Calf Diarrhea

Diseases of Food Animals

Pathogens in animals/environment

Many are ubiquitous and shed by healthy animals

*Biosecurity is not super valuable

Calf diarrhea prevention

• Biosecurity

• Clean environment

• Minimizing transmission from older to younger calves

• Vaccinate

• Ensure adequate colostral immunity

Pathophysiology of diarrhea

• Osmotic diarrhea

• Inflammatory diarrhea/increased intestinal permeability

• Secretory diarrhea

• Increased intestinal motility

Cause of osmotic diarrhea

Ingestion of poorly absorbed nutrients

What does osmotic diarrhea look like

Watery diarrhea, but not as severe as secretory diarrhea

Cause of increased intestinal permeability

Inflammation of many causes

What does increased intestinal permeability diarrhea look like

Diarrhea may be bloody or contain pus-like material

Cause of secretory diarrhea

Some bacteria promote fluid secretion by the small intestine

What does secretory diarrhea look like

Very fluid, no blood or pus, severe dehydration

Signs of dehydration in calves

• Sunken eyes

• Tenting

Common causes of diarrhea in young calves

• Nutritional problems

• Bovine rotavirus

• Bovine coronavirus

• Cryptosporidiosis

• Clostridium perfringes types C and D < 3 weeks

• E.coli

• Coccidiosis

Treatment of calf diarrhea

• Replenish fluid and electrolyte loss, maintain calf in positive balance

  • IV, Oral, subcutaneous

• Antibiotics

• Nutrients

• Reduce severity of diarrhea