Treatment of calf diarrhea: antimicrobial and ancillary treatments.
Adjunct treatment of diarrhea should be routinely undertaken in all calves with systemic signs of illness, manifest as fever, inappetance, or lethargy. Ancillary treatments with documented efficacy in undifferentiated calf diarrhea include parenteral administration of antimicrobials with a predominantly gram negative spectrum of activity, parenteral administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents such as meloxicam and flunixin meglumine, and continued feeding of cow's milk. Halofuginone and azithromycin have efficacy in calves with diarrhea due to Cryptosporidium parvum, and their administration should be considered in calves documented or suspected to have cryptosporidiosis.
Constable
Peter D
PD
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, 625 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2026, USA. constabl@purdue.edu
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents