Discussion
Lactation tetany occurs in mares, which had low ionized calcium concentration as calcium was excessively utilised for milk production in high producers. animal that graze on lush pasturelands with large number of succulent fibres tend to be in increased lactation as result of which loss of significant amount of minerals especially calcium as stated by Rach et all.,1972. It may also be noted on animal fed on imbalanced diet in terms of quantity of feed and all elements for lactation( Bradford vets/ pet care articles/ retrieval as on 18th sept 2023).
It is common with 10 days after foaling this is because of increased mobilisation of calcium for skeletal development at last trimester of pregnancy, also increased calcium supplement before foaling reduces mares ability of mobilization of calcium by change in the level of parathyroid hormone (Tsvilikhovskyi et al., 2014).the urgent need of calcium is not met out by the interaction of parathormone and vitamin D3 or very slow to be met out.
Calcium is a regulatory ion crucial for various cellular activities such as coagulation, neuromuscular excitability, enzyme activity, etc. Around 99% of calcium was found as an inorganic matrix in the bone, and the remaining 1% was found in extracellular fluids.
In acute hypocalcaemia, skeletal muscle tremors with decreased smooth muscle contraction result in bradycardia, dysphagia and colic (Toribio, 2004). Also, he stated that most of the mares with calcium deficiency presented with various clinical signs including ataxia, tetany, muscle fasciculation-trismus due to spasmodic contraction of masticatory muscles, tachypnoea, rapid violent respiration with dilated nostrils, colic, hyperhidrosis, and hyperexcitement. Because of tetany, animal will exhibit the signs as incoordination, stiff gaits. Hypersensitivity to sound is less at rest rather than in exercise.
Therapeutic management of Lactation tetany should be done with administration of 300 to 500 ml Inj. 25% calcium boro gluconate intravenous infusion for the adult equine which weighs 500 kilograms (Radostits O, 2006). Vitamin D at a low dose may be beneficial to the mare, which also results in hypervitaminosis D. In addition to the calcium, the protein (albumin) and magnesium levels should be evaluated, to make the availability of ionized calcium (Toribio et al 2011).