High Calcium Levels in Dogs
Calcium is an important mineral in the bodies of all animals, including dogs. It not only helps make bones strong, but it also helps muscles move, regulates body functions, and activates enzymes. Too much calcium, known as hypercalcemia, can lead to many health problems in a dog. There are various causes for hypercalcemia, and they need to be treated quickly.
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Symptoms
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Symptoms of hypercalcemia include extreme thirst and excessive urination, which are also symptoms of excessive blood sugar. The dog may become weak or lethargic and lose its appetite. High levels of calcium also can cause kidney stones. This would lead to difficulty urinating, blood in the urine, or both.
Environmental Causes
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Vitamin D poisoning and poor nutrition are two environmental causes for hypercalcemia. Vitamin D poisoning usually comes from rat poison, and treatment involves removing the dog from exposure to the rat poison or other source of vitamin D. An all-meat diet can also lead to hyerpcalcemia. Switching to a balanced diet will provide the dog with proper nutrition and take care of the hypercalcemia.
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Addison's Disease
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If a dog has no external signs of a tumor and has not been exposed to rat poison or an all-meat diet, then the vet will probably test for Addison's Disease. This is an adrenal hormone deficiency that is treated with medicine that the dog will have to take for the rest of its life. The test for it, called an ACTH Stimulation test, will take between one and two hours at the hospital.
Parathyroid Tumor and Kidney Disease
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The next step would be another blood test to check for the levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), ionized calcium, and Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein (PTH-rP). The results of all three will help the vet determine if there is a parathyroid tumor or kidney disease.
Treatments for a parathyroid tumor, which is usually benign, include surgical removal, an alcohol injection into the tumor, or applying heat to the tumor through a radiofrequency needle. Treatment for kidney disease will depend on the type of disease, but it often can be controlled with diet and/or medication.
Cancer
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If there still is no confirmed cause, the dog will need X-rays of the chest and abdomen under general anesthesia to look for tumors. If none are found, then an intravenous chemotherapy agent will be given to the dog. If the blood calcium levels drop within 24 hours, then lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, is confirmed. If not, then a bone marrow tap under general anesthesia and an ultrasound of the abdomen can be done to check for tumors and look at the condition of the kidneys.
Lymphoma will be treated with chemotherapy. Treatment for other tumors will depend on where the tumor is, what kind of cancer it is, and how large it is. Treatment options can include surgical removal, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or any combination of the three.
Treatment of Symptoms
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There are ways to treat the symptoms of hypercalcemia by lowering the levels of calcium, but the treatments can interfere with the results of tests to determine the underlying cause. Prednisone can be given to allow the kidneys to flush out the calcium, but it also will mask lymphoma if it is the cause and will make the lymphoma more difficult to treat. Putting the dog on intravenous fluids can also help flush out the calcium and can be a temporary fix and prevent further damage to organs until the underlying cause is diagnosed and treated.
Either one of these treatments may be used once the underlying cause is found. This will reduce the calcium levels to prevent further damage while the underlying cause is being treated.
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