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#1
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Slightly Elevated Calcium
Hi Everyone,
I'm new here and pleased to meet all of you! I have had a very hard year, lost my three beloved cats, ages 13 and 15, and my heart dog at the age of 18. 3 years. I really didn't want another pet because of the tremendous pain but fate/karma decided otherwise when a feral mama left a 2 week old kitten in my yard. I hand raised her and she's just a year old now. She had a few days of vomiting after eating so I took her to the vet. Her exam was fine and her x- ray was fine. Two months ago I took her in for an enema (she got into the garbage and stuffed herself) and she also passed her exam and an x-ray with flying colors. Her blood work was fine the first time but this last time the vet said everything was perfect except for a slightly elevated calcium of 10. 9. She said it was probably nothing but will repeat in three weeks to make sure it isn't any higher. High normal, she said, is 10.8 and 10.9 does not worry her. Of course I'm a wreck thinking about CRF and cancer. Abigail eats like a pig and is very active and playful. She doesn't drink much water and doesn't urinate excessively. She eats 3/4 can of Wellness Turkey and Salmon and a small bit of dry Iams as a bedtime snack and anything she can steal or grab while counter surfing. Do you think something ominous is going on? Has anyone else had a cat with this slight elevation the only abnormality in bloodwork? |
#2
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Slightly Elevated Calcium
Welcome to the group
I am sorry for your loss of your previous friends. But they do have a way of coming back into your life don't they Calcium levels in cats can be a little frustrating to evaluate Make sure you not any unusual activity to the vet like not drinking that much water or urinating this helps the vet determine problems Here is some questions Did the vet send off the blood work or was this done at animal hospital or school that had it's own lab-- if so calcium levels can change from the time of test to lab--make sure it is a fasting level check along with a total protein and albumin level check next time. How was the rest of the blood test levels and what test did the vet do Your vet said they were not worried about the level being at that level 10.8 10.9 is high but at the bottom of the high scale if it was a 11.0 or 12 or higher than you start to worry till all the test are done. Some cat can have elevated calcium levels all there life and it not effect them Do you know what see gorged her self on in the trash before the blood work some food and plants can cause an elevated level I take it that you took the cat right to the vet after finding her gorged depending on how long it was since the cat ate It probably was not a fasting sample which can lead to elevated false level this is a link that has some info on elevated levels and so people that has had the same problem http://www.vetinfo4cats.com/catdig.html |
#3
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Slightly Elevated Calcium
Thanks for your response. The first tests were done about 6 weeks ago when
she gorged on leftover chicken and some chicken bones. At that time all bloods were normal except for a very slightly elevated albumin. Now, 6 weeks later she has 10.9 calcium after being taken to the vet for vomiting after meals. The cause of vomiting was most likely eating too much and too fast. She just sucks the dish empty and then licks the whole outside in search of a missed spot of food. She gained a little over a pound in the 6 week interval. This blood work showed normal albumin and everything else but 10.9 calcium. She's eating and drinking normally and her activity level is high. She looks like a bright healthy cat but we all know how little that can mean. So, she hadn't fasted before the blood test but I would say it had been about ten hours since she had eaten. She gets very stressed going to the vet and it's a fight getting her into the carrier. She's a strictly indoor cat and being outside scares her. I don't know if stress can effect blood work. Since I have to wait at least 24 hours for test results the blood must be sent to an outside lab. My vet is very fussy about who she uses for tests so I assume the lab is a good one but who knows. The vet did a complete blood panel and everything else was completely normal. Maybe if I hadn't had such a devastating year I wouldn't be as worried but I held my Addie while she was euthanized, Katie Boy passed in my arms while I rocked him and Liza died two weeks after being diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma. My Poodle, Sara, died in my arms five months ago from a fierce little heart that just gave out from old age after loving me for over 18 years. No More Retail wrote: Welcome to the group I am sorry for your loss of your previous friends. But they do have a way of coming back into your life don't they Calcium levels in cats can be a little frustrating to evaluate Make sure you not any unusual activity to the vet like not drinking that much water or urinating this helps the vet determine problems Here is some questions Did the vet send off the blood work or was this done at animal hospital or school that had it's own lab-- if so calcium levels can change from the time of test to lab--make sure it is a fasting level check along with a total protein and albumin level check next time. How was the rest of the blood test levels and what test did the vet do Your vet said they were not worried about the level being at that level 10.8 10.9 is high but at the bottom of the high scale if it was a 11.0 or 12 or higher than you start to worry till all the test are done. Some cat can have elevated calcium levels all there life and it not effect them Do you know what see gorged her self on in the trash before the blood work some food and plants can cause an elevated level I take it that you took the cat right to the vet after finding her gorged depending on how long it was since the cat ate It probably was not a fasting sample which can lead to elevated false level this is a link that has some info on elevated levels and so people that has had the same problem http://www.vetinfo4cats.com/catdig.html -- Saraly |
