[Magnesium in dogs and cats - physiology, analysis, and magnesium disorders].

Magnesium is the second most abundant intracellular cation after potassium. It plays a vital role in almost every metabolic process in the body and is important for bone mineralization, muscle contraction and relaxation, and neuronal signal transduction. Because of its expanding role in intensivecare medicine, there has been a significant increase in knowledge during recent years regarding the functions of magnesium in the body, problems leading to magnesium disorders, and limitations of laboratory testing. Alterations of serum magnesium constitute one of the most prevalent electrolyte abnormalities in critically ill patients and can lead to lifethreatening complications. In addition to human literature, most of the information regarding the role of magnesium is derived from buiatrics. In recent years, a few studies in veterinary medicine have also started to consider the importance of magnesium in dogs and cats.