title: The relationship between certain blood cations in cows with milk fever and both the state of consciousness and the position of cows when attended.
abstract: In one study, a comparison was made of the concentrations and ratios of certain blood cations in 2 groups of cows with milk fever, one showing normal consciousness (n = 8) and the other depressed consciousness (n = 24). There were no significant differences in the mean concentrations of serum total calcium, plasma inorganic phosphorus and potassium, erythrocyte sodium and potassium, the serum calcium/serum magnesium ratio or the plasma sodium/erythrocyte sodium ratio. There were significant differences (all P less than 0.05) in the mean (+/- SD) concentrations of serum magnesium and plasma sodium concentrations, and the plasma sodium/serum magnesium ratio of 0.8 +/- 0.28 vs 1.2 +/- 0.37 mmol/l, 155 +/- 3.0 vs 147 +/- 6.4 mmol/l and 180 +/- 40.1 vs 116 +/- 34.1 for normal vs depressed cows, respectively. In a second study, a comparison was made of the concentrations and ratios of the same blood cations in 3 groups of cows in different positions when attended for milk fever, namely standing (n = 6), sternal recumbency (n = 24) and lateral recumbency (n = 31). There were no significant differences between the mean concentrations or ratios of any of the cations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Queensland, St Lucia.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Fenwick
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002412:Cations / Q000097:blood*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D003243:Consciousness; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D010319:Parturient Paresis / Q000097:blood*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood; D011187:Posture; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D010758:Phosphorus; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium