Hypocalcaemia

• Hypocalcaemia is most significant.
  • "Milk fever" in lactating cattle.
  • Eclampsia (parturient tetany) in bitches.

• Hypocalcaemia is a relatively common finding in
  • Small animals
    • Most often associated with decreased albumin concentrations.
    • Usually clinically insignificant.
  • Farm animals
    • For example, dairy cows following parturition.
      • More clinically significant.
• Clinical signs may not always be present (i.e. clinically insignificant).
  • Clinical signs are most often seen in associated with lactation or post-operative causes.
  • When they seen, signs commonly include:
    • Facial rubbing
    • Muscle tremors or cramps
    • Stiff gait
    • Behavioural changes
  • The following are seen less commonly:
    • Panting
    • Pyrexia
    • Lethargy
    • Anorexia
    • Tachycardia or ECG abnormalities
    • Hypotension
    • Death
• Some causes of hypocalcaemia are also more common than others.
  • Common causes are:
    • Chronic renal failure
    • Hypoalbuminaemia
    • Eclampsia
    • Acute pancreatitis
    • Iatrogenic
    • Post thyroidectomy
    • Post parathyroidectomy
    • Blood transfusion
  • More uncommonly:
    • Lab error
    • Ethylene glycol toxicity
    • NaHCO₃ administration
    • Hypovitaminosis D
    • Hypomagnesaemia
    • Intestinal malabsorption
    • Primary hypoparathyroidism