Supportive Therapy
This is aimed at treating the effects of the disease rather than its basic cause. The best example is undoubtedly the administration of electrolyte solutions to the scouring calf.
Electrolytes positively promote the uptake of water and so prevent dehydration. They are often of greater benefit to the calf than the use of antibiotics to eliminate infectious agents.Other examples of supportive therapy include B vitamins to assist in detoxification processes, cortisone to reduce the adverse effects of the inflammatory reaction, antipyretics (e.g. aspirin) to reduce the temperature in the fevered animal and analgesics (painkillers) to encourage the animal to move and eat. Analgesics can be particularly important after surgery. One commonly used drug is the chemical flunixin. It is known as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory derivative (NSAID). It is able to reduce the adverse effects of inflammation without compromising the immune defence mechanisms. It is commonly used in the treatment of toxic E. coli mastitis and is also a very effective analgesic.
All of these treatments are designed to assist the animal in overcoming the damage caused by the disease, to improve its feeling of well-being, to restore its appetite and thus return it to health.
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More on the topic Supportive Therapy:
- Oncologic Emergencies and Supportive Care
- PARENTERAL FLUID THERAPY
- Physical and Occupational Therapy
- Speech Therapy
- FETAL THERAPY
- Duration of Therapy
- Therapy Robots
- Principles of Therapy
- Ear Therapy
- INTRODUCTION: OVERVIEW OF COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH HIV THERAPY
- The Effect of Immunosuppressive Therapy on MAP Infection
- IMPACT OF ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY ON LEVELS OF LYMPHOCYTE APOPTOSIS
- DRY COW THERAPY
- Bulla Infusion and Topical Therapy
- DISCORDANT RESPONSES TO ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY
- HIV counselling and combination antiretroviral therapy
- Alternative Therapy
- Therapy and Training