C. Bonal et al., PHONOCARDIOGRAPHIC AND ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN A COW TREATEDFOR IDIOPATHIC ATRIAL-FIBRILLATION, Agri-Practice, 15(7), 1994, pp. 24-27
A 4-year-old, 600-kg, Holstein-Friesian embryo-donacow was admitted fo
r an antecedent of facial hemiplegia of less than 1 day's duration. Ca
rdiac arrhythmia was detected by auscultation. Atrial fibrillation (AF
) was confirmed by electrocardiography. In this case, all tests indica
ted that the AF could not be correlated with organic or functional tro
ubles; therefore, it was termed ''idiopathic AF.'' Conversion of the A
F to sinusal rhythm was attempted through the use of quinidine sulfate
. Side effects such as muscular tremors, blepharospasms, and ptyalism
were observed 30 minutes after the beginning of infusion. At 150 minut
es, as conversion to normal sinusal rhythm appeared, a paroxysmic cris
is occurred. Quinidine administration was immediately discontinued and
replaced by a sodium bicarbonate solution. The animal stood up 20 min
utes after the end of bicarbonate administration. Although hypokalemia
and hypocalcemia were present 6 hours after treatment, they were no l
onger apparent 24 hours later. One month later, no relapse had occurre
d and milk production had increased.