LACTATION TETANY IN HORSES (MILK FEVER, HYPOCALCEMIC TETANY, TRANSPORT TETANY, ECLAMPSIA): DISTRIBUTION, ETIOLOGY

Анотація

The publication covers issues of distribution and etiology of
lactation tetany in horses. This disease occurs as a result of a disturbance of
calcium metabolism in the mare's body. This pathological condition is
associated with a sharp decrease in the level of ionized calcium in the blood
serum, and sometimes with changes in the concentration of magnesium and
phosphorus in it. Lactation tetany is a rather rare disease of horses. This
pathology is diagnosed after a kidling with the onset of lactation, in the mares,
when hypocalcaemia develops in organism of animal, after prolonged physical
activity or transport (transport tetany), eclampsia. Signs of the disease are
variable and associated with neuromuscular hyperresistibility. Lactation tetany
is more likely to be affected by shire horse breeds. The mortality rate of
animals is high and reaches more than 60%. Hypocalcemic tetany occurs in
mare, which feeds the foal - on average 10 days after kidfling or 1-2 days after
it is weaned. Mechanisms of hypocalcemia development in the mare's
organism, which feeds the foal, consist of reducing the absorption of this
element from the intestine, increasing its loss through the kidneys, sweat or
milk (in the presence of lactation); or inhibition of osteolysis due to changes in
the level of parathyroid hormone (parathormone), calcitonine or vitamin D, in
stress states.
Keywords: horses, mares, lactation tetany, hypocalcemic tetany,
distribution, etiology