DOGS: How to treat a dog with eclampsia..

DOGS: How to treat a dog with eclampsia. What is eclampsia? Eclampsia (hypocalcemia or puerperal tetany) is an emergency medical condition associated with a life-threatening drop in blood calcium levels that occurs in nursing mothers. Eclampsia most commonly occurs when the puppies are one to four weeks of age and the mother is producing the most milk. The cause of eclampsia is often not discovered, but may be due:1)to excessive loss of calcium from the mother to the developing fetal skeleton. 2)calcium supplementation during pregnancy. 3)producing milk after birth. 4)not receiving a balanced premium growth and development diet while pregnant and nursing. 5) hormonal problem with the parathyroid gland. Females that are particularly good mothers, especially attentive to their puppies, seem to be more likely to develop eclampsia. Breeds such as Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Toy Poodles, Miniature Pinscher, Shih Tzu, and other small breeds are at an increased risk. The signs are initially subtle. The female may be restless or panting a lot, and you may notice that she is moving stiffly (also called tetany) which may progress to her being unable to walk. This soon progresses to muscle spasms affecting the whole body, which can quickly progress to convulsing. Some affected nursing dogs may become disoriented, aggressive, have a high fever, and become restless and pace excessively. How is eclampsia treated? Treatment involves immediate intravenous injections of calcium and other drugs. Intravenous calcium must be administered very carefully and slowly otherwise it can cause severe lowering of the heart rate and arrhythmias. Some dogs will require anti-seizure drugs such as diazepam to control seizures and tetany. Oral calcium supplements (something as simple as Tums® may be recommended) and weaning the puppies as quickly as possible are typically required for follow-up care. If diagnosed and treated promptly, recovery from eclampsia is usually rapid and complete.