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PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SCIENCE 



MILK FEVER 



Milk fever is a non-contagious, non-febrile disease of cows 

 occurring at calving time. Heavy milk producers in good flesh 

 are most susceptible. 



Causes. — Several theories have been advanced to account for 

 the cause of milk fever. Some veterinarians hold that the 

 blood congests in the uterus and udder and leads to anemia of 

 the brain and spinal cord. Others think it is an autointoxica- 

 tion due to absorption of poisons generated in the collostrum in 



Fig. 87. — Cow in the last stage of milk fever completely paralyzed. Recovery 

 was rapid and complete after the air treatment was administered. 



the udder. Predisposing causes are heavy feeding and lack of 

 exercise before calving. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms of milk fever start with excite- 

 ment and end in complete loss of consciousness, the animal going 

 through much the same stages as it does when given a general 

 anesthetic, such as ether or chloroform. The patient has a wild 

 look in the eye, switches her tail, trembles, weakens, staggers, 

 lies or falls down, tries to rise but is unable to do so on account 



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