Update on the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of calcium regulation.

The availability of PTH, iCa, PTHrP, and 25OHD assays for evaluation of calcium abnormalities in companion animals has been well received [table: see text] by clinicians and diagnosticians. Use of these assays has heightened awareness that some of these disorders are more common than originally thought. Also, there is added insight of alterations of calcium homeostasis as a consequence of other illness or environmental factors such as diet. Animal counterparts of other disorders of calcium metabolism in people are likely to be identified, and use of these assays should play a significant role. As already emphasized, the foundation of using [table: see text] these assays is first assessing whether the calcium abnormality is of a parathyroid-dependent or parathyroid-independent classification.

Feline endocrinology update.

This article highlights the advances in feline endocrinology, excluding diabetes mellitus and hyperadrenocorticism, which have recently been reviewed elsewhere. The goal will be to provide clinically relevant information regarding pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment options for these feline endocrine disorders.

Solanum malacoxylon: a toxic plant which affects animal calcium metabolism.

The "enteque seco" is a disease of calcinosis, i.e., pathological deposition of calcium phosphate in soft tissues, which occurs in grazing cattle in Argentina and is of considerable economic importance. The ingestion of leaves of Solanum malacoxylon has been identified as the cause of the disease. Hypercalcemia and/or hyperphosphatemia and mineralization of the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems are usually seen in bovines or experimental animals exposed to this plant. The symptoms of the disease resemble those of vitamin D intoxication. In agreement with these observations, a glycoside derivative of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3), the hormonally active form of vitamin D in animals, has been identified as the toxic principle of S. malacoxylon. Glycoside conjugates of its precursors, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and vitamin D3, may also be present. Recent studies indicate that the plant factor is modified in the rumen of bovines through cleavage of the glycosidic linkage and further conversion of the released 1,25(OH)2D3 to a more polar metabolite, possibly 1,24,25-trihydroxyvitamin D3. Excess free 1,25(OH)2D3 may alter extracellular and intracellular Ca homeostasis in intoxicated animals through a receptor-mediated mechanism and activation of membrane Ca channels. In addition, 1,24,25(OH)3D3 may potentiate the effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 on intestinal Ca transport.

Aplicacao de Calcarea phosphorica na osteodistrofia fibrosa em frangos de corte / Calcarea phosphorica utilization in fibrous osteodystrophy in young chicken

Pintinhos de um dia da linhagem Cobb foram distribuidosem 6 grupos experimentais com 4 repeticoes, sendo 2 de cada sexo. Cada grupo recebeu Arsenicum album 30 CH, nosodio P.B.S. 30 CH, Calcarea phosphorica 30 CH, Arsenicum album + nosodio P.B.S. 30 CH e Colibacillinum C200, respectivamente e o ultimo grupo foi o controle que recebeu agua. Estes animais foram tratados com racao de milho e farelo, "ad libidum" e receberam os tratamentos na agua de beber. No decorrer da experimentacao, as aves apresentaram a sindrome da oeteodistrofia fibrosa por baixa disponibilidade de calcio e fosforo, na racao. Porem, as aves tratadas com Calcarea phosphorica 30 CH tiveram o seu peso dentro do normal, nao apresentando sintomas caracteristicos da deficiencia de fosforo. Por outro lado, os outros grupos nao foram beneficiados pelos tratamentos recebidos apresentando deficiencia no dsenvolvimento e ganho do peso

Relationship of serum total calcium to albumin and total protein in dogs.

A positive linear relationship was found between total calcium and albumin and between total calcium and total protein in the serum of 209 dogs. Total calcium concentration correlated with the concentration of albumin (r = 0.575; P less than 0.001) and with the concentration of total protein (r = 0.411; P less than 0.001). A correction formula for calcium was derived on the basis of the concentration of albumin: adjusted calcium (mg/dl) = calcium (mg/dl) - albumin (g/dl) + 3.5. The correction formula for calcium, based on the concentration of serum total protein was: adjusted calcium (mg/dl) = calcium (mg/dl) - 0.4 [total serum protein (g/dl)] + 3.3. Hypocalcemia (less than or equal to 8.7 mg/dl) was detected in 32 of the dogs. After adjustment of the measured total calcium for albumin and serum total protein, 29 (91%) of the dogs had calcium concentrations within the normal range. Hypercalcemia was not associated with hyperalbuminemia or hyperproteinemia. In 91% of dogs with disorders of calcium metabolism and in 86% of dogs less than 6 months old, calcium concentrations were outside the 95% confidence intervals for albumin and total protein calculated from the 209 dogs. It was concluded that adjustment of serum total calcium for protein concentration is essential for correct interpretation of calcium values and detection of abnormalities in calcium metabolism.

Postanesthetic myonecrosis in horses.

Two horses died of massive myonecrosis following surgery. The hematological, biochemical and pathological changes are described and compared with those previously reported in the literature.

On the effect of food magnesium level on the activity of BASP, ALAT, ASAT and LD in pig serum.

Studies were made to investigate the effect of food Mg level on ALAT, ASAT, LD and BASP values in pigs. The following conclusions were drawn:--a high food Mg level (0.31% in ordinary pig food) can cause an increase in serum BASP values.--leg weakness, at the primary stage, is hardly caused by disturbances in bone.--an ordinary diet low in Mg may cause an abnormal rise in ALAT values in pigs.--when feeding pigs on an ordinary diet, pigs may suffer from Mg deficiency despite the fact that the food Mg content is distinctly higher than that recommended by international norms for feeding.--a prompt lowering of food Mg level can cause a manifest increase in ASAT, LD and BASP values within 2 to 3 days in pigs. Heart and liver injuries caused by low Mg diets and the individual ability of pits to utilize magnesium were discussed.