ภาวะแคลเซียมในเลือดต่ำ (Hypocalcemia)

Key Facts

• Calcium is critical for muscle contraction, nerve function, and enzyme activity
• Ionized calcium is the clinically significant measurement
• Common causes: hypoparathyroidism (post-thyroidectomy), eclampsia (nursing mothers), kidney failure, pancreatitis
• Post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia: most important complication of hyperthyroidism surgery
• Signs: anxiety, muscle twitching, facial itching, tremors, seizures, cardiac arrhythmia
• Severe: <7 mg/dl total calcium puts patient at seizure risk
• Treatment: IV calcium gluconate (emergency), oral calcium + vitamin D supplementation (maintenance)
• Supplementation may be temporary (days) or lifelong depending on parathyroid damage
• Species: dogs and cats