New Trends in the Treatment of Hypokalemia in Cows
Bala Krishna Rao Dabbir, Sreenivasa Reddy Rajavolu
Abstract
Of all the mineral cations, potassium (K) is an essential nutrient for animals, and it is the third most common mineral in the body. Potassium has a role in maintaining normal cardiac and renal function, neuronal transmission, muscular contraction, and acid-base balance. The main thrust of this chapter is to review the physiology, pathology, pharmacology, occurrence, etiology, clinical signs of hypokalemia and its diagnostic and therapeutic approach in cows. The ambulatory measures to minimize the agony and preventive strategies to reduce the incidence of hypokalemia were discussed. Beside the potassium salt therapy, the inclusion of Taurine in the therapeutic regime was rational and to be appreciated.