downer cow syndrome

downer cow syndrome

a commonly fatal condition of dairy cows closely associated with the unsuccessful treatment of cases of hypocalcemic parturient paresis. At postmortem examination there is a variety of contributing lesions including especially ischemic necrosis of the muscles of the thigh, damage to major nerves to the hindlimb, traumatic separation of muscles and tendons, hip dislocation and hepatic and myocardial degeneration.