Eclampsia in Bitches: Causes and Symptoms
Eclampsia
in
Bitches
•
The condition is also known as Lactation tetany, Puerperal
tetany, Post-parturient tetany, Hypocalcaemia, Milk fever in
bitches
•
Eclampsia is mostly predominant in bitch, occurring either in the
later part of pregnancy or during lactation
•
It is also common in human ladies during pregnancy or after
delivery. The names and definition of this condition are still
somewhat controversial
•
The name “eclampsia” is probably incorrect and is borrowed
from human medicine because of the somewhat similar
symptoms true to eclampsia of pregnancy in woman
•
The disease is characterized by restlessness, excitement,
panting, sometime continuous crying of the animal due to pain,
nervousness etc.
•
The disease is restricted to small breeds of dogs like Spitz,
whereas large breeds of dogs (e.g. GSD) are generally not
susceptible
Etiology:
•
The condition occurs mostly within 2 to 10 days after whelping but
sometimes in bitches suckling a large litter, after 30 days or more
•
More rarely it occurs during late pregnancy or at the time of
whelping
•
It is a very obscure disease and the actual aetiology is not yet
established. But some suggestions are given about the aetiology of
the disease:
•
If the disease occurs within 2 weeks after parturition, basically the
problem is due to hypoglycaemia
•
If the disease occurs later in the lactation period, the problem is
mostly due to hypocalcaemia
•
If the diseased bitch is given replacement therapy with calcium and
glucose, she responds to treatment
•
It indicates that the disease is accompanied with hypocalcaemia
and hypoglycaemia
•
But the factors causing hypocalcaemia and hypoglycaemia are
unknown. Actual pathogenesis of the condition is not yet known
Clinical Findings:
•
The condition is accompanied with:
•
There must be a history of the condition having occurred in
late pregnancy or early lactation
•
The bitch becomes restless and anorectic
•
The respiratory rate is increased and the tongue hangs out
(panting)
•
Stiffness of the joints causing pain and stilted gait
•
Bitch becomes staggery, goes down and suffers from
tonoclonic convulsion (violent spasmodic contractions of
muscle groups all over the body)
•
In some cases the animal may fall forward, the head is thrown
back, the legs are galloping, the animal is frantically excited
and cries out
•
Opisthotonus arch develops like in strychnine poisoning but
the consciousness of the animal is retained
•
There is rise in temperature which may go about
103
o
F and sometimes upto 105
o
–108
o
F
•
This is metabolic temperature and occurs due to
increased energy production in the muscles
during violent muscular spasm
•
There may be heat- prostration (heatstroke,
sunstroke, hyperthermia) due to severe increase
in temperature
•
In late pregnant and post-parturient animal, the
vulva and the mammary glands, are swollen or
distended, respectively
Diagnosis:
•
The diagnosis of the condition can be made by:
•
The signs are always observed in nursing bitch or
those who are in the later part of pregnancy
•
So, there must be history of late pregnancy,
whelping or early lactation
•
Characteristic clinical signs like opisthotonus arch,
tonoclonic convulsion, high rise in temperature
even upto 108
o
F, stilted gait etc
•
While making a diagnosis, eclampsia should be
differentiated from:
•
Tetanus: The spasm of the muscles or convulsion observed
in eclampsia may be confused with tetanus:
•
In eclampsia tono-clonic convulsions occur i.e. contraction
and relaxation of the skeletal muscles occur alternately. But
in tetanus, there is tonic convulsion i.e. only contractions of
skeletal muscles occur
•
Tetanus is characterised by prolapse of the third eyelid, lock
jaw or stiffness of the jaw due to increased spasm of the
muscles of the jaw, whereas in eclampsia there is no such
clinical findings
•
Calcium therapy to the animal gives response in case of
eclampsia while in tetanus, the animal does not respond to
calcium therapy
•
Strychnine poisoning: The opisthotonus arch
observed in eclampsia may be confused with
strychnine poisoning
•
There must be history of strychnine consumption
from nux vomica seed in case of poisoning
•
No history of pregnancy or parturition is noticed
in case of strychnine poisoning
•
Cyanosis of the mucous membrane is observed in
case of strychnine poisoning
•
The animal suffering from the poisoning does not
respond to replacement therapy by calcium
•
Rabies:
•
(a)
There must be history of dog bite
•
The animal shows ascending type of paralysis
and profuse salivation
Treatment:
•
Once the condition is diagnosed, the following therapeutic
measures should be undertaken:
•
(i)
Remove the suckling puppies from bitch at least for 24
hours to reduce the drainage of calcium in milk and the
suckling pups should be returned only when the bitch is on
full, continuous dosage of calcium and vitamin D
•
(ii)
Infuse or supplement calcium in the form of Ca-gluconate
or Ca-borogluconate. Ca-borogluconate (25% solution) is the
drug of choice
•
It should be administered @ 1 ml/kg body wt. in single dose
•
50% of the required dose is given intravenously and the rest
by either i/m or s/c route
•
If quantity of the drug is more, the s/c route is preferred
•
(iii)
Ca-gluconate powder or any oral preparation of
calcium and glucose can be fed orally after the
injection of calcium borogluconateSometimes about 10
to 15 ml of 40% glucose should be injected. A multiple
vitamin supplement may also be helpful
•
(iv)
If there is too much excitement, sodium
phenobarbitone may be slowly administered by i/v
route until the dog is sedated
•
(v)
Cortisone or hydrocortisone have a good effect in
addition to the usual therapy. Prednisolone is preferred
these days by oral route @ 2.5 mg tab b.i.d. for 3 days
for adult bitch, then 1.25 mg b.i.d. for 5 days, and then
1.0 mg b.i.d. for a week
•
(vi)
Care should be taken so that the bitch does not
suffer from hypocalcaemia or hypoglycaemia during
pregnancy or lactation period
Eclampsia in bitches, also known as lactation tetany or milk fever, is a condition that can occur in the later stages of pregnancy or during lactation. Common in small breeds like Spitz, this disease presents symptoms such as restlessness, panting, and muscle stiffness. The exact causes are not definitive, but it is associated with hypocalcemia and hypoglycemia. Clinical findings include increased respiratory rate, tonoclonic convulsions, and elevated body temperature. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial to effectively manage this condition in affected dogs.
