Elevated calcium = lymphoma?

[BethG]

I’ll try to keep this brief. My boy Buddy (8 yrs old, Rott/GSD mix) has been drinking and urinating a lot lately. He has also lost about 10 pounds in 2 months. Appetite still good, was acting normal. Vet checked for the usual, diabetes, cushings, renal failure, etc. Nothing unusual, but blood work showed elevated calcium. In the week between follow up blood tests and x-rays, Buddy became very lethargic, something was definitely wrong. At the vet’s office for the blood work, he started bleeding from behind his eye and he needed a stretcher to get to x-ray. I thought it was over for him. The x-rays showed nothing abnormal, no signs of tumors in chest and belly. Head x-rays showed “film” over sinus cavity, but nothing cancer-like. Part of one lung was collapsed and his esauphogus was enlarged. The vet said he had pneumonia, and started anti-biotic treatment. She also scheduled an ultra-sound to check for suspected lymphoma.
In the meantime, Buddy started feeling better and seemed to be his usual self again. Ultrasound found nothing except enlarged, irregular adrenal gland. She ordered more blood work to check for erhlichiosis and parathyroid hormone.
I just got the blood results and they are negative. Vet is stumped and will confer with colleagues about his case. She suspects lymphoma still (because of elevated calcium) and believe the next step will be exploratory surgery to remove adrenal gland for biopsy, and look for tumors elsewhere. She said there is a small possibility of cancer of the adrenal gland, but it is rare. Or he could be early stage Cushings, but blood/urine does not show it yet.
If I opt for surgery, she is recommending chemo afterwards. I’m leaning more toward prednisone treatment alone if he has symptoms again beside the excessive thirst and peeing. My Bud has a very sensitive stomach. He already has hip dysplasia and spondylosis. I’d feel better if I had a definate diagnosis, but I can’t see making him sicker with chemo only to buy a little more time for him. Has anyone had a similar experience where it has been so difficult to find out what is wrong? I appreciate any feedback. -BethG

[Miabella]

Here's a page I found on hypercalcemia:

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Con...=1&SourceID=42

[Miabella]

Did she rule out Addison's Disease?

[RottsNScotts]

My boy Toby died due to an adrenal gland cancer called pheochromocytoma and, yes, according to the vets at UC Davis - who were the only ones who could find it - VERY, VERY rare. So rare in fact, before we PTS, they made a video of him and his symptoms. As a tribute, they start the video with a view of him in his prime - the cover of TRM.

Toby's symptoms, vague as they were, started in January, 2003. I took him EVERYWHERE - including WSU - and to EVERYONE and no one could find ANYTHING even with x-rays, ultrasound, needle biopsies you name it, until I took him to UC Davis the last day of July, 2003. By the time it was found, it had enlarged to the point that it infringed on his heart and vena cava which, of course, because some do not LISTEN when you talk to them, meant that some ran around saying that he had died of heart problems! NOT!

[BethG]

Thanks for your replies and the link about elevated calcium. That was very informative. The vet has not ruled out addisons. She has ruled out a lot of other diseases. We have not done the ACTH test. I'll ask about that when she calls back. I had to go back over my notes, but she did mention that there are two types of addisons disease to look for. It's very frustrating when you can't find out what is wrong. My Buddy is acting better, except for the thirst and peeing. He's back to barking at the TV when he sees a dog or other animal. I never thought I would be happy to see him doing that again! -BethG

[BethG]

What were Toby's symptoms? How did the vets find the adrenal cancer? -BethG

[jeisele]

Was the PTH rp low to normal. This value is different from PTH.

[RottsNScotts]

We started in January, 2003 with vague, on again- off again lameness in his right front leg. In March, 2003, he could not bear weight on his right front paw; he acted as if it was broken. We tried splinting it to support it for a few weeks and then it was okay. In May, he was unable to eat by himself; wanted to but could not. That resolved into not being able to close his mouth for a while then that went away. From early to mid-July, the muscles in his head were atrophying. In mid-July, he could not keep meals down and went to the vet where he stayed for 10 days. They tested and tested and tested. When I spoke to the vet the original vet called in for a consult, he told me that they were unable to find anything. He did say, however, that, for no reason at all - his words, not mine - he was suspecting a blood cancer and told me to research it on line. I did so and found that the world's leading authority on this cancer was at UC Davis, my alma mater.

I called the vet and we agreed that was the next step so we went down the next day, July 31 We were there at 2 pm, they found it by 4.

I don't remember if they found it by x-ray or ultrasound...