*It is a disease of highly producing dairy cattle, it occurs 12 hours around time of parturation *It commonly occur at 5-10

years of age *In sheep it occurs during last month of gestation and 3 weeks after parturation

Clinical signs
1-excitation stage *hyperesthesia & excitability *ear twitching *fine tremor over flank region *ataxia 2-recumbancy stage *anorexia & depression *sternal recumbancy *deviation of head toward the left flank region (Ch.Ch/ posture) *tachycardia & decrease the intenisty of heart sound(100-120) *flaccidity in muscle & paralysis *ruminal atony & bloat *subnormal temperature *dilated eye pupil,(+)ve menace reflex,(-) P.L.R & (-)ve prennial reflex

3-coma stage *loss of consciousness & coma *lateral recumbancy *complete muscle flaccidity *increase heart rate up to (120/min.) *subnormal tep. & death finally

Cow show sternal recumbancy soon after parturation

Classical form of milk fever cow show lateral recumbancy with deviation of head toward left flank

treatment
1-calcium therapy(I/V and slowly) *I/V injection of calcium borogluconate 25%(1 gm Ca /45 kg B.wt) Eg:Cal-D-Magcattle1/2-1 liter I/V sheep50-100 cm I/V Or cal-bor-mag or calmagose(with the same previous dose) Or calphomagcattle50-100 ml /100kg B.wt I/V In sheep 5-20ml /acc to B.wt/ I/V N.B:the maximum intake of calcium 12 gm /animal(500 ml of the drug contain (8-11 gm) of calcium *give 200 cm S/C after I/V injection

 precautionauscultation of the heart if bradycardia & cardiac arrythmia developedstop adminstration of calcium and give magnesium sulphate 10%/100cm s/c or atropin sulphate **response to therapy:60%stand after 10 minutes after treatment 15%recovery within 2 hours Other no response within (8-12)hours reexamination and retreatment

2-give compounds that increase calcium level in blood a- predef 2x 10 cm I/M or dexamethasone 5-12 cm I/M B-AD3E0.5 cm I/M daily 3-supportive treatment a-I/V injection of dextrose 25% in -1 liter b- I/M injection of adcoferine 5-10 cm (as heart tonic)

4-hygienic treatment A-provide soft clean bedding under the animal B-rotation of animla from side to side C-give the animal soft easily digested food N.B: *avoid increase the dietary calcium intake dyring the dry period *subnormal temp. & lateral recumbancy bad prognosis *injection of calcium 200-300 ml/ 2 days before and after parturation (as prophylactic)