Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pre-surgery signs linked to low calcium after parathyroid surgery
By Milovancev, Milan & Schmiedt, Chad W·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2013·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Preoperative factors associated with postoperative hypocalcemia in dogs with primary hyperparathyroidism that underwent parathyroidectomy: 62 cases (2004-2009).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 62 dogs with primary hyperparathyroidism underwent surgery to remove affected parathyroid glands, but some experienced low calcium levels afterward. Factors that made low calcium more likely included older age, a history of weakness, and certain blood test results. The study found that predicting which dogs would have low calcium after surgery was challenging, as it depended on various factors, including their medical history and test results. While some dogs did well post-surgery, others needed careful monitoring for calcium levels.
People also search for: dog hyperparathyroidism surgery · low calcium after dog surgery · signs of calcium deficiency in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To identify preoperative variables associated with postoperative hypocalcemia in dogs with primary hyperparathyroidism undergoing parathyroidectomy. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: 62 dogs. PROCEDURES: Medical records of dogs undergoing parathyroidectomy for treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism between January 2004 and January 2009 at 4 institutions were reviewed; data regarding various preoperative variables and postoperative serum total and ionized calcium concentrations were recorded. Preoperative ultrasonographic and surgical findings were compared regarding laterality (right, left, or bilateral) of parathyroid gland lesions. Data were analyzed via ANOVA, simple linear regression, and multiple linear regression to identify associations between preoperative variables and postoperative serum total and ionized calcium nadir concentrations. RESULTS: Preoperative variables significantly associated with low postoperative serum total calcium nadir concentrations included old age, history of weakness, lack of gastrointestinal tract signs, high serum parathyroid hormone concentration, and low serum calcium-phosphorus concentration product value. Preoperative variables significantly associated with low postoperative serum ionized calcium nadir concentrations included sexually intact status, low body weight, high serum urea nitrogen concentration, and lack of polyuria and polydipsia in the history. Age, body weight, serum calcium-phosphorus concentration product, and serum concentrations of parathyroid hormone and urea nitrogen were included in the final multiple linear regression model for prediction of postoperative serum calcium concentrations. Ultrasonography was performed in 58 dogs; results for 44 (75.9%) dogs agreed with surgical findings regarding laterality of parathyroid gland lesions. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Prediction of postoperative hypocalcemia in dogs in this study with primary hyperparathyroidism that underwent parathyroidectomy was difficult and depended on multiple (history, physical examination, and clinicopathologic) factors.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23363283/