A Physiological Appraisal of “ Hypokalemia as a cause
ofrecumbency in an adult dairy cow” by I.C. Johns !.H. "hitlock
!.".#weeneyIn The Australian Veterinary Journal$ %olume &' ()*
July '++,.
Introduction
-his case report is about a / year/old Holstein cow that
hadcal0ed twins ' weeks prior to e1amination. #he was 2rst
diagnosedand treated for ketosis later diagnosed with hypokalemia
which wasthe cause of se0ere muscle weakness and recumbency in
thelactating cow. -his case is interesting as it shows how
imbalance inboth e1ternal and internal mechanisms of poatssium
homeostasiswere responsible for such clinical signs to occur. -he
cow was alsodiagnosed with metritis at the same time.(3*A few
important 2ndings were made in this case hypokalemia isa 0ery rare
cause of recumbency and muscle weakness in dairycattle ketosis
treatment can add to the condition. -his e1treme imbalance in
potassium were as a result ofmultifactorial elements and in this
report the following physiologicalaspects behind this claim will be
analysed$!elate how ketosis played an imp role in causing
hypokalemia(physiological process and treatment* A45 how
hypokalemia causeddue to e1ternal and internal imbalance led to
muscle weakness and
recumbency which is 0ery rare.
[A].How ketosis plays an important role in causingpotassium
imbalance.(? Revise topic, not suitable or t!is" p!ysiological
processand treatment#ew $uestion% &!at eeect does
corticosteroid suc! asde'amet!asone !ave on plasma potassium
level?
6etones or ketone bodies are important compounds whichmeet the
metabloic demands of 0arious tissues in the body
duringhypoglycaemia. Howe0er they are pathological when there
areincreased concentrations of ketones in biological 7uids and
thecondition is termed as ketosis.(8* It is necessary to
understand howthis physiological mechanism which is clinically
important leads to asinister pathogical sign which is predisposes
the animal to otherphysiological and metabolic disorders in this
case hypokalemia andmetritis.
Primary bo0ine ketosis occurs in lactating ruminants when a
negati0e energy balance in ealry lactation de0elops.
('*
"hen a dairycow undergoes a transition form non/lactating
to lactating energy
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demands of the mammary glands leads to a combination of
highglucose demand hypoglycemia and rapid adipose mobilisationwhich
makes them susceptible to ketosis.
