Veterinary Clinical Medicine-II

TREATMENT AND CONTROL MEASURES FOR HYPOCALCAEMIC ANIMALS

Treatment

• Treatment during I stage – ideal
• Longer the interval between recumbency and treatment, greater the incidence of downer cow due to ischemic muscle necrosis
• Temperature > 39^ºC – indication of existing complication – higher mortality rate
• To be placed in sternal recumbency until the treatment ends to avoid aspiration pneumonia.
• Calborogluconate 500 ml to 1 liter – 3 g/10 lb,  50% i/v,  50% s/c
• Shifting to non slippery ground or pure rubber mat
• Do not milk for 6 hours.
• Do not urge the cow to stand too soon

Dose of Calcium

• 1 gm Ca / 45kg (100 lb)
• 25 % calcium borogluconate = 10.4 gm /500ml
• Cattle – 400-500ml i/v , 100-200 gm s/c
• Goat- 15-20 gm i/v, 5-10 g s/c

Response to Calcium  therapy

• Belching
• Muscle tremor – flanks→ whole body
• Pulse rate   decreases and amplitude improves
• Heart sound intensity is increased 
• Sweating of muzzle
• Defecation – firm stool with mucous
• Urination does not follow until cow rises
• Wait for 5-8 hrs until it stands. If not repeat the dose
• If it doesn’t stand after 24 hrs – use hip lifters.

Unfavourable Response to Calcium  therapy

• Cardiac irregularities
• Heart rate increased
• Shallow respiration.

Prevention

Dietary management during the transition period

• Feed low Ca (<20 g Ca /day) and  normal level of P for 2 weeks prior to parturition

• Avoid drastic change in the diet (3 or 4 days time for change)
• Dietary cation- anion difference programme

Parentral vitamin D and analogs

• Vitamin D₂ 20-30 million units / day for 3-7 days antepartum (predicting the date of parturition is a problem)
• 1,25 (OH₂)D₃ – 10,000 IU i/m / 24 hrs prior to parturition. If no delivery repeat at 24 hrs interval 270 mg until delivery

Calcium gel oral dosing before calving, at calving and 12 and 24 h after calving 

• CaCl₂ 40-50 g