The Veterinary Record, October 31, 1998 Description of 14 cases of bovine hypokalaemia syndrome

The records of 14 cases of bovine hypokalaemia observed between 1983 and 1996 were reviewed. The most common histo-ry included a protracted, often infectious, disease. All age groups were represented. Although previously reported as a risk factor, isoflupredone acetate had not been administered to five of the cases. The following clinical signs were recorded in 10 cases: abnormal position of the head and neck, severe weakness, rumen hypomotility or atony, abnormal faeces, anorexia and tachycardia. Cardiac dysrhythmia was observed in six cases. Acid-base imbalance (alkalosis in 10 cases), hyperglycaemia and increased activities of aspartate aminotransferase and creatine kinase were associated with hypokalaemia ranging from 1-35 to 2-49 mmol/litre. Treatments included symptomatic treatment, supportive care and potassium chloride given intravenously and orally at an average total daily dose of 42 g/100 kg bodyweight (26 g by mouth and 16 g intravenously) for an average of five days. Eleven cases recovered after an average of three days. HYPOKALAEMIA is common in cattle with anorexia and/or digestive stasis (Carlson 1989). In most cases, it is not severe and is not associated with any clinical signs. Potassium is the most important intracellular cation (Guyton and Hall 1996a) because its concentration gradient between the intra- and extracellular com-partments determines the resting cellular membrane potential. Potassium therefore plays a role in the formation and transmission of action potentials (Guyton and Hall 1996b) and as a result the clinical signs associated with severe hypokalaemia can be multi-systemic. They include defects in urine concentrating ability (human, dog, cat), electrocardiographic abnormalities, arrhyth-mias (human, dog, cat, cattle, horse), flaccid paralysis (human, dog, cat, cattle), depressive reactions (anorexia, depressed mood) (human), acute brain syndromes (memory impairment, disorienta-tion, confusion) (human), paralytic ileus (human, dog, cat, cattle), decreased gastric acid concentration (human), and carbohydrat