The calf's stomach rumbles. Dyspepsia (digestive disorder) in animals

Calf dyspepsia is a very dangerous disease that affects more than 20% of young animals. The acute form of this disease occurs against the background of general dehydration of the body, severe diarrhea, which is caused by intoxication of a young, fragile body. Dyspepsia affects calves on those farms where the animal feeding ration is poor and where young animals are weaned early from their mother’s milk.

Such a disease can subsequently lead to low productivity of the cow or to the death of the animal.

The most important reason for the occurrence of symptoms of dyspepsia is the early weaning of the calf from cow's milk and its transfer to rougher feed. The calf's stomach has not yet fully adapted to a rough diet and may malfunction, leading to spasms in the intestines and obstruction of food through the stomach. This phenomenon leads to intoxication, which negatively affects the condition of the calf.

Another cause of the disease is untimely application of the newborn to the cow's teat. If the calf was unable to receive the mother's colostrum in the first hour of life, then it will have weak immunity, because the vitamins contained in cow's milk protect the baby and give him the strength for full development.

Dyspepsia in calves can occur if they are born from obese or dystrophic cows. This means that the cow’s diet was poorly thought out and was not rich in beneficial vitamins and minerals.

Pathogenesis and etiology of dyspepsia

Nutritional dyspepsia occurs due to poor quality nutrition, feeding disorders or failure; with unbalanced feeding, where there is a lack of proteins, vitamins, microelements and fats.

The intestinal mucosa is renewed very quickly, which leads to the loss of nutrients. In order for the calf to receive a sufficient amount of vitamins, it is necessary to give it a balanced feed daily. The health of the baby and his intestinal microflora depend on the composition of the diet. Food should contain not only proteins and fats; vitamins B and D and folic acid are very important.

Too much of these substances in the calf’s body due to external factors such as hypothermia or overheating, as well as nervous tension, can inhibit intestinal function, which also leads to dyspepsia.

The pathogenesis of dyspepsia and its etiology is isolated as a separate disease and is in no way a consequence of any other ailments. The cause of the disease is the entry of bacteria into the gastrointestinal tract of a still immature animal, as well as the reaction of the mucous membrane to irritation by rough food, which the young body cannot digest.

The simple form of the disease does not pose a serious danger. Of course, if this disease was prevented, then a mild form of dyspepsia in calves will go away quickly, without any special complications. For this purpose, young animals are prescribed special medications that promote the rapid restoration of intestinal microflora.

Symptoms of the disease

Dyspepsia in calves has two forms of the disease.

• The first is a simple form in which diarrhea is observed, without visible changes in the behavior and appearance of the animal. If you give your animal the medications prescribed by your doctor, it will quickly recover and the symptoms will disappear.
• The second is toxic dyspepsia, in which all the baby’s organs fail. This can be seen from the emaciated and weak appearance of the animal. The toxic form of dyspepsia usually leads to death. In the toxic form, the disease develops quickly and its symptoms are very severe. If a diagnosis is not made in time and the necessary medications are not prescribed, the animal may die.

Some signs of a toxic form of dyspepsia:

• prolonged diarrhea, which is accompanied by a heavy foul odor;
• the fur is disheveled, unkempt, and may break or fall out when stroked;
• the legs shake, and the calf itself staggers;
• detachment in gaze, lack of reaction to external stimuli;
• nose dry and warm;
• the heart muscle works under great overload, and the pulse, on the contrary, is difficult to palpate;
• breathing is heavy and frequent;
• the eyeball is blue, and the eyes themselves are sunken.

Treatment of dyspepsia

In order to correctly prescribe treatment, it is necessary to take into account the age of the animal, as well as make a diagnosis in time. All medications prescribed by a veterinarian are aimed at restoring intestinal microflora. You should also take into account the loss of the body's water balance and its restoration.

An experienced veterinarian will immediately advise isolating the sick calf from the herd.

Treatment should begin with the introduction of saline solution or a warm 1% solution of table salt into the animal’s body. Feeding in the first 10-12 hours is excluded. To completely cleanse the body of intoxication, you need to give the calf an enema of a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

During treatment, the animal should be fed in small portions, which make up a quarter of the calf’s normal diet. During treatment, milk is also given a little, up to 6 times a day, through a special drinking bowl, so that the absorption process can be controlled.

To restore normal digestion, the calf should be given a drink of a diluted 50% solution of gastric juice. Fermented milk products, vegetable juices and infusions of herbs and pine needles will help restore the intestinal microflora.

