Two hypercalcaemic cats

RE: Two hypercalcaemic cats

Kate Richardson — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 08:35:51 GMT

I wouldn't have thought the hypercalcaemia was the cause of the twitching, more likely the result of the underlying cause (a toxin as suggested) or may be completely insignificant. See if it persistent before following it up

RE: Two hypercalcaemic cats

mariette asselbergs — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 23:36:28 GMT

You can also expect increased calcium levels when there are granulomatous lesions, e.g. Aelurostrongylus lung lesions or Mycobacterium (microti, bovis). This only if outdoor cats/farmcats. But i also think that the increase seen is not enough to explain the twitchiness. Martin's suggestion of a toxicity seems top of the list?

Mariette

RE: Two hypercalcaemic cats

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 09:26:32 GMT

I would hazard an observation that those Ca levels are not high enough to cause symptoms, I often see asymptomatic cats with idiopathic hypercalcaemia at those levels. I would look elsewhere but ionised Ca is a good start however that thrombocytopaenia would worry me more than anything although that could be a laboratory or sampling error so repeat that. I had a string of cases in young cats with neurological symptoms like this a while ago which turned out to be heavy metal poisoning: cadmium in the ground water from contamination from previous industry on a housing development.

RE: Two hypercalcaemic cats

Noweia — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 09:04:49 GMT

Thanks for replies so far. We took a second sample off one cat and got the same Ca result, will check another patient today and see if it happens with theirs.

If nothing else is forthcoming we are planning on picking one cat and doing imaging on it.

RE: Two hypercalcaemic cats

Clive Ansell — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 08:03:48 GMT

Sampling or laboratory anomalies?

maybe repeat with an external lab, running ionised calcium too.

RE: Two hypercalcaemic cats

Robin Grimmer — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 00:00:02 GMT

Vitamin D toxicity would be the most likely as both cats affected - other possible causes could be Vitamin D containing rodenticides, over supplementation of vitamins, cod liver oil. What were the phosphate levels out of interest?

Another possibility could be neoplasia especially lymphoma. Worth checking the FELV status as they are young. I take it no palpable lymph nodes? Maybe chest rads to look for mediastinal mass.