Gastroenteritis is a disease that is associated with disruption of the digestive system. Intense diarrhea deprives calves of the fluid necessary for the normal functioning of the body. The disease disrupts the water-salt balance and leads to dehydration. Gastroenteritis in calves can be fatal.
Gastroenteritis in a calf
Description of the disease
A characteristic symptom of gastroenteritis is inflammation of the gastric mucosa. Pathology is accompanied by rotting of food debris in the intestines of a sick calf. The mucous membranes are affected by irritating components. Young animals show signs of intoxication.
Harmful substances penetrate the blood and are carried to all tissues. Especially vulnerable to toxins are calves up to 3 months old. Refusal of food and water only exacerbates the condition of sick individuals. Dehydration leads to an increase in blood viscosity and the animal begins to malfunction in the heart.
Causes of the disease
The risk of gastroenteritis increases when calves switch to a plant-based diet. A sharp change in diet has a negative effect on the stomach of young animals. Poor quality food can cause pathogenic microorganisms to enter the digestive system. Of particular danger to calves is silage treated with herbicides. After eating such a herb, they show signs of poisoning.
Gastroenteritis can start because of the dirt that gets into the drinkers. Curious animals lick various objects. On their surface there are harmful bacteria that can lead to gastroenteritis.
Deficiency of vitamins and minerals has a negative impact on the immune system. In late autumn, gastroenteritis begins after eating frozen grass. This disrupts the functioning of the digestive system.
In the spring, the herd is driven out to pasture. However, the grass at this time of the year is just beginning to grow. In the process of eating it, pieces of earth enter the stomach of animals. Pathogenic microorganisms begin to multiply in the digestive organs. The situation is aggravated by the fact that the immune system of calves is just beginning to form. The infection causes inflammation of the mucous membranes. These factors provoke the development of gastroenteritis.
Important! The occurrence of pathology in calves may be associated with past infectious diseases.
Symptoms of gastroenteritis
The following signs indicate the acute form of the disease:
Gastroenteritis accompanied by severe diarrhea
- Gastroenteritis is accompanied by intense diarrhea.
- Blood clots are present in the secretions of sick individuals.
- The calf begins to suffer from bouts of vomiting and refuses food.
- Inflammation of the stomach leads to pain. The discomfort experienced by the calf is indicated by the gnashing of teeth.
- The disease can be recognized by tremor of the limbs. A sign of an acute form of the disease is an increase in temperature.
The following symptoms are characteristic of the chronic form of gastroenteritis:
- The calf suffers from spasms, he begins to bloat.
- The animal noticeably lags behind in growth compared to healthy individuals.
- Exhaustion affects the state of muscle tissue. The disease manifests itself in the form of weakness of the limbs.
Diagnostics
If gastroenteritis is suspected, the veterinarian examines the sick animal. He pays special attention to the conditions in which young animals live. Laboratory specialists examine the contents of the animal’s feces for the presence of various infections and parasites. Diarrhea may be associated with colibacillosis or salmonellosis. During the examination, doctors study the composition of the calf’s blood.
Therapies
To help a sick animal, you must first cleanse the digestive system of toxins. To do this, the stomach of the calf is washed with a solution of sodium bicarbonate. By cleansing the body of the remnants of poor-quality food, the intensity of diarrhea can be reduced.
You can remove rotting food from the intestines with a warm enema. After eating poor-quality food, the urge to defecate intensifies in the animal. Experts recommend temporarily transferring a sick calf to a hungry regimen. In this case, the young cannot be fed for 12 hours.
To eliminate signs of dehydration, the calf is fed with water with glucose. You can add table salt to the solution, which will help to cope with dehydration. Antibiotics are used to get rid of an intestinal infection. You can relieve inflammation with Enteroseptol and Trimerazin.
Antibacterial drugs should be given 2-3 times a day. The immune system of the calf is still too weak and cannot resist intestinal infections on its own. It is possible to increase the body’s resistance due to the solutions of Verakol and Immunofan.
Gastroenteritis is often accompanied by cramps in the stomach. To eliminate discomfort in calves, you can use Nosh-poy. Taking antibiotics leads to an imbalance in the intestinal microflora.
Sporovit
Antibacterial drugs destroy not only harmful bacteria. In the process of treatment, beneficial microorganisms also die. To restore the balance of microflora, probiotics are used (Lactobifadol, Sporovit).
The animal can be fed with decoctions of rice cereal or flaxseed. The composition of the infusions contains substances that envelop the intestinal mucosa. In this way, they protect them from the effects of toxins and pathogens. Thanks to astringent decoctions, the intensity of diarrhea decreases.
Important! The process of restoring the intestinal microflora requires patience from the breeder. For several months, the calf should be given probiotic preparations.
Prevention
You can avoid gastroenteritis if you adhere to the following rules:
- Do not switch calves too early to plant foods. Veterinarians recommend giving young animals milk for up to 3,5 months.
- Make sure that the young do not chew on dirty bedding.
- Spoiled silage can lead to indigestion.
- It is impossible to drive the herd to pasture during the cold time of the day. You need to wait until the sun warms up the grass.
- Failure to comply with sanitary standards increases the risk of developing gastroenteritis.
- Intestinal infections enter the digestive system of calves along with the dirt contained in the feed.
- The breeder needs to keep the inventory clean.
- The risk of gastroenteritis can be reduced by regular disinfection.
Conclusion
Gastroenteritis leads to inflammation of the mucous membranes of the digestive organs. The cause of the disease may be an infection that enters along with the feed. Calves love to lick various objects that are in the room. Inventory must be kept clean. Disinfection can reduce the risk of developing gastroenteritis.