You cannot count on a miraculous recovery; treatment is necessary if the farm owner strives to increase the productivity of his animals.

Disease prevention

Prevention of dyspepsia lies in proper feeding of young animals.

The first ingestion of colostrum into the calf’s body should be no later than the first hour of the small animal’s life. If this rule is violated, the body may react with diarrhea, and subsequently bronchopneumonia, which will lead to developmental delays and weak offspring.

In order for calves to receive all the beneficial substances from the cow's colostrum, they should be fed this particular product in the first days of life. The value of such feeding cannot be underestimated, because thanks to it, vitamins, minerals, and trace elements enter the calf’s body, which has a beneficial effect on the animal’s immunity.

For 10 days, calves should be given milk 5 or even 6 times a day through special drinking bowls with nipples. There is no need to give milk in a bowl, where greedy swallowing can lead to stomach cramps. Dry feeding should be given often and little by little so that the calf does not become greedy, as this can lead to compactions in the rectum and obstruction.

During the transition to another food, a 9% saline solution must be introduced into the calf's diet. To prevent the calf’s body from feeling discomfort, it needs to be fed with special feed designed for the calf’s age.

To feed young animals, you can take milk only from healthy cows that have passed a veterinary check. You should not introduce concentrated feed into the calf’s diet too early.

Also, to prevent dyspepsia, herbal tinctures and decoctions can be given during the transition period.

Calves have been recognized as a separate disease, which can occur not only in mild, but also in severe form.

Causes of infection

First of all, this disease affects animals that are fed insufficiently fatty colostrum. Often the stomach of newborn calves with low weight cannot cope with the digestion of the daily food intake. This is what leads to dyspeptic changes. Accumulated toxins poison not only the intestines, but also the entire body of the animal.

Unsanitary conditions during calving and unwashed feeding utensils contribute to stomach infection. Also, calf dyspepsia, the treatment, prevention and symptoms of which will be given in this article, can develop as a result of poor-quality nutrition of pregnant cows, leading to deformation of the liver and gastrointestinal tract of their offspring.

Mechanism of disease development

It occurs due to the inability of the calf's gastrointestinal tract to completely digest food. This can be due to various reasons, including feeding method, late delivery of colostrum, overfeeding and immaturity of the newborn animal's digestive system. As a result, toxins begin to accumulate in the calf’s intestines, provoking the development of putrefactive microflora and the occurrence of dysbacteriosis. After this, the animal’s metabolic disorders intensify, dehydration and diarrhea begin.

Main symptoms

Toxic dyspepsia in calves is characterized by a more vivid clinical picture. As a rule, it develops as a result of untimely treatment of a mild form of the disease. But it also happens that the disease grows almost instantly. This happens especially often in the spring.

The main symptom by which a mild form can be recognized is diarrhea. It is usually accompanied by a slight change in the animal’s general well-being and a deterioration in appetite. An infected calf lies down almost all the time, and a characteristic rumbling sound is heard in its stomach. A sick animal may wince and groan due to intestinal spasms. He has rapid breathing and pulse.

The severe form is accompanied by persistent diarrhea. This leads to a sharp deterioration in the calf's condition. His eyes become sunken, his nose becomes dry, and the animal does not eat anything.

Forecast

In most cases, with proper and timely treatment, dyspepsia in newborn calves, which occurs in a mild form, ends with complete recovery, which occurs five days after the appearance of the first symptoms. In more severe cases, the picture is aggravated by sunken eyeballs, weight loss and dehydration. After intoxication occurs, the sick animal quickly dies.

Calf dyspepsia: treatment

It is important to provide the infected animal with proper housing conditions. The room must have a dry floor and fresh air. The calf should not be given food for the first twelve hours. During this time he should receive laxatives. The period of the fasting diet should be completed by eating natural gastric juice. If necessary, it can be replaced with a 15% granulated sugar solution.

Twelve hours after the starvation diet, an animal diagnosed with calf dyspepsia needs to drink half the amount of colostrum. For individuals who have reached ten days of age, it is recommended to additionally give a sugar solution prepared in chilled boiled water. After an eight-hour break, the animal should be re-fed with freshly milked colostrum.

Unlimited volumes of saline can be given to a sick calf between feedings. Thirty minutes before the next meal, he should be given bacteriostatic drugs or antibiotics, supplemented with sulfonamides or nitrofuran compounds.

