dehydration

Dehydration

DEHYDRATION KILLS CALVES

Scours during the first week usually respond to water and electrolytes. I'm in a state of shock at the number of calf feeders that do not use electrolytes correctly!!! Most electrolytes are designed to use one dose with two quarts of water. This ratio provides a solution that has the same solids content as normal body fluids. If a dose of electrolytes is mixed with less than two quarts of water - it produces a hypertonic solution. Instead of correcting the dehydration it sucks water out of the calf's body into the lumen of the gut and worsens the diarrhea and dehydration (This is the way Epsom Salts works to act as a laxative. I don't believe this is the desired effect.) Mixing electrolytes with milk, likewise produces a hypertonic solution. Milk is usually 12 and 1/2 percent solids and when added to the solids in the electrolyte, you again suck water from the body instead of putting fluids in.

Milk should be fed to a scouring calf or he will starve. Good research data shows that a scouring calf that is kept on milk and fed multiple doses of electrolytes and water between milk feedings will continue to gain weight in spite of the scours. Calves that have milk taken away and are fed electrolytes, loose weight. Some successful feeders will split the two normal milk feedings in three and give electrolytes between milk feedings. The bottom line is you have to put fluids in the front end of the calf faster than it comes out the back.

Cryptosporidiosis is usually responsible for the first week scours in purchased calves. Home raised calves scour with Crypto on the eighth day of life. Secondary infections may respond to antibiotics, but Deccox is the only practical remedy for Crypto. It must be fed for a week before much result is noticed.

THE MOST EFFECTIVE FIRST WEEK SCOUR TREATMENT IS WATER AND ELECTROLYTES GIVEN CORRECTLY AND IN ADEQUATE AMOUNT (Don't forget the milk.)

I feel some calf feeders rely too heavily on IV fluids. Early detection of dehydration can be handled quite well and most safely with oral electrolytes. IV fluids given without proper assessment can be fatal. Blood gases are used in a hospital environment to prescribe the correct IV fluids. In diagnostic work saline can be given IV without causing trouble. Lactated Ringer can be given once without trouble, but if continued can cause an acid-base imbalance in the blood.

I use an electrolyte that also contains glycine and the correct amount of dextrose. Too much dextrose can have a negative effect .

PLEASE, use fluids early and correctly. The calf is pretty tough and may live in spite of what we do to them. More would live if they received adequate fluids given early and correctly.