#4
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Slightly Elevated Calcium
You love your friends you have the right to worry You are just like a parent
they are your children Word on the cat carrier do you have a place where you can leave the cat carrier out so the cat can crawl in and out when it chooses. When you know you are going to the vet in advance start by putting treats in the carrier than feeding in the carrier. I always wrap one of them up in a towel so they can't see or just in case of accidents. I leave the carriers out I have 6 cats each has there own and it is an oversized carrier to make it easier to get them in. There are several ways to get your fussy cat into a carrier. If you would like to know more than what I just posted ask away ALL OF US OUT HERE will gladly help :-) Phil will proabaly respond to thsi post he has more knowledge on blood work |
#5
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Slightly Elevated Calcium
Good idea about leaving the carrier out! I've been spoiled by living with
three very gentle, affectionate cats and now have to deal with Abigail aka "Abigator". I think her nickname says it all. I have a medium sized carrier and a smaller top loader which I thought would be easier but it's not. I had several more carriers but they are now being used as hotel rooms for feral cats in my yard. I have trapped five out of six and had them spayed or neutered and returned. They thank me by eating twice as much now. Is there anything worse than waiting for test results?! No More Retail wrote: You love your friends you have the right to worry You are just like a parent they are your children Word on the cat carrier do you have a place where you can leave the cat carrier out so the cat can crawl in and out when it chooses. When you know you are going to the vet in advance start by putting treats in the carrier than feeding in the carrier. I always wrap one of them up in a towel so they can't see or just in case of accidents. I leave the carriers out I have 6 cats each has there own and it is an oversized carrier to make it easier to get them in. There are several ways to get your fussy cat into a carrier. If you would like to know more than what I just posted ask away ALL OF US OUT HERE will gladly help :-) Phil will proabaly respond to thsi post he has more knowledge on blood work -- Saraly |
#6
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Slightly Elevated Calcium
Yes waiting for test results while the firball is at the vet and your at
home |
#7
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Slightly Elevated Calcium
"Saraly" u15681@uwe wrote in message news:5744b6ced1289@uwe... Hi Everyone, I'm new here and pleased to meet all of you! I have had a very hard year, lost my three beloved cats, ages 13 and 15, and my heart dog at the age of 18. 3 years. I really didn't want another pet because of the tremendous pain but fate/karma decided otherwise when a feral mama left a 2 week old kitten in my yard. I hand raised her and she's just a year old now. She had a few days of vomiting after eating so I took her to the vet. Her exam was fine and her x- ray was fine. Two months ago I took her in for an enema (she got into the garbage and stuffed herself) and she also passed her exam and an x-ray with flying colors. Her blood work was fine the first time but this last time the vet said everything was perfect except for a slightly elevated calcium of 10. 9. She said it was probably nothing but will repeat in three weeks to make sure it isn't any higher. High normal, she said, is 10.8 and 10.9 does not worry her. Of course I'm a wreck thinking about CRF and cancer. She's much too young for either- especially CRF- her BUN/Cr would also be high. Some cats just have what's known as "idiopathic hypercalcemia"- no known cause or underlying disease. Acidifying, magnesium-restricted diets might also lead to idiopathic hypercalcemia in genetically predisposed cats. If all her other values were normal- I'd get her blood rechecked in a month. Just don't let her eat for 8-10 hours before the blood is drawn. Have her urine analyzed at the same time. Urine specific gravity (USG) with BUN/Cr./protein offers a more accurate assessment of renal function than either alone. I'm sorry for your losses. Best of luck, Phil. |
#8
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Slightly Elevated Calcium
Thank you Phil!
Phil P. wrote: Hi Everyone, I'm new here and pleased to meet all of you! I have had a very hard year, [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] sure it isn't any higher. High normal, she said, is 10.8 and 10.9 does not worry her. Of course I'm a wreck thinking about CRF and cancer. She's much too young for either- especially CRF- her BUN/Cr would also be high. Some cats just have what's known as "idiopathic hypercalcemia"- no known cause or underlying disease. Acidifying, magnesium-restricted diets might also lead to idiopathic hypercalcemia in genetically predisposed cats. If all her other values were normal- I'd get her blood rechecked in a month. Just don't let her eat for 8-10 hours before the blood is drawn. Have her urine analyzed at the same time. Urine specific gravity (USG) with BUN/Cr./protein offers a more accurate assessment of renal function than either alone. I'm sorry for your losses. Best of luck, Phil. -- Saraly |
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