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Vetdle Archive

Archive Case #158: Ovine Hypocalcaemia

Sheep veterinary case - Medium - August 8, 2026

Clinical Clues

  1. A late-pregnant ewe is found weak, tremoring, and reluctant to stand after a sudden change in feed availability.
  2. The flock is close to lambing and several heavily pregnant ewes have become dull over a short period.
  3. The ewe is alert enough to respond but has cold extremities and poor rumen motility.
  4. Neuromuscular signs are present without the ketone odour expected in pregnancy toxaemia.
  5. Serum biochemistry confirms a marked drop in circulating calcium.
  6. Ovine hypocalcaemia around late pregnancy can cause weakness, tremors, recumbency, and poor rumen motility.

Diagnosis

Ovine Hypocalcaemia

This case is most consistent with Ovine Hypocalcaemia because the ewe is weak and recumbent in late gestation with confirmed low calcium. The most important clues are the flaccid paresis and metabolic finding, which make a primary neurologic disorder less likely.

Learning review

Review the case evidence

Use the paired clues to explain how the evidence in this sheep case supports the provided diagnosis, Ovine Hypocalcaemia, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

  1. Clue 1: A late-pregnant ewe is found weak, tremoring, and reluctant to stand after a sudden change in feed availability.
  2. Clue 2: The flock is close to lambing and several heavily pregnant ewes have become dull over a short period.

Clues 3-4

  1. Clue 3: The ewe is alert enough to respond but has cold extremities and poor rumen motility.
  2. Clue 4: Neuromuscular signs are present without the ketone odour expected in pregnancy toxaemia.

Clues 5-6

  1. Clue 5: Serum biochemistry confirms a marked drop in circulating calcium.
  2. Clue 6: Ovine hypocalcaemia around late pregnancy can cause weakness, tremors, recumbency, and poor rumen motility.

Self-review prompts

  1. After clues 1-2, what evidence from this sheep case shaped your initial interpretation?
  2. When you compare clues 3-4 with clues 1-2, what changed in your reasoning about Ovine Hypocalcaemia?
  3. How do clues 5-6 align with the case explanation for Ovine Hypocalcaemia?

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.