Acid-base and electrolyte changes in 1-3 days old piglets infected with enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and in spontaneous cases of piglet diarrhoea.

Infection perorally with enteropathogenic E. coli (ST +LT) bacteria in 57 newborn piglets gave rise to watery diarrhoea in 50 (88%) piglets and was lethal in 17 (34 %) cases. The diarrhoea was associated with a progressing partially compensated metabolic acidosis indicated by significantly decreased pH, pCO2 and RE values. The acidosis (BE-values) was significantly correlated with increased blood LA and serum K+ values. The dehydration during the disease was confirmed by increased Hb, Hct, serum protein and urea values as well as loss of weight. The changes were most pronounced in piglets that died and a BE value of —10 mmol/1 seemed to be a critical limit at which the prognosis could be considered poor. The changes in acid-base status and water balance was confirmed in 64 piglets with spontaneous cases of E. coli diarrhoea.