J Vet Med Sci 1997 Jan;59(1):71-3

Calcium metabolism in hypocalcemic cows with myocardial lesion

Yamagishi N, Naito Y.

Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Japan.

This paper deals with blood levels of calcium (Ca), inorganic phosphorus, parathyroid hormone and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in 6 cows treated for milk fever.

Four of the cows stood within 1 day after Ca therapy, whereas 2 other cases showed an unsatisfactory response to Ca therapy and did not rise.

The necropsy revealed microscopic necrotic myocardial lesions scattered in the heart of these 2 unrecovered cows. The degree of hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia were similar in the 6 cows.

However, the recovery from hypophosphatemia was markedly delayed in the cows will an unsatisfactory response.