Hypocalcaemia
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- 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.
- For example, dairy cows following parturition.
- Small animals
- 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
- Common causes are: