Forums » Feline Medicine

Calcium levels in Ethylene Glycol toxicity

    • 149 posts
    October 27, 2013 1:25 PM EDT

    In the recent Journal Club session on the topic of Feline Acute Kidney Injury, there was some question / discussion about whether one would see hypocalcemia or hypercalcemia associated with ethylene glycol toxicity.

     

    I asked the VSCS' Small Animal Internal Medicine specialist, Dr. Elisabeth Zenger, to chime in.  This was her comment:

    During Phase I (first 12 hours after ingestion) the pathognomonic findings of hyperglycemia and hypocalcemia in a patient that appears drunk should never be missed as a life can be saved if prompt treatment is started during that phase.  During Phase III when anuric renal failure develops, hypercalcemia may be seen.  It's too late to treat other than transplant at that point.

    • 1 posts
    October 28, 2013 7:42 PM EDT

    Thank you, Sheri and Elizabeth for explaining that the serum Ca levels will be abnormally low or high depending on the stage of the pathology.

     

    Cheers!  >M<