Additional treatment

To disinfect the animal, it is recommended to drink a decoction of oak bark, an infusion of flaxseed, fruits or sage leaves. It helps greatly against dehydration, and Novocaine, papaverine hydrochloride or Aminazine can be used as an anesthetic. In addition, veterinarians often prescribe blood serum, casein hydrolysate, and vitamins C, E, D, and A.

In addition to drug therapy, it is necessary to create conditions for heating and, at least once a day, irradiate the room with an ultraviolet lamp.

Pathological changes

Dyspepsia in calves is often manifested by general exhaustion of the sick animal. Most fallen individuals experience a sharp decrease in muscle mass. Sunken eyeballs are considered one of the clearest signs of dehydration.

It often ends in death. Dyspepsia in calves, after which autopsy occurs in conditions of difficult separation of the skin, reveals dry serous membranes. Changes characteristic of inflammatory processes are observed in the gastrointestinal tract. There are no epicardial fat deposits on the heart. The flabby muscle shows slight signs of dilatation. The capsule is difficult to remove from a reduced spleen with sharply defined sharp edges.

Preventive measures

Calf dyspepsia is a fairly common disease. To protect your animals from possible infection, you must follow certain rules. The main role in this matter is played by the conditions in which the cows are kept. In the summer months, it is advisable to walk them on pastures equipped with special canopies, under which the animals can shelter from the heat or rain.

In winter, they must be walked. You also need to pay attention to preparing animals for the upcoming birth. Every large farm must have a veterinary isolation facility to prevent the spread of all kinds of infectious diseases.

It is also impossible to treat pregnant cows with potent medications, since such therapy does not guarantee the appearance of a healthy offspring. The calving process itself also plays an important role. The floor of the room in which the birth will take place should be covered with fresh straw. The face of a newborn calf must be thoroughly wiped. In the first hour after calving, the baby must be fed colostrum obtained from a healthy cow. During the transition period, it is recommended to use salted water at a rate of 9 grams per liter. Probiotic preparations and special premixes will also help. Medicinal teas, jelly and herbal infusions can be used as folk remedies.

Only by following these simple measures can you avoid problems such as calf dyspepsia. The history of the disease has been thoroughly studied by modern veterinarians, so correct and timely therapy is the key to the successful recovery of infected individuals.

One of the most common pathologies that occurs in agriculture and affects young cattle is calf dyspepsia. This can be explained by the fact that young individuals are just beginning to get used to and adapt to independent life outside the mother’s womb. The gastrointestinal tract does not function fully, metabolic processes are just beginning to form, and the digestive system becomes an easy target for diseases.

Causes

The etiology of dyspepsia in calves has many factors, the main of which is disturbances in selected feeding during the dairy period, as well as an unplanned sharp change in the feed supply to roughage. The first time after birth (7-10 days), the nutrition of a small calf should consist of cow colostrum, and most farmers make many mistakes at this stage of the baby’s life:

• Delay of the first feeding (feeding more than an hour after calving).
• Colostrum feeding period is too short.
• Early transfer to concentrated feed.
• Feeding with colostrum, which is obtained from females with a latent form of mastitis.
• Using milk from sick cows or animals being treated with antibacterial drugs.

Those at increased risk of developing dyspepsia include calves that were born from malnourished or obese females that are fed unsatisfactory feed. Often, diarrhea and indigestion occur in older young animals who are fed milk obtained from a cow with poor nutrition.

Stages of disease development

Dyspepsia in newborn calves or diarrhea in older calves may occur due to improper maintenance on the part of the owner. During the cold seasons, dyspepsia is observed in a barn, in which animals are in close cohabitation in a room with a high level of moisture. In summer, it’s the other way around, when the animals have no shelter due to the scorching sun.

Forms of the disease

Dyspepsia occurs in 2 forms:

• Simple dyspepsia of calves.
• Toxic dyspepsia of calves.

The difference is that simple dyspepsia is manifested by partial loss of appetite, apathy and systematic shaking of the body. Around the second day, diarrhea with yellow liquid stool appears. The simple form of the disease responds well to treatment and has a positive prognosis. Almost always ends in complete recovery.

Toxic dyspepsia develops very sharply in the first days of a calf's life. The baby loses appetite, body temperature drops, and the skin becomes cold. Diarrhea occurs almost immediately and is manifested by copious liquid discharge with a large amount of mucus impurities. If timely treatment is not started, the calf will die from dehydration and intoxication.

