What causes hypocalcaemia?
There are several causes of low blood calcium: 1. Low circulating albumen. This is usually without symptoms (asymptomatic) provided the free calcium is unaffected. In some conditions where low blood albumen (hypoalbuminaemia) is due to actual albumin loss as occurs in certain kidney diseases (nephrotic syndrome) and bowel problems (protein losing enteropathy) a symptomatic hypocalcaemia may be evident. 2. Chronic renal failure. This involves a complicated process involving both phosphate and calcium. 3. Reduced intestinal absorption of calcium due to the lack of Vitamin D or inadequate dietary intake. 4. Some dogs with acute pancreatitis develop hypocalcaemia as a secondary complication. 5. By far the most common cause occurs during lactation when milk production may make such demands on circulating blood calcium that it falls to dangerously low level and eclampsia develops. This involves muscle trembling and twitching, a stiff gait, panting and ultimately convulsions and death . This
