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Please refer to Calcium Disorders for additional information, including how to interpret calcium test results.
Do I need to collect my sample for ionized calcium anaerobically?
No. For samples submitted to VDL for ionized calcium testing, the result is calculated to account for changes in pH due to air exposure. However, it is best to avoid exposure to air as much as possible. If the pH change is too great, then a result may not be able to be obtained.
Do I need to fast the patient before obtaining a sample for ionized calcium?
Fasting is only necessary to avoid lipemia. If the sample is not lipemic, non-fasting is okay. If the sample is still lipemic after fasting or fasting is medically contraindicated, indicate on the submittal form and submit.
What test do I run to look for vitamin D excess/toxicity (rat poison, supplement exposure, food recalls)?
25-hydroxyvitamin D (also known as calcidiol)
The animal was hypocalcemic and put on calcium supplement. Can I run a PTH profile?
Usually, oral supplement (calcium carbonate, Tums) will not change calcium enough to affect the diagnostic message. However, recent IV calcium gluconate that corrected hypocalcemia will affect results: in that case, obtain a sample when the animal is hypocalcemic.
The animal was hypercalcemic, and I already started prednisone/prednisolone. Will that affect the results of a malignancy profile?
Yes. Glucocorticoids can reduce the magnitude of hypercalcemia, and in conditions including lymphoma, may induce rapid cytolysis with subsequent reduction in the mediator(s) of hypercalcemia (such as PTHrP). But, if the patient is still hypercalcemic despite glucocorticoid treatment, the diagnostic message of results is unlikely to have been changed.
We did not mark the samples for serum vs EDTA plasma for the malignancy profile. Is there a way to tell which is which?
If there is sufficient sample volume submitted, the endocrinology laboratory can test the samples to distinguish for an additional charge. Current cost is that of a standalone ionized calcium.
We received an email that there was no EDTA plasma submitted/or the sample indicated as EDTA plasma was rejected due to sample quality (hemolysis, whole blood) on a malignancy profile submission. Can we resend plasma to have it included in the profile?
- No. Due to the volume of samples we receive we are unable to “hold” serum samples until plasma is resubmitted.
- If the serum sample is acceptable for testing, you may change your order to the basic parathyroid profile. Please reply to the email with your request.