title: Mineral metabolism in growing cats: changes in the values of blood parameters with age.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to describe changes in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, parathyroid hormone, calcitriol and calcidiol in cats from 3 to 15 months of age. Fourteen European shorthair healthy cats of both sexes (seven males, seven females) belonging to a research colony were studied from 3 to 15 months of age. Plasma concentrations of total calcium, ionised calcium, albumin, phosphorus, magnesium, intact parathyroid hormone (I-PTH), whole parathyroid hormone (W-PTH), calcidiol and calcitