Transport tetany is a disease that occurs in

cow Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ...

s and ewes after the stress of prolonged transport in crowded, hot and poorly ventilated vehicles. It is commonly seen in animals in late pregnancy and those transported to

slaughter Slaughter may refer to: Animals * Animal slaughter, the killing of animals for various purposes ** Ritual slaughter, the practice of slaughtering livestock in a ritual manner *** '' Dhabihah'', the prescribed method of ritual slaughter of anim ...

. The disease is generally fatal, even with treatment, unless detected early.''Medical dictionary'', 2011. It is also known as transit tetany, railroad disease, railroad sickness, or staggers."Overview of Transport Tetany in Ruminants"
in ''Merck Manuals'' Early

clinical sign Signs and symptoms are the observed or detectable signs, and experienced symptoms of an illness, injury, or condition. A sign for example may be a higher or lower temperature than normal, raised or lowered blood pressure or an abnormality showin ...

s include restlessness, excitement,

trismus Trismus, commonly called ''lockjaw'' as associated with tetanus, is a condition of limited jaw mobility. It may be caused by spasm of the muscles of mastication or a variety of other causes. Temporary trismus occurs much more frequently than perm ...

, grinding of teeth, staggering

gait Gait is the pattern of movement of the limbs of animals, including humans, during locomotion over a solid substrate. Most animals use a variety of gaits, selecting gait based on speed, terrain, the need to maneuver, and energetic efficiency. ...

and later paddling of hind legs.

Rumen The rumen, also known as a paunch, is the largest stomach compartment in ruminants and the larger part of the reticulorumen, which is the first chamber in the alimentary canal of ruminant animals. The rumen's microbial favoring environment allow ...

hypomotility, gastrointestinal stasis and

anorexia Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by low weight, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin. ''Anorexia'' is a term of Gre ...

develop. Also may develop

tachycardia Tachycardia, also called tachyarrhythmia, is a heart rate that exceeds the normal resting rate. In general, a resting heart rate over 100 beats per minute is accepted as tachycardia in adults. Heart rates above the resting rate may be normal ( ...

and rapid, labored

respiration Respiration may refer to: Biology * Cellular respiration, the process in which nutrients are converted into useful energy in a cell ** Anaerobic respiration, cellular respiration without oxygen ** Maintenance respiration, the amount of cellula ...

. If not recovered, the animal dies, often after a

coma A coma is a deep state of prolonged unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light, or sound, lacks a normal wake-sleep cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. Coma patients exhi ...

. It may also happen in horses."Hypocalcemic Tetany in Horses"
in ''Merck Manuals''

References

{{reflist Ruminant diseases Health and transport