My dog is eating bones. Will his calcium be high?

Surprisingly, diet rarely causes dangerous spikes in blood calcium because the body is good at regulating it. If the calcium is high, it is usually a sign of disease (like cancer or glandular issues), not diet.

What are the signs of Low Calcium (Hypocalcemia)?

It looks like "tetany"—stiffness, muscle twitching, rubbing the face, panting, and eventually convulsions. It is terrifying to watch but very treatable if caught fast.

If the iCa is critically low (like in a nursing mum), we give Calcium Gluconate directly into the vein. We have to do this slowly while listening to the heart (ECG), as giving it too fast can cause an arrhythmia.

This is a specific, high-value test often used in critical emergencies (like “Milk Fever” in nursing mothers) or complex cancer cases. The blog explains why the “standard” calcium test isn’t always enough.

Why Would We Test Ionised Calcium at Our Ormeau Vet Clinic

In the veterinary world, calcium does much more than build skeletons. It is the “electricity” that allows muscles to contract, nerves to fire, and the heart to beat.

Usually, a standard blood test measures “Total Calcium.” But sometimes, that number lies.

At Ormeau Vet, when a patient is critically ill or twitching, we need the real number. We run a specialized test for Ionised Calcium (iCa).

“Total” vs. “Ionised”

To understand this test, you need to understand how calcium travels in the blood. Imagine your bank account:

Bound Calcium (The Fixed Asset): This is calcium attached to proteins (like albumin). It is there, but the body can’t “spend” it immediately. It’s like money tied up in a term deposit.
Ionised Calcium (The Cash): This is free-floating calcium. This is the only type the body can actually use right now to make a heart beat or a muscle move. It’s the cash in your wallet.

A standard blood test measures the Total (Fixed + Cash). A dog could have a normal Total Calcium but dangerously low Ionised Calcium (no cash to spend). If we only looked at the standard test, we would miss the crisis.

When Do We Need This Test?

We use Ionised Calcium at our Ormeau vet clinic in very specific, often urgent scenarios:

1. The Nursing Mother (Eclampsia / Milk Fever)

This is the most common emergency. Small breed dogs (like Chihuahuas or Terriers) with large litters put so much calcium into their milk that they deplete their own blood supply.

The Symptoms: The dog becomes restless, stiff, and starts tremoring or seizing.
The Test: We run an iCa immediately. If it is low, the dog needs emergency IV calcium to stop the seizures, or her heart could stop.

2. The “Thirsty” Dog (Hypercalcemia of Malignancy)

Some cancers (like Lymphoma or Anal Sac Tumors) produce a nasty hormone that tricks the body into releasing too much calcium from the bones into the blood.

The Symptoms: Excessive drinking, vomiting, and lethargy.
The Test: High Ionised Calcium is a huge “Red Flag” for hidden cancer. It tells us to start hunting for a tumor immediately.

3. Kidney Failure & Parathyroid Issues

The Parathyroid glands (in the neck) control calcium balance. If they malfunction, or if the kidneys fail, the calcium levels swing wildly. iCa testing helps us manage these complex chronic diseases.

How We Perform the Test

Ionised Calcium is finicky. We cannot just send a tube to the lab and wait 24 hours. The moment blood touches air, the pH changes, and the calcium reading becomes inaccurate.

Our Ormeau Vet will use our advanced In-House Blood Gas Analyzer, which is often used within a Critical Care unit, to test this.

We draw the blood anaerobically (without letting air bubbles in).
We inject it immediately into the machine.
We get a precise result in 2 minutes.