Treatment of calf diarrhea: antimicrobial and ancillary treatments

Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2009 Mar;25(1):101-20, vi. doi: 10.1016/j.cvfa.2008.10.012.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use*
  • Antiprotozoal Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cattle
  • Cattle Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Cattle Diseases / microbiology
  • Cattle Diseases / parasitology
  • Cryptosporidiosis / drug therapy
  • Cryptosporidiosis / veterinary
  • Diarrhea / drug therapy
  • Diarrhea / microbiology
  • Diarrhea / parasitology
  • Diarrhea / veterinary*
  • Female
  • Infusions, Parenteral / veterinary
  • Male
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Antiprotozoal Agents