CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS WITH THERAPEUTIC MANAGEMENT OF PARASITIC BOTTLE JAW SYNDROME IN CALVES

Abstract

This study was conducted to study the etiology, clinical findings and therapeutic management of bottle jaw affected calves, which were brought for treatment at the Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) Veterinary Clinic during the period from July to December 2002. During this period, a total of 15 bottle jaw affected calves of either sex and aged between 6 to 12 months were selected and utilized for this study. Parasitological examination of the faeces samples of each of the 15 calves showed significantly higher incidence of mixed (80%) than single type of gastrointestinal helminth infection. Of the 15 calves examined, of which 13 (86.67%) calves were affected with Fasciola gigantica, 10 (66.67%) with Paramphistomum sp. and 7 (46.67%) calves with gastrointestinal nematodes. The highest infection rate was found with Fasciola gigantica and lowest with gastro-intestinal nematodes. History and clinical examination of these calves revealed malnutrition and the clinical signs recorded were normal rectal temperature, pulse and respiratory rate, loss of appetite (66.67%), rough hair coat (80.00%), pale conjunctival mucosa (86.67%), dehydration (100%), loss of body condition (100%), weakness (80%), dullness (46.67%), depression (60%), pot-belly (40%) and diarrhea (86.67%). The Tetranid® (tetramisole plus oxyclozanide) was found to be highly effective against both the flukes and gastrointestinal nematodes. Fenbendazole (Peraclear®, Techno Drugs) was highly effective against gastrointestinal nematodes which were associated with bottle jaw in calves. Treatment with anthelmintics followed by hematinic drugs resulted 100% recovery of parasitic bottle jaw cases in calves within 28th day of treatment. Therefore, bottle jaw syndrome in calves, caused by gastro-intestinal helminths, could be successfully treated with anthelmintics with supportive treatment with any effective haematinic drugs.