Postpartum hypocalcemia in female dogs is a disease characterized by generalized tonic spasms, dyspnea, and elevated body temperature due to decreased blood calcium. Postpartum hypocalcemia in dogs is also known as postpartum eclampsia, a serious metabolic disorder after delivery.
What to do if a female dog has postpartum hypocalcemia?
1. What is "postpartum hypocalcemia"?
Postpartum hypocalcemia in female dogs is a systemic tonic spasm caused by a decrease in blood calcium, resulting in dyspnea and elevated body temperature. A disease characterized by postpartum hypocalcemia in dogs. Postpartum hypocalcemia in dogs is also called postpartum eclampsia, a severe metabolic disorder after delivery.
After the onset, the body temperature rises, up to more than 43°C, and the movement disorder occurs. Spasms, convulsions, abnormal consciousness of the dog, but responds when called, and is sensitive to external stimuli. It is more common in excitable dogs and mostly occurs in small dogs about 30 days postpartum.
2. Why do female dogs Do you suffer from "postpartum hypocalcemia"?
If the dog food of the female dog lacks calcium food and vitamin D, she will easily get this disease. During the pregnancy stage, as the puppy grows, During the development and bone formation, a large amount of calcium is taken away from the mother's body by the fetus.
During the lactation stage, a large amount of calcium in the blood enters the milk, which exceeds the mother's ability to compensate, causing muscle excitement. The sex increases and symptoms of generalized spasm occur.
3. Symptoms of “postpartum hypocalcemia” in female dogs
If a female dog develops postpartum hypocalcemia, Most of them appear about 15 days after delivery, usually without any signs, and the onset is sudden. The affected dogs show restlessness, excitement, a rigid gait, sometimes howling, unsteady standing, tonic twitching of the whole body muscles, foaming at the mouth, difficulty breathing, and sometimes Cyanosis of the optic mucosa and body temperature rise above 40°C, and some female dogs can reach 42°C.
IV. Diagnosis and treatment of "postpartum hypocalcemia" in female dogs
1 Generally speaking, the diagnosis can be confirmed based on clinical symptoms and blood tests. Once the dog's serum calcium test is below 7 mg, it can be diagnosed as having "postpartum hypocalcemia". The specific treatment methods are as follows:
2. Intravenous infusion of 10% calcium gluconate is a very effective therapy. Generally, most symptoms can be relieved after instilling 1/2 the amount of calcium. Symptoms will disappear after the full amount of calcium is infused.Can be eliminated. 10% calcium gluconate injection 0.3 g/kg body weight, glucose saline 30 ml/kg body weight, mixed intravenous drip. 1 time/day for 2-3 consecutive days.
Symptomatic treatment, reduce fever.
3. Improve the feeding formula of the female dog and give it food containing more calcium. Bone soup, crucian carp soup, black-bone chicken, pig's trotters, etc. can be fed to supplement the bitch, but they should not be cooked too greasy.
4. It is best to stop breastfeeding the puppies or reduce the number of breastfeeding. During the period of stopping lactation, puppies can be fed puppy and cat milk replacer powder. This is goat milk powder specifically for pets. It is specially designed to replace milk and supplement nutrition for female dogs and puppies who cannot breastfeed.
Suggestion: When encountering this situation, the owner must send it to the hospital for rescue in time. Most female dogs have persistent convulsions. If they are not rescued in time, treatment will be delayed and they can die within a few hours. The consequences are unimaginable.
