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Symptoms and Prevention and Treatment Methods of Postpartum Tetany in Dogs

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Postpartum tetany, also known as "postpartum eclampsia," "postpartum epilepsy," or "lactation convulsions," is a severe metabolic disease characterized by hypocalcemia and abnormal excitation of motor nerves causing tonic muscle contraction. Although this disease can occur before birth, during delivery, or within 6 weeks after birth, it occurs most frequently during the 2 to 4 weeks after birth. This disease is most commonly seen in small female dogs with large litter sizes and high milk production. A sharp decrease in postpartum blood calcium concentration is the direct cause of this disease, and feeding food with low calcium content and unbalanced nutrition is the triggering factor.

Postpartum tetany, also known as "postpartum eclampsia," "postpartum epilepsy," or "lactation convulsions," is a severe metabolic disease characterized by hypocalcemia and abnormal excitation of motor nerves causing tonic muscle contraction. Although this disease can occur before birth, during delivery, or within 6 weeks after birth, it occurs most frequently during the 2 to 4 weeks after birth. This disease is most commonly seen in small female dogs with large litter sizes and high milk production. A sharp decrease in postpartum blood calcium concentration is the direct cause of this disease, and feeding food with low calcium content and unbalanced nutrition is the triggering factor.

[Diagnosis]

(1) In the early stage of the disease, the female dog staggers when walking, salivates, groans, and has a stiff gait; subsequently, the whole body muscles tremble, the neck and legs straighten, and the whole body becomes rigid; the dog lies on the ground unable to rise, with rapid breathing, accelerated pulse, and elevated body temperature (above 40°C), congested visible mucous membranes, eyeballs rolling upward, and white foam often at the corners of the mouth. If not treated in time, it may die of suffocation after 1 to 2 days.

(2) The blood calcium concentration drops to 8mg/100ml, and in severe cases only 6 to 7mg/100ml or lower (normal female dog blood calcium concentration is 9 to 12mg/100ml).

[Prevention and Treatment]

(1) Slowly administer 10% calcium gluconate 10 to 30ml by intravenous drip. Generally repeat once after 24h, and in severe cases repeat 2 to 3 times.

(2) For animals with poor results from using calcium gluconate alone or with persistent spasms, intravenous injection of pentobarbital sodium 10 to 20mg/kg or thiopental sodium 15 to 18mg/kg may be used; prednisolone 0.5mg/kg may also be given orally, twice a day.

(3) Wean the puppies immediately (or as early as possible) and carry out artificial nursing. For those for whom immediate weaning is difficult, the amount of milk the puppies suckle should also be strictly controlled, reducing it gradually each time and each day until weaning.

(4) In late pregnancy and during lactation, increasing the calcium content in the daily diet, providing a diet containing appropriate amounts of calcium, vitamin D, minerals, and balanced energy, appropriately increasing outdoor exercise and exposure to sunlight can effectively prevent the occurrence of this disease. Dogs cured of the disease should pay even more attention to prevention before and after the next delivery.

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