Symptoms

The clinical picture of the disease may vary, depending on the form of the disease. Developed simple dyspepsia, without the necessary treatment, often develops into a toxic form. Often, in the spring, it has an immediate onset, immediately with the toxic type.

With dyspepsia, diarrhea always appears. The general condition of the animal deteriorates slightly, appetite is partially or completely lost. Calves spend most of their time lying down, rumbling can be heard in their stomachs, occasionally twitching occurs due to painful intestinal spasms, and the animals moan. The pulse and breathing rates accelerate, body temperature remains within normal limits (occasionally decreases).

If the disease becomes severe, attacks of diarrhea can continue almost all the time, which leads to a sharp loss of strength, general exhaustion of the body and deterioration of the general condition.

Objectively, the calf has a dry nose, complete lack of appetite, and exhaustion. This is a list of the first symptoms of toxic dyspepsia. Feces with diarrhea become yellow-gray, liquid with many bubbles and lumps. Due to constant diarrhea, calves lose strength and become exhausted. The limbs become cold, the body trembles, the skin loses sensitivity, the eyes become sunken.

If treatment is not started, the calf's skin turns pale, acquires a bluish tint, and the pulse quickens. Death in severe forms of the disease occurs 2-5 days from the onset of symptoms. If the disease has been defeated, the calf will continue to gain weight for a very long time.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis is established based on the medical history, the results of an analysis of the housing and nutritional conditions of the cow and its offspring, symptoms, the results of a pathological examination, as well as bacteriological and virological studies.

The pathological process lasts on average 2-3 days (simple form) and 4-6 days (toxic form). It is difficult to make predictions, but if the calf’s disease has become severe, they are always unfavorable.

Treatment

To treat sick calves from dyspepsia, many schemes and remedies are used, which are constantly being replenished. To achieve positive results, course therapy is used:

1. Treatment must be carried out with simultaneous prevention.
2. All individuals affected by the disease are isolated from the main population and placed in separate cages with constant heat maintenance.
3. Treatment begins at the first appearance of symptoms.
4. All affected calves should be monitored.
5. Treatment is always comprehensive, and the toxic form requires the use of an individual approach.

The entire course of treatment is based on the medical history of calf dyspepsia, and is directed to:

1. Restoring normal digestive processes.
2. Suppression of pathogenic microflora.
3. Restoring water balance and electrolytes.
4. Fighting body intoxication.
5. Improving the performance of the cardiovascular system.
6. Increasing the body's resistance.
7. Heat transfer support.

To restore the impaired functionality of the digestive system, it is necessary to follow a water-salt diet for 6 months. It helps reduce irritation in the gastrointestinal tract, improves the secretory ability of the glands, physiological diuresis, and reduces the level of nutrients used by pathogenic intestinal microflora.

When the first signs of illness appear, the calf can be given 1,2 or 3 alternate feedings. If the disease develops during the first 1-1.5 days of the animal’s life, 1 drinking with maternal colostrum is allowed, at 2-3 days - two drinkings, at the age of 1 week - 3 drinkings.

Instead of maternal colostrum, saline solution or a salted infusion of hay (0.5-0.8%), special herbal decoctions (herbal medicine) or simple tea are drunk from the nipple. The ready-made Ringer-Locke solution has an excellent effect. A mild degree of the disease makes it possible to restore water balance orally.

The severity of the disease largely depends on the strength of the toxin, the route of its penetration into the body, and the quantity. It is necessary to quickly neutralize the effects of toxins and remove them. To cleanse the abomasum, you can perform a lavage procedure using a naso-abomasal probe; cleansing the large intestine is carried out with a deep enema.

To rid the body of dehydration, intoxication and improve trophism, 10-20 milliliters of a 40% solution of glucose, polyglucin, aminopeptide, hydrolysine and other blood substitutes in optimal doses are injected intravenously. Injecting a large amount of glucose can lead to hyperglycemic shock, so insulin is administered subcutaneously at a dosage of 0.5-1 units. per 1 kilogram of body weight.

To stimulate the functioning of the immune system, against the background of dyspepsia, the calf can be injected with the mother's citrated blood. Method of administration - intramuscular injection, in an amount of 1-2 milliliters per kilogram of weight, twice with an interval of 2-3 days. To increase the local protective function of the gastrointestinal tract, it is recommended to give Enterobifidin in an amount of 3-4 milligrams per kilogram for 3-5 days.

