Open AccessRespiratory Disease in Neonatal Cloned Calves
Author(s) -
Brisville A.C.,
Fecteau G.,
Boysen S.,
Dorval P.,
Buczinski S.,
Blondin P.,
Smith L.C.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2011.0693.x
Subject(s) - medicine , atelectasis , respiratory system , hypoxemia , bovine respiratory disease , lung , immunology
Background: Numerous clinical abnormalities occur in cloned calves during the neonatal period. Objectives: Describe respiratory diseases affecting cloned calves. Animals: Twenty‐five cloned Holstein calves. Methods: Retrospective clinical study of the cloned calves born at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Saint‐Hyacinthe, QC. Results: Records of 31 cloned calves were reviewed. Twenty‐five records were included. Four stillborn calves and 2 calves euthanized at birth were excluded. Twenty‐two calves suffered from respiratory diseases. Nineteen calves received intranasal oxygen treatment (INO). They were tachypneic (78 breaths per minute) and 5 of them were hypoxemic (PaO 2 < 55 mmHg). Two of 19 calves remained hypoxemic despite INO. Thirteen calves were weaned from INO after a median of 70 hours and were discharged at a median of 5 days of age. Nine calves required ventilatory support: 3 from birth and 6 after INO. Five were successfully weaned from the ventilator after a median of 32 hours and were discharged at a median of 8 days of age. Three calves died and 1 was euthanized because of respiratory disease. Necropsy revealed atelectasis, pulmonary congestion, and alveolar damages. Conclusion and Clinical Importance: Respiratory disease occurs frequently in cloned calves. The most frequent abnormality is hypoxemia because of V / Q mismatch. It is possible to successfully support these calves by INO and mechanical ventilation.