Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with rhythmic belly twitches caused by low calcium
By Vrabelova, Daniela et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2015·From the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences Veterinary Medical Center The Ohio State University Columbus, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Synchronous Diaphragmatic Flutter Secondary to Primary Hypoparathyroidism in a Dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old spayed female miniature schnauzer was brought to the vet because her abdomen was twitching rhythmically, especially during exercise. The vet found that this was linked to her heart rate and diagnosed her with primary hypoparathyroidism, a condition caused by low calcium levels. After treating her low calcium, the dog's symptoms improved, and the twitching stopped completely.
People also search for: dog abdominal twitching · miniature schnauzer hypoparathyroidism treatment · dog low calcium symptoms
Abstract
A 3 yr old, spayed, female miniature mchnauzer was presented for rhythmic, spontaneous contractions of the abdominal wall and across the costal arches. The rate of contractions coincided with the heart rate and increased during exercise. The dog was diagnosed with primary hypoparathyroidism based on low plasma ionized calcium and serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations. Fluoroscopic exam confirmed the diagnosis of a synchronous diaphragmatic flutter. Treatment of the hypocalcemia led to resolution of the diaphragmatic flutter.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26535458/