Evaluation of Relative Resuscitative Effects of Hypertonic and Isotonic Saline Solutions as an Adjunct to Ceftiofur HCl in Bovine Neonatal Diarrhea Associated with Escherichia coli

This study was conducted for evaluation of relative efficacy of hypertonic saline (HSS) and isotonic saline (ISS) solutions in neonatal diarrhea associated with Escherichia coli (E. coli) in buffalo calves. For this purpose, neonatal diarrhea was induced in 24 healthy male buffalo calves through oral administration of eneteropathogenic E. coli (K99). After 12 h of successful induction of diarrhea, the calves were randomly divided into two equal groups viz. A and B (n=12 each). Group A was treated with ISS [at] 90 mL/kg body weight (BW), while calves of group B were administered HSS [at] 4 mL/kg BW. Both groups were additionally treated with ceftiofur HCl and flunixin meglumine [at] 6 and 2 mg/kg BW, IM, respectively. The relative efficacy of two treatments was evaluated on the basis of clinical parameters, hematological analyses, hemodynamic parameters, blood gas analyses and serum electrolytes. All parameters were recorded at baseline (before induction of diarrhea), during diarrhea, t=1, t=3, t=6, t=12, t=24 and t=36 h after treatment. The calves treated with HSS (group B) resuscitated from neonatal diarrhea more rapidly (within 24 h) and effectively than ISS (group A) and showed significant (P less than 0.05) improvement. At t=24 h, values for mean arterial pressure, central venous pressure and arterial oxygen delivery were 108.69.8 and 116.314.2, 121.4 and 15.51.5 and 69.33.3 and 85.53.7 in groups A and B, respectively. Calves of group B also experienced decrease in hematocrit and hemoglobin concentration as well as increases in blood pH, bicarbonate concentration and serum electrolytes. On the basis of findings of this study, it was concluded that HSS offsets deleterious hemodynamic effects of hypovolemia, improves oxygenation, corrects metabolic acidosis and increases survival in E. coli associated neonatal diarrhea of buffalo calves which makes it more practical and economical alternative to the use of large volumes of isotonic saline solution for use in field settings.