Evaluation of the clinical efficacy of racecadotril in the treatment of neonatal calves with infectious diarrhea.

Racecadotril, used as an antidiarrheal drug in humans and some animals such as the dog, inhibits peripheral enkephalinase, which degrades enkephalins and enkephalinase inhibition induces a selective increase in chloride absorption from the intestines. The study material consisted of 46 calves with infectious diarrhea and 14 healthy calves in the age 2-20 days. The calves were divided into eight groups; healthy calves (HG), healthy calves administered racecadotril (HRG), calves with E.coli-associated diarrhea (ECG), calves with E.coli-associated diarrhea administered racecadotril (ECRG), calves with bovine Rotavirus/Coronavirus-associated diarrhea (VG), calves with bovine Rotavirus/Coronavirus-associated diarrhea administered racecadotril (VRG), calves with C. parvum-associated diarrhea (CG) and calves with C. parvum-associated diarrhea administered racecadotril (CRG). Calves in the racecadotril groups received oral racecadotril at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg twice a day for 3 days. A routine clinical examination of all calves was performed. Hemogram and blood gas measurements were made from the blood samples. Standard diarrhea treatment was applied to the HG, ECG, CG, and VG groups. Clinical score parameters such as appetite, feces quality, dehydration, standing and death and some blood gas and hemogram parameters were evaluated to determine the clinical efficacy of racecadotril. Clinical score parameters were determined observationally. Blood gas measurements were performed using a blood gas analyzer. The hemogram was performed using an automated hematologic analyzer. Statistically significant differences were determined in the blood pH, bicarbonate, base deficit, lactate, and total leukocyte count in calves with diarrhea compared to healthy calves. After the treatments, these parameters were found to be within normal limits. At the end of treatment, 42 of the 46 diarrheal calves recovered, while 4 died. We found that racecadotril was effective in improving both clinical recovery and feces consistency in neonatal calves with diarrhea caused by E. coli. As a result, it can be stated that racecadotril, which has an antisecretory effect, is beneficial in the treatment of bacterial diarrhea caused by such as E. coli.