Diarrhea In Foals and Calves Treatment Protocol

Diarrhea in foals and calves is a very common clinical condition from a day old to six months of life, seen especially in immunocompromised animals.

It has a wide range of causes from the innocuous foal heat to the deadly virus and bacterial infections that can cause dehydration, bloody stools, electrolyte depletion, shock, colic and death.

Diagnosis can be challenging and determined quickly, so treatment can be started immediately either in an ambulatory or a hospital setting.

If the deadly virus like Rotavirus, is the common cause of diarrhea, or other deadly bacteria like Cdif, are determined to be the cause of the infection, strict Biosecurity measures must be taken to keep the rest of the herd safe.

It is a fact the foals and calves that succumb are usually very immunocompromised and probably didn’t receive enough colostrum or the mother’s colostrum was weak with immunoglobulins and produced a decreased level of passive immunity in the foal.

There are several protocols used to help prevent this condition before the foal or calf is born or start the day it is born. The reason these animals are exposed and susceptible for six months, because that is the time frame for the Cell Mediated Immune system to be strong enough to identify and take these pathogens out of their systems naturally. And the key to successful diarrhea and scours management is a strong cellular immune system.

The protocol for prophylaxis or treating active infection:

Administer Oral Electrolyte Solutions to combat dehydration, Na+ loss, acidosis, and supply energy when diarrhea starts.
Administer NanoMax Silver® Solution 10ppm, 4 oz every 3-4 hours to help decrease inflammation, protect the microbiome by destroying the bad bacteria and any virus or bacteria present in the gut. This process should start on day one.
Nebulize (with veterinarian supervision) or orally dose Biopro Armour® to help provide Cell Mediated Immune support that will identify pathogens with CD 4 cells and destroy them with CD 8 and NK cells naturally. This should start on day one whether any diarrhea is present or not and should be continued daily for seven days, then a 1-2 day a week maintenance dose thereafter.
The mare should receive a dose of Biopro Armour® weekly for the last month of gestation to increase the level of globulins in her Colostrum and optimum immunity to her offspring because it has been postulated the proteins pass the placental barrier which starts the immune response in the foal before birth as well.

Summary

Severe forms of Foal and Calf diarrhea are mostly caused by Rotavirus, & Clostridium difficile, other bacteria like Salmonella, E coli, or the Coronavirus also will affect the immunocompromised foals most severely, causing death as early as 12 hours old.

Therefore, prophylaxis and strict Biosecurity measures to prevent these deadly forms of diarrhea will be the most efficient means to help give newborn foals the greatest chance of obtaining a robust cellular immune system.

The immune balancing supplement Biopro Armour® is the only way to build an optimum immune system in the foal by oral or nebulizer (with veterinarian supervision) administration directly to the neonatal foal. Reinforcing Mare’s immune system and quality of colostrum by oral administration weekly for the last 4-6 weeks of gestation is very important. The administration of NanoMax® Silver Solution 3-4 times daily is also very important to treat the Microbiome, decrease inflammation, as well as destroy virus and bacteria which will increase Biosecurity measures.

Do not forget the administration of Oral Electrolyte Solutions to overcome dehydration, acid-base balance, and energy requirements to overcome the deleterious complications of diarrhea in foals and calves.

Biosecurity measures such as isolation and surface disinfectants in barns and trailers with NanoMax® silver solution and 3% hydrogen peroxide will help suppress the disease from spreading to the rest of the herd.

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