Changes in clinical signs after treatment in calves with experimental colisepticemia with Escherichia coli

Colisepticemia is an acute fatal disease in farm animal neonates. Clinical finding of septicemia is non-specific and cannot be differentiated from signs of noninfectious disease or disease with local infection such as diarrhea.
Evaluation of clinical signs variations in calves with experimental septicemia with Escherichia coli O111:H8.
Colisepticemia was experimentally induced in ten Holstein bull
calves after an adaptation period. Vital signs and 7 clinical criteria were recorded from 24
h before septicemia until 48 h after that. Blood culture was performed and treatment was
done based on antibiogram from 24 h after challenge.
Changes of suckling reflex and shock were not significant. Changes of appetite, dehydration, behavior, standing ability, total score from 24 h before the challenge to 24 h after treatment were significant (p The present study indicated clinical signs changed unfavorably following septicemia that were dissolved approximately during 24 h, depending on treatment in appropriate time and drug choice. Thus, a targeted scoring system will be useful in clinical evaluation of septicemia, quantifying the changes procedure and treatment efficacy.