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Presentation Transcript
Eclampsia in Bitches
The condition is also known as Lactation tetany, Puerperal tetany, Post-parturient tetany, Hypocalcaemia, Milk fever in bitches Eclampsia is mostly predominant in bitch, occurring either in the later part of pregnancy or during lactation It is also common in human ladies during pregnancy or after delivery. The names and definition of this condition are still somewhat controversial The name eclampsia is probably incorrect and is borrowed from human medicine because of the somewhat similar symptoms true to eclampsia of pregnancy in woman The disease is characterized by restlessness, excitement, panting, sometime continuous crying of the animal due to pain, nervousness etc. The disease is restricted to small breeds of dogs like Spitz, whereas large breeds of dogs (e.g. GSD) are generally not susceptible
Etiology: The condition occurs mostly within 2 to 10 days after whelping but sometimes in bitches suckling a large litter, after 30 days or more More rarely it occurs during late pregnancy or at the time of whelping It is a very obscure disease and the actual aetiology is not yet established. But some suggestions are given about the aetiology of the disease: If the disease occurs within 2 weeks after parturition, basically the problem is due to hypoglycaemia If the disease occurs later in the lactation period, the problem is mostly due to hypocalcaemia If the diseased bitch is given replacement therapy with calcium and glucose, she responds to treatment It indicates that the disease is accompanied with hypocalcaemia and hypoglycaemia But the factors causing hypocalcaemia and hypoglycaemia are unknown. Actual pathogenesis of the condition is not yet known
Clinical Findings: The condition is accompanied with: There must be a history of the condition having occurred in late pregnancy or early lactation The bitch becomes restless and anorectic The respiratory rate is increased and the tongue hangs out (panting) Stiffness of the joints causing pain and stilted gait Bitch becomes staggery, goes down and suffers from tonoclonic convulsion (violent spasmodic contractions of muscle groups all over the body) In some cases the animal may fall forward, the head is thrown back, the legs are galloping, the animal is frantically excited and cries out Opisthotonus arch develops like in strychnine poisoning but the consciousness of the animal is retained
There is rise in temperature which may go about 103oF and sometimes upto 105o 108oF This is metabolic temperature and occurs due to increased energy production in the muscles during violent muscular spasm There may be heat- prostration (heatstroke, sunstroke, hyperthermia) due to severe increase in temperature In late pregnant and post-parturient animal, the vulva and the mammary glands, are swollen or distended, respectively
Diagnosis: The diagnosis of the condition can be made by: The signs are always observed in nursing bitch or those who are in the later part of pregnancy So, there must be history of late pregnancy, whelping or early lactation Characteristic clinical signs like opisthotonus arch, tonoclonic convulsion, high rise in temperature even upto 108oF, stilted gait etc
While differentiated from: making a diagnosis, eclampsia should be Tetanus: The spasm of the muscles or convulsion observed in eclampsia may be confused with tetanus: In eclampsia tono-clonic convulsions occur i.e. contraction and relaxation of the skeletal muscles occur alternately. But in tetanus, there is tonic convulsion i.e. only contractions of skeletal muscles occur Tetanus is characterised by prolapse of the third eyelid, lock jaw or stiffness of the jaw due to increased spasm of the muscles of the jaw, whereas in eclampsia there is no such clinical findings Calcium therapy to the animal gives response in case of eclampsia while in tetanus, the animal does not respond to calcium therapy
Strychnine poisoning: The opisthotonus arch observed in eclampsia may be confused with strychnine poisoning There must be history of strychnine consumption from nux vomica seed in case of poisoning No history of pregnancy or parturition is noticed in case of strychnine poisoning Cyanosis of the mucous membrane is observed in case of strychnine poisoning The animal suffering from the poisoning does not respond to replacement therapy by calcium
Rabies: (a) There must be history of dog bite The animal shows ascending type of paralysis and profuse salivation
Treatment: Once the condition is diagnosed, the following therapeutic measures should be undertaken: (i) Remove the suckling puppies from bitch at least for 24 hours to reduce the drainage of calcium in milk and the suckling pups should be returned only when the bitch is on full, continuous dosage of calcium and vitamin D (ii) Infuse or supplement calcium in the form of Ca-gluconate or Ca-borogluconate. Ca-borogluconate (25% solution) is the drug of choice It should be administered @ 1 ml/kg body wt. in single dose 50% of the required dose is given intravenously and the rest by either i/m or s/c route If quantity of the drug is more, the s/c route is preferred
(iii) Ca-gluconate powder or any oral preparation of calcium and glucose can be fed orally after the injection of calcium borogluconateSometimes about 10 to 15 ml of 40% glucose should be injected. A multiple vitamin supplement may also be helpful (iv) If phenobarbitone may be slowly administered by i/v route until the dog is sedated there is too much excitement, sodium (v) Cortisone or hydrocortisone have a good effect in addition to the usual therapy. Prednisolone is preferred these days by oral route @ 2.5 mg tab b.i.d. for 3 days for adult bitch, then 1.25 mg b.i.d. for 5 days, and then 1.0 mg b.i.d. for a week (vi) Care should be taken so that the bitch does not suffer from hypocalcaemia or hypoglycaemia during pregnancy or lactation period
