CA, PO4, and Mg Lecture

Question 1

What are the three ways you find calcium in the serum and what are you measuring when you measure serum Ca+?

Answer 1

calcium bound to albumin (40%)
Calcium bound to inorganics (complex, 10%)
ionized calcium (50%)

Total calcium can be measured or you can specifically measure ionized calcium with a specific test.

Question 2

What hormone is vitamin D stimulated by and what are its actions?

Answer 2

PTH (increases Ca and decreases P)

Ca and P absorption in the GI
increased bone and renal absorption of Ca+

Vitamin D increases Ca and P

Question 3

How does acidosis and alkalosis effect Ca+ levels?

Answer 3

Acidosis increases Ca levels (it competes with other proteins), alkalosis vice versa and decreases Ca

Question 4

What are causes of hypocalcemia outsode of hypoalbuminemia and how are they caused?

Answer 4

renal failuire (acute and chronic): increased P and decreased Vitamin D made
pancreatitis: saponification of fat
ecamplsia/periparturient: loss of calcium in milk and bone development

Question 5

What are the clinical signs of hypocalcemia? hypercalcemia?

Answer 5

nervousness, anorexia, stilted gait, hypervetilation, numbness, generalized tetany, seizures

PU/PD, lethargy/weakness/constipation, mineralization of soft tissues, calcium containing uroliths

Question 6

What are inconsequential causes of hypercalcemia? persistent and patholgocial? what about in young growing animals?

Answer 6

post prandial, dehydration, lipemia, young, growing dogs, addison’s disease

malignancy, hyperparathyroidism, idiopathic hypercalceia of cats, renal disease, Vitamin D toxicosis

Question 7

What regulates phosphorous and what is the main cause of hypophosphatemia?

Answer 7

PTH decreases P
Vitamin D increases P
Decreased GFR