ACUTE PARTURIENT HYPOCALCEMIA IN BITCHES

Synonym: Eclampsia, Puerperal tetany

Definition

• It is a metabolic disease occurring commonly in young bitches within 2-10 days of whelping and clinically characterized by restlessness, excitement, panting, and tonic-clonic convulsions.

Etiology

  1. Hypocalcemia

Predisposing factors

  1. Atony of smooth muscle and skeletal muscle
  2. Improper prenatal nutrition
  3. Inappropriate calcium supplementation
  4. Improper prenatal nutrition
  5. Heavy litter size
  6. Lactation in young bitches
  7. Toy breeds
  8. Neuromuscular tetany
  9. Concurrent hypoglycemia is the cause of signs of tonoclonic convulsions.

Clinical signs

  1. Restlessness
  2. Excitement
  3. Poor maternal care
  4. Salivation
  5. Dyspepsia
  6. Increased respiratory rate
  7. Panting
  8. Stiffness of joints
  9. Ataxia and staggering gait
  10. Tonoclonic convulsions
  11. Opisthotonus
  12. Hyperthermia
  13. Stiff tilted gait due to muscular tetany

Diagnosis

  1. History of late pregnancy and early lactation
  2. Clinical signs are always observed in nourishing bitches
  3. Characteristic symptoms
  4. Low serum calcium level – less than 7 mg/dl
  5. Low blood glucose – less than 80 mg/dl

Treatment

  1. Remove the sucking puppies
  2. 25% calcium borogluconate 1ml/kg b.wt slow I/V
  3. 20% dextrose 30-50ml slow I/V
  4. To control Fits – Diazepam 0.5 mg /kg b.wt slow I/V