Disease Hypocalcaemia (milk fever Periparturient Paresis)

Milk fever is metabolic disorder which result from of a temporary drop in the calcium level in
the blood. This usually occurs around calving (24 hours – 3 days after calving). During the
production of colostrum large amount of calcium is needed at a fast rate. The body then provides
the calcium from diet but during the dry period much calcium isn’t supplied to the cow. This
then causes the parathyroid hormone to simulate the breakdown osteoclast to supply the calcium
demand of the body,

stages of milk fever

Milk fever is divided into three stages based on clinical signs.

Stage I milk fever often goes unobserved because of its short duration (< 1 hour). Signs observed
during this stage include loss of appetite, excitability, nervousness, hypersensitivity, weakness,
weight shifting, and shuffling of the hind feet.

The clinical signs of stage II milk fever can last from 1 to 12 hours. The affected animal may
turn its head into its flank or may extend its head. The animal appears dull and listless; she has
cold ears and a dry nose; she exhibits incoordination when walking; and muscles trembling and
quivering are evident..

Stage III milk fever is characterized by the animal's inability to stand and a progressive loss of
consciousness leading to a coma. Heart sounds become nearly inaudible and the heart rate
increases to 120 beats per minute or more. Cows in stage III will not survive for more than a few
hours without treatment.

Sign and symptoms

Staggering

Lying down with head and neck tilt back

Tremors

Constipation

Hypothermia

Differential diagnosis

Toxic metritis

Traumatic injury

Compartment syndrome

Toxic mastitis

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is done via laboratory test which analyze the quantity of Calcium.

Check for ketones in the urine.

Analyze calcium level in the blood

Treatment

Treatment is aim to restore calcium level in a timely manner to avoid muscle and nerve damage.
To achieve this a calcium solution as calcium gluconate is administer.

NB. Calcium solution should be administer slowly.

Milk fever cases should be treated with 500 milliliters of 23 percent calcium gluconate IV and
followed by the administration of two oral calcium bolus given 12 hours apart. It is important to
emphasize that oral calcium bolus should not be administered if cows do not respond to the
calcium IV treatment.
Prevention

Oral drenching around calving with a supplement of easily absorbed calcium.

The feeding of acidifying rations by anionic salt supplementation during the last weeks of
pregnancy.

Feeding low calcium rations during the last weeks of pregnancy.

Prepartum administration of vitamin D, vitamin D metabolites and analogues.
Dietary magnesium level control peripartum.
Body condition control.
Controlling dietary carbohydrate intake peripartum.
Shortening of the dry period.
Prepartum milking.
Reduced milking in early lactation.

Pregnancy toxaemia (ketosis, lambing/kidding sickness, pregnancy disease, twin-lamb/kid disease). This
occurs when insufficient sugars is supply to the animals.

Ketosis worldwide and is a very fatal disease that occurs in the last few months of pregnancy.
With death occurring in two to ten days in approx. eighty percent of the cases. Death occurs in
two to 10 days in about 80 percent of the cases. It most often affects ewes/does pregnant with
twins or triplets and is characterized by low blood sugar (glucose). Economic losses because of
the disease have been considerable and it is the most commonly occurring metabolic disease of
sheep and goats.
Signs of Pregnancy Toxaemia
Separation from the herd
Lethargic
Loss of appetite
Tremors, blindness
Aggression
Staggering
Star gazing
Treatment of toxaemia
Glucose drench
Glucose injection every6-12 hours
Proper nutrition with high quality oats and hay
If the animal dose not improve in 12hrs it should slaughtered
Prevention of Pregnancy Toxaemia
Good nutrition supplementary source of energy (grain or hay) in cases where pastures cannot
provide the required protions.
Avoiding handling pregnant animals