Calf diarrhoea hits wide and hard. The new-born calf is removed from the mother's protection and good quality milk, and has not yet established its own immune defence. The diarrhoea weakens the calf and makes it depressed. Due to loss of fluid the calf becomes dehydrated rapidly, which makes the situation more severe. Fluid administration is needed urgently, and in most cases it creates miracles.
However, all diarrhoeic cases are not identical. Diarrhoea caused by bacteria like E. coli is different from diarrhoea caused by viruses and cryptosporidia. Due to these differences, it is important to select the right oral rehydration solution.
In order to understand the differences between the two types of diarrhoea, it is necessary to know how a normal intestinal tract looks like. The gastro-intestinal tract itself can be regarded as a compartment (lumen) outside the body - from mouth to rectum. In this lumen, good and bad elements are floating around. The good elements like amino acids, glucose, electrolytes etc. are led to the surface of the gut lining in order to be absorbed and transported to various parts of the body.
Secretory diarrhoea
In the lumen of the gut, potential hostile micro-organisms are present as well. The challenge is to keep these micro-organisms away from the surface of the gut lining. If not, they may attach the lining and replicate. During the first some days after birth of the calf, special attachment sites are situated on the lining of the gut. E. coli especially are looking for these sites for attachment. If attachment occurs, they will then replicate, and subsequently spread all over the surface of the gut. This will disturb normal absorption of various nutrients like glucose, and electrolytes.
Furthermore, the bacteria produce a toxin that stimulate secretion of electrolytes and water from the body tissues into the gut lumen,
resulting in diarrhoea (called secretory diarrhoea). The attachment sites on the gut lining, however, disappear within a week after birth. Consequently, diarrhoea caused by bacteria like E. coli is not likely to happen in calves older than 5-6 days.
Osmotic diarrhoea
In older calves, i.e., 1-3 weeks old, the hostile micro-organisms are rota- and coronavirus or a single-cell organism called cryptosporidium. These micro-organisms cause destruction of the gut lining (upper part), resulting in diarrhoea (called osmotic or malabsorption diarrhoea). The establishment of a new, intact gut lining is depending on stem cells in the gut lining (located in the lower part), however, absorption through the newly repaired gut lining is impaired for some days after the infection.
(physiological) oral rehydration solution is needed in order not to damage the gut cells further. After all, the gut lining repair is depending on the stem cells in the lower part of the gut lining. Hypertonic oral rehydration solutions are "too strong" for these infections and may destroy the stem cells!
Consequently, it is important to know the type and strength of the oral rehydration solutions on the market. To be on the safe side, one should choose a product that makes a physiological solution when mixed with water - the so-called isotonic solutions.
Diaproof-K
An isotonic rehydrating solution Diaproof-K is a non-antibiotic product for the treatment of calves with gastro-intestinal disorders. Diaproof-K contains DialineTM, a mucopolysaccharide derived from the vegetable Plantago Ovata, which has a three-fold function:
1) It forms a protective barrier against bacterial invasion.
2) It captures bacteria irreversibly
3) It acts as a carrier mechanism that allows slow release of the glucose and electrolyte mixture
Treatment
Oral treatment of the two types of diarrhoea is not identical!
Although the symptoms are identical for the two types of diarrhoea, the treatment is not. The secretory diarrhoea caused by E. coli during the first week after birth can be treated by all oral rehydration solutions on the market. This is not the case with osmotic diarrhoea seen in 1-3 weeks old calves. For these cases, an isotonic