A clinical refresher on fluid therapy for scouring calves

Presented by Claire Windeyer, DVM, DVSc, BSc

Continuing education questionnaire

CE credit: 1

AssignedWebcast

Name

First name *

Last name *

License number *

Province where you practise *

email *

Questions

1. Approximately what percentage of Canadian dairy calves are affected by neonatal calf diarrhea (i.e., scours)? *

3%

10%

20%

50%

2. Beef calves that survive neonatal calf diarrhea weigh on average how much less at weaning than healthy calves? *

2 lbs

5 lbs

12 lbs

24 lbs

3. How dehydrated is a calf with a skin tent of <1 sec? *

0%

<5%

6%-8%

>8%

4. What level of eyeball recession indicates a calf requires IV fluid therapy? *

>4 mm

>6 mm

>8 mm

>12 mm

5. Calves over 8 days of age usually have a larger base deficit compared to a younger calf with the same clinical signs. *

True

False

6. Calves being fed oral electrolyte solutions should not be fed milk. *

True

False

7. Which of the following formulas is used to calculate the amount of IV fluids needed to replace fluids that has been lost? *

4–5 mL/kg/min

50–100 mL/kg/day

Body weight x base deficit x 0.6

Body weight x % dehydration

8. Which type of IV fluid should be avoided in calves showing signs of respiratory compromise? *

Lactated Ringer’s

Isotonic saline

Hypertonic bicarbonate

Hypertonic saline

9. How much baking soda is added to 1 L of sterile saline to make isotonic sodium bicarbonate solution? *

13 g

23 g

53 g

130 g

10. What is the estimated base deficit of a <8-day old scouring calf who cannot stand? *

5 mEq/L

10 mEq/L

15 mEq/L

20 mEq/L