Hypocalcemia?

[greytluck]

After two blood tests run 8 weeks apart it has been determined that Wally has hypocalcemia (a low calcium level). It hasn't reached a critical stage but left untreated it could have caused seizures and even death. He wasn't showing any symptoms and it was only caught because we did a wellness blood test when he first came home. It is my understanding he will need to be on vitamin D and a calcium supplement for the rest of his life to regulate this as well as regular blood tests to ensure the dosing is correct. It seems like a fairly easy treatment but I know very little about it.

 

I was wondering if anyone else had a greyhound that has been diagnosed with hypocalcemia? I did a search on this forum but came up empty. Also does anyone know if the calcium levels differ in greyhounds then in the average dog?

 

[PrairieProf]

I don't know about hypocalcelmia as a condition in itself, but my friend's (non-grey) dog had life-threateningly low calcium levels as an effect of hypoparathyroidism, an autoimmune condition. It all came on pretty suddenly. Have Wally's parathyroid hormones been checked? My friend's dog has been doing just fine for several years now with serious supplementation (and regular blood monitoring, also to make sure he isn't getting too much calcium either).

Edited April 25, 2009 by PrairieProf

[greytluck]

Thanks for you reply. Our vet gave us the same treatment protocol as your friends dog. I'm glad to hear he is doing fine several years later.

 

The vet had the PHT levels checked the in the second blood test. It did come back as deficient as well. We were really lucky it was caught when it was because the calcium level in the second test was much lower then the first. He is currently at 7.09 mg/dl the first test was at 7.58mg/dl and you reach a danger point at 6 mg/dl. normal being between 8-9mg/dl.