CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK AND COMPLETE STOCK DOCTOR. 



MILK FEVER— FIRST STAGE. 



undesirable, in case it is obtainable, as the professional man may fre- 

 quently be of the greatest assistance in treating complicated symptoms, 

 should they arise. 



II. Name and Synonyms. 



The common name for this malady — milk fever — is an erroneous and 



misleading one, as in reality 

 fever is usually absent; instead, 

 there is generally an actual re- 

 duction in body temperature. 

 A far better and more dis- 

 tinctive term and one that de- 

 scribes the actual condition 

 much more precisely is partu- 

 rient paresis. The disease has 

 also several other names in 

 various parts of the country, 

 such as calving fever, parturi- 

 tion fever, parturient apoplexy, 

 parturient collapse, puerperal 

 fever, vitulary fever, and drop- 

 ping after calving. 



III. Description of Disease. 



Milk fever is a disease of well-nourished, plethoric, heavy-milking 

 cows; it occurs during the most active period of life (fourth to sixth 

 calf), and is characterized 

 by its sudden onset, and 

 the complete paralysis of 

 the animal with loss of sen- 

 sation, and by following 

 closely the act of calving, 

 or parturition, terminat- 

 ing in a short time in re- 

 covery or death. One at- 

 tack predisposes the ani- 

 mal to a recurrence of the 

 trouble. While this disease 

 may occur at any time 

 during the whole year, it 

 is seen principally during 



the warm summer sea.son. The affection is almost entirely confined to 

 the cow, although a few cases have been reported in the sow and goat. 

 Sheep are entirely free from the disease. 



MILK FEVER— SECOND STAGE. 