Support for heat exchange is achieved by increasing the air temperature in the room, using different heat sources (steam heating, air heaters, IR lamps, etc.).

Treatment with ASD 2

Separately, you can consider the use of a very effective, but little-known drug ASD 2 (antiseptic Dorogov stimulant).

Treatment of dyspepsia, gastroenterocolitis, gastroenteritis and many gastrointestinal diseases with fraction ASD 2 is carried out by oral administration by the calf, a general course of 14 days (no more). ASD 2 is made from organic components, so there are practically no contraindications or side effects.

Prevention

Preventive measures aimed at preventing dyspepsia in calves are based on compliance with a number of rules and recommendations from veterinarians:

• Keeping animals is of great importance in the etiology of the development of the disease. In the summer, when the weather is hot outside and the barn is especially hot, it is better to take the cows out to pasture. It is recommended to equip special shelters where animals can rest from the heat and shelter from the rain.
• In winter, despite the bad weather, you should try to provide the cows with frequent exercise.
• On large farms that keep cattle, in any case, it is necessary to equip an isolator. It will prevent the development of an outbreak of infection.
• It is not recommended to treat pregnant cows with drugs with strong effects that may affect the health of future offspring.
• The calving process plays an important role in the health of the calf. Before giving birth to a cow, you need to cover the floor with dry straw. The baby's face needs to be carefully wiped, all mucus is removed from the nostrils. The umbilical cord is cut and treated with iodine.
• The very first feeding is done within the first hour after the calf is born. Colostrum should only be used from a completely healthy female.

Dyspepsia is a rather complex disease that often leads to the death of young animals. But if the owner adheres to all the rules of prevention and starts all therapeutic measures on time, the development of the process can be suspended. Do not forget that the diagnosis should only be made by an experienced veterinarian who uses specific research methods, so at the first signs of illness you should immediately call the veterinarian and have him visit the sick calf.

Calf dyspepsia is perhaps the most common and well-known disease both on farms and in private households. It is not difficult to understand what characterizes this name, because the word “indigestion” means. For many years, this disease was not considered a separate disease, but today it is an independent disease with two forms of manifestation. Its second name is “newborn diarrhea” or “enzymatic diarrhea”.

Dyspepsia is a disease that manifests itself in the first 10 days of life and is characterized by the occurrence of severe intestinal upset. The disease itself is not very terrible, but a large percentage of deaths are associated with severe dehydration and loss of essential nutrients. In other words, we can say that dyspepsia is a kind of toxicosis of babies due to their mother’s colostrum. It is due to the fact that females did not receive additional important substances during pregnancy. Another reason is the underdevelopment of the digestive organs in calves.

The first sign of dyspepsia appears already in the first 2 hours after drinking the first portion of colostrum after birth. This causes a sharp metabolic disorder in the body, dehydration, as well as delayed growth and development. Simply put, calves cannot digest their mother's milk. Without the adoption of timely standards, most babies die.

Causes of the disease

One of the main causes of dyspepsia is non-compliance with the standards of raising and breeding animals. For example, this is poor quality feeding, as well as non-compliance with the regime and microclimate conditions. Today, the cause of the disease is often the underdevelopment of the digestive organs of children. As a result, the intestinal pH is disrupted, toxins and putrefactive microflora are formed. Causes:

• Incorrect ;
• Late launch of the animal;
• Lack of walking and exercise;
• Cold or sour colostrum;
• Overfeeding calves;
• Failure to comply with sanitary and hygienic standards (dirty dishes, bedding, etc.).

Forms of the disease

Dyspepsia manifests itself in two forms - simple and toxic. The simple form is characterized by partial loss of appetite, lethargy and depression of calves at the first stage. Animals lie on the bedding and often shudder. Around the 2nd day, yellow diarrhea occurs. Treatment of this stage of the disease always has a favorable prognosis and ends with the complete recovery of the children.

Toxic dyspepsia occurs abruptly in the first days of life. In this case, the calves experience a complete loss of appetite, the temperature drops, and the skin becomes cold. Diarrhea appears immediately, often with mucus and a lighter color. If treatment is not timely, animals die from dehydration and toxicity of the body.

What symptoms does it present?

The main sign of dyspepsia is the lethargy and depressed appearance of calves, as well as loose stools. In this case, symptoms appear immediately at the first mild stage. Sick babies lie on their side, often look at their stomach, and partially or completely refuse colostrum. Also, in more severe forms, animals begin to moan or moo. Patients' body temperature decreases, pulse and breathing increase.

When a severe stage of the disease occurs due to severe dehydration of the body, calves experience severe loss of strength, sunken eyes, ruffled fur, and dry mucous membranes. Body tremors, dry skin, and loss of sensitivity also often occur. Before death, the calf's skin becomes bluish or pale, and the heartbeat increases greatly. Death occurs within 2-5 days after the disease.

Methods of treating the disease

As people say, “The best treatment is prevention.” But if it does happen that the calf gets dyspepsia, you should know the basic treatment measures. The most important thing is to move the baby to a warm, dry place if necessary and improve hygiene. Colostrum should only be given fresh and from sterile containers. Feeding is carried out 4-5 times a day, 250-400 ml of product.

Half an hour before feeding, calves must be given saline solution or casein hydrolysate (hydrolysine). If there are no such special drugs, then antibiotics with sulfonamides and nitrofuran compounds are used. Suitable bacteriostatic agents:

• vitatetrin for 5-7 days with an interval of 12 hours;
• oxycane 50-100 mg/kg;
• chloramphenicol - 20-35 mg/kg;
• terravetin 500 mg/kg;
• gentomycin sulfate at a dose of 1 mg/kg every 8-12 hours.

To further stimulate digestion, calves are injected with 30-50 ml of pepsidil or pancreatin. To strengthen the intestines, you can give a decoction of oak bark, an infusion of sage, St. John's wort, or a decoction of flaxseed. In case of acute toxic form, a special preparation based on sodium chloride and potassium chloride is administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 25-30 ml/kg. This also includes glucose, novocaine, calcium gluconate, thiamine bromide solution and some other substances.

After recovery, children are prescribed a course of bacteriostatic agents to populate the intestines with beneficial microflora. For example, these are acidophilus milk bifidumbacterin, lactobacterin and others. They also give a small dose of fermented milk.

Prevention and sample diet

As preventive measures, you should monitor the diet and maintenance of pregnant cows, as well as carry out general hygiene measures. It is necessary to evaluate the quality of feed and carry out quality control. We suggest you look at an approximate calf diet if you notice the first signs of dyspepsia.

Times of Day	Diet
Morning	Artificial gastric juice; After 20 minutes, 2 eggs diluted in a small amount of water; After 10 minutes, take a “No-shpa” tablet and a decoction of special herbs (oak bark, elecampane, St. John’s wort, alder cones).
Dinner	1-2 liters of decoction of flax seed or rice, oatmeal; After a few hours, decoction with salt.
Evening	Artificial gastric juice; After 20 minutes, 2 eggs diluted in a small amount of water; After 10 minutes, a No-shpa tablet and a decoction of special herbs.

Video “Treatment of calves with electrolytes”

In this story, you can learn in more detail about one of the modern methods of treating diarrhea in animals, namely with the help of electrolytes.

There are many bovine diseases. One of the most dangerous is calf dyspepsia. This disease occurs in acute form and is accompanied by intoxication, dehydration and general weakness of the body. On large farms it can be widespread.

Causes of the disease

The pathogenesis and etiology of dyspepsia in calves lies in improper feeding and a sudden transition to roughage. For the first 10 days of a calf's life, it should be fed only its mother's milk.

Causes of dyspepsia:

• short colostrum period;
• feeding milk to a cow suffering from mastitis;
• drinking colostrum later than an hour after birth.

Young animals born from weak or obese cows are at risk of receiving this diagnosis. Symptoms are also observed if calves were fed milk from a cow that received a lot of silage, pulp or spent grain during the dry period.

Stages of disease development:

• changes in the gastrointestinal tract;
• disturbance of the microflora of the small intestine;
• violation of microbial composition;
• toxic effects of microflora;
• weakness in the body.

Sometimes dyspepsia in newborn calves occurs due to improper care and violation of maintenance rules. In winter - if animals are in a cramped, damp room with drafts. In summer, the reason lies in keeping calves outdoors without a special shelter.

Symptoms

Dyspepsia has two forms - toxic and simple. The cause of poisoning is the weakened health of the young animals or a complication of the disease. Death is possible within 2-3 days if measures are not taken in time.

Toxic dyspepsia of calves has more severe symptoms:

• loose stools with a pungent odor;
• general weakness;
• hair loss;
• staggering when walking;
• sunken eyes;
• hard breath.

