Diarrhea in a cow: causes of diarrhea and how to treat at home, danger

Diarrhea in cattle is a common symptom that indicates the pathology of the digestive tract. There is no single disease of which it is a symptom. To begin treatment, you need to determine the causes of diarrhea in cows, know how to stop it, what medicines and folk remedies to use, how to prevent the development of diarrhea in cows, and what danger diarrhea in cows can pose.

Causes and signs of diarrhea

Diarrhea is a characteristic sign of disturbances in the functionality of the intestines. Changes relate to the frequency of bowel movements, which increases dramatically, their color and consistency (loose stools).Often the cause is inflammation in the intestines. They arise due to feeding cows with low-quality feed, with a change in diet, a sharp introduction of new products, and drinking cold water. In autumn, cows can develop diarrhea due to eating wet, frozen grass, which causes fermentation in the intestines.

Animals can get poisoned by poisonous herbs in the pasture, they can be allergic to food and medicine, which causes severe diarrhea. The cause of diarrhea can be a lack of proteins, minerals and vitamins, fiber. The disorder can be caused by bacteria, parasites, protozoa, viruses. Adult cows may develop diarrhea after calving.

In calves - due to colostrum or low quality milk or, conversely, too fat, with excessive feeding. The disorder in young animals can develop due to unsanitary conditions, crowding, poor ventilation in the room. And also because of the stress during transportation, vaccination.

With diarrhea, not only the characteristics of bowel movements change, the disorder has a strong effect on the state of the whole organism. The animal refuses food or eats, but badly, weakness develops, temperature rises.

A typical consequence of diarrhea is dehydration due to fluid loss, from which the cow or calf can die. Dehydration can be identified by dry mucous membranes and skin, insufficient urination, slow heart rate, sunken eyes.

Diagnostic methods

Diagnosing diarrhea in cows is simple: if there is loose stools, frequent bowel movements, a change in the color and composition of feces, then you need to take action. However, before starting treatment, the cause must be established.

Diagnosis should be made by a veterinarian. In order for him to be able to correctly identify the disease, he must have information about changes in the behavior of the animal, temperature, and the nature of the feces.When the diarrhea started, what the animal ate, whether or not it vomited, when was the last deworming done. Based on the information and the clinical picture, it will be easier to make a diagnosis and choose a treatment.

How to stop diarrhea in cows

For the treatment of diarrhea, the cow is given drugs with various effects. You can try to cure folk remedies. But they can only help in mild cases and if the disorder has just begun. In severe cases, you should not count on their action.

Medicines

During the treatment period, the cow is put on a diet. The animal is kept without food for 1-2 days, water is given in plenty. After a starvation diet, the cow is gradually fed good hay, some root crops and concentrates.Treatment of diarrhea in cattle: the animal is given absorbent preparations to remove toxins and a lot of water, glycine, Apomorphine is injected. To restore the water balance, saline, glucose, Ringer's solution are administered. If the cow is weakened, injections are made several times a day (total amount - 1 liter).

Injections of caffeine and sulphocamphocaine to maintain the cardiovascular system (the solution is prepared according to the instructions). If the diarrhea is caused by bacteria, the cow is given antibiotics or sulfonamides. Antibiotic and novocaine - if blood is observed in the stool. To relieve pain, the animal is given "No-shpu" and "Diprofen", "Analgin". After the use of antibiotics, it is necessary to give probiotics and enzymes to restore the intestinal microflora, disturbed by diarrhea and medications, and to prevent the development of fermentation processes. Preparations: Sporothermin, GastroVet, Vetom4, Multibakterin, Acidophilin.

Diarrhea in cattle should be treated with sorbents, rehydrates, antibiotics, analgesics and probiotics. All drugs, doses, regimen and duration of therapy should be determined by a veterinarian.

Folk remedies

At home, the animal can be given known astringents: decoctions of oak bark, flax, oats, rice. You can make infusions from St. John's wort, burnet, bird cherry fruits, horse sorrel.

To remove toxins from the body, the animal is given activated charcoal or an infusion of black bread, a decoction of wild rose and plantain.

Folk remedies can be used in combination with synthetic drugs. Calves can be given the same decoctions, chamomile decoction, s alted warm water. If they eat milk, it is removed, with diarrhea it is not absorbed, it contributes to the development of pathogenic bacteria in the intestines. After the cessation of the disorder, milk is alternated with rice or oatmeal water.

Is there any danger?

The danger for adult cows and calves is the loss of water (with diarrhea, it is removed faster than through the urinary organs) and the mass of trace elements, severe intoxication. With intense diarrhea, the loss can be critical, and the animal will die (with a strong loss - in 2 days). In this case, only urgent drug therapy will help.

Against the background of diarrhea, inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa occurs up to the formation of ulcers and bleeding. Young animals that have suffered a disorder develop worse for some time, grow poorly.

Prevention

In order for cows not to have diarrhea, all provoking factors must be eliminated. Make up a complete, balanced diet, products must be fresh, grass - without the admixture of poisonous plants, root crops and hay - without mold and rot.Low-quality hay and straw should not be placed on the bedding, because animals eat them too. Do not graze the herd in areas where poisonous herbs are found. Keep animals from overeating.

Remove stall bedding as soon as it is slightly soiled and replace with clean straw. Monitor the purity of water, warm up cold water (especially for feeding calves). Do not graze cows on frozen grass. Disinfect the barn and equipment as often as possible. Timely carry out routine vaccination and deworming. Sick individuals should be kept separate from he althy ones until recovery.

Diarrhea in cows develops for many reasons and quite often. It can be the result of malnutrition, violations in the content, the result of stress, poisoning, infections. If diarrhea is repeated and continues for a long time, treatment is indispensable. Folk methods can help in the initial stage of the disorder, mainly medications are used for treatment.

Recommended