Treatment must be with electrolytes to expand blood volume and overcome dehydration. Antibiotics are also essential. Vaccines and antisera may help to prevent disease. Cryptosporidia These pathogens cause damage to the gut lining and reduce nutrient absorption. Antibiotics may help secondary bacterial infection in viral infections.
Colostrum is essential to prevent all early types of scour.
Cryptosporidia may be treated with sulphonamides. Electrolytes will help to restore the calf to health, but will not provide sufficient nutrients to maintain body weight. It is therefore advisable to give alternate feeds of milk and electrolytes as soon as the health of the calf has improved, i.e. calf bright and sucking reflex is good. Very dehydrated calves need intravenous fluid and these are probably best taken to our main hospital at Nailsea for treatment. Most infections are picked up from the dam and therefore early separation of dam and calf is advisable.