In the most difficult cases, the calf throws its head back or turns to the side. The temperature also decreases, and the limbs and ears become cold.

Treatment

Treatment of dyspepsia in calves depends on age, individual characteristics of the body and the degree of development of the disease. The disease can take a nutritional form. To cure it, you need to normalize the functioning of the digestive organs and intestinal microflora and restore water balance.

The sick animal is separated from the rest of the herd. The first few hours after the start of treatment, a saline or saline solution is given instead of food. In case of severe intoxication, the stomach is washed with a solution of potassium permanganate.

The feeding regimen is restored gradually, increasing the portion. Start with the fourth part of the usual norm. Milk intake is divided into 5-7 servings and only through the nipple. Drinking from a large container can lead to greedy swallowing of liquid and repeated digestive disorders.

Before feeding the animal, the animal is given a 50% solution of gastric juice, the dose should be 70-100 ml. The bacterial composition is normalized using pine tincture and carrot juice.

Compensatory treatment

With toxic dyspepsia, the body quickly becomes dehydrated and loses vitamins and minerals. To restore their supply, intravenous infusions, drinking water and large amounts of electrolytes are administered.

Ready-made preparations: solutions of Sharabrin, Kolosov and Ringer.

If the disease is widespread, prepare a solution from:

• potassium chloride – 8.0;
• sodium acetate – 4.0;
• potassium chloride – 0.3;
• sodium bicarbonate – 12.0;
• magnesium chloride – 0.2;
• glucose – 60.0;
• distilled water – 1 l.

All ingredients are mixed and sterilized in a water bath. To cure toxic dyspepsia, vitamins are added to the medicine and the drug is administered in small portions.

Novocaine treatment

The disease can be quickly cured with novocaine injections. The drug is injected into the abdominal cavity. This treatment method helps to quickly eliminate inflammation. It helps especially well in acute illness. In chronic cases, the process is first aggravated using poultices or hemotherapy. Rules for the procedure:

• fix the animal;
• drive the needle into the right hungry fossa 3 cm;
• slowly inject the medicine.

Use a 0.5% solution at a rate of 1 ml/kg. For better results, add streptomycin or penicillin.

In addition to treatment with novocaine, antibiotics are used in the form of tablets and boluses with food, or administered as suppositories. The most commonly used drugs are:

• chloramphenicol – 0.03 g/1 kg;
• colymycin – 0.016 g/1 kg;
• synthomycin – 0.03 g/1 kg;
• tetracycline – 0.016 g/1 kg.

Antibiotic treatment should be combined with sulfonamides. The combination of these drugs increases the effectiveness of therapy and reduces the risk of bacteria becoming addicted to the drugs.

Traditional methods of treatment

Sometimes dyspepsia in young calves is treated with medications and folk methods. One of the most effective is onion infusion. This vegetable contains phytoncides that kill pathogenic organisms. To prepare this product you need:

• Pour 2 liters of saline solution into a 3-5 liter bottle;
• add 200 g chopped onions;
• To preserve the active ingredients, add 50 ml of vegetable oil.

The medicine is infused for a day, and then given 4-5 ml per 1 kg of body weight 5 times a day. After this, sick calves are given milk or colostrum. Dyspepsia in newborn calves can also be treated with a decoction of flaxseeds. Its recipe:

1. 50 g of seeds are washed in warm water. Then pour into an enamel container, add 1 liter of water and boil over low heat for an hour, stirring occasionally.
2. As it boils, add water. The finished broth is filtered and stored in a dark place for 3 days.

The medicine is heated to 40°C and a little salt is added. This remedy is also used as prophylaxis, 0.5 liters per day.

Prevention

Prevention of dyspepsia in young calves includes proper diet. An hour after calving, the calf should receive its first colostrum. Later drinking leads to bronchopneumonia, indigestion and slow growth.

Starting from the second day after birth, the calf is given colostrum 5-6 times a day through a special drinking bowl. Feeding an animal from a large container increases the risk of greedily swallowing large portions, which subsequently leads to the appearance of clots in the abomasum.

Conclusion

Dyspepsia in calves is a serious disease that can be fatal if not treated promptly. Prevention of this disease is the correct drinking and feeding regimen.

When the first symptoms appear, you should contact your veterinarian for a diagnosis. Traditional medicine is ineffective and serves only as an addition to the main treatment.