lactation tetany

1. lactation tetany of ruminants is a highly fatal disease of recently calved, lactating cows and recently lambed ewes. The disease reaches serious levels of prevalence in animals grazing grass dominated pastures and cereal crops. It is characterized by hypomagnesemia and usually an accompanying hypocalcemia. Clinical highlights include tonic and clonic muscular spasms, and convulsions and death due to respiratory failure.
2. lactation tetany of mares is a similar disease clinically but occurs at the foaling heat or just after the foal is weaned. It is primarily a hypocalcemia, with hypomagnesemia an uncommon finding. The disease in cattle is called also hypomagnesemic tetany, grass tetany, grass staggers.
3. lactation tetany of dogs and cats, see puerperal tetany.