause increase in electrolytes?

Answer 11

Salt toxicosis, metabolic acidosis (hyperkalemia), phosphate with kidney failure

Question 12

What are some things that cause alkalosis?

Answer 12

Displaced abomasum, volvulus, cecal displacement, vagal indigestion

Question 13

What are some causes of acidosis?

Answer 13

Acute rumen acidosis, SI strangulation/obstruction, enteritis/diarrhea, choke, hepatic lipidosis

Question 14

In a mature cow does dehydration also mean acidosis and hyperosmolarity?

Answer 14

No - more likely to have metabolic alkalosis

Question 15

How do you treat the following in hospital:

Mild - cow stand and alert - Mild dehydration, increase HR and rumen motility moderate

Moderate - stand but depressed, moderate dehydration, HR increased, poor rumen motility

Severe - weak or recumbent, dehydrated, HR increase, rumen motility absent

Answer 15

1. None
2. IV hypertonic and nonalkalizing oral electrolyte
3. Nonalk isotonic

Question 16

How do you treat the following in field:

Mild - cow stand and alert - Mild dehydration, increase HR and rumen motility moderate

Moderate - stand but depressed, moderate dehydration, HR increased, poor rumen motility

Severe - weak or recumbent, dehydrated, HR increase, rumen motility absent

Answer 16

1. Nutritional Drench 10G water
2. IV hypertonic saline, with nutritional drench 10g water
3. IV hypertonic and oral KCL (No AAS drench)

Question 17

What is the dose for hypertonic saline and what percent?

Answer 17

7.2% nacl
4-5ml/kg

Question 18

What do you use dextrose for?

Answer 18

Nervous ketosis and persistant ketosis/hepatic lipidosis

Question 19

Whats important to remember about administration of IV ca?

Answer 19

Give 500ml in >5 min - slow! IV only!

Question 20

What size catheter should you use for long term?

Answer 20

14 G 5.5inch

Question 21

If you give something IV you should also…

Answer 21

give it orally

Question 22

What are some dairy cattle nutritional drenches?

Answer 22

Calcium Boost and BC powder

Question 23

What is the treatment for acute grain overload?

Answer 23

IV sodium bicarbonate (3/4 cup baking soda in 1-gallon distilled water)

Question 24

What are the fluid calculations for Dehydration and Maintenance?

Answer 24

Dehydration = % x kg = L
Maintenance = 50ml x kg = ml/1000 = L (1L = .20 gallons)

Question 25

What is important to remember about administering oral fluids in calves?

Answer 25

A calf <99F will not be able to absorb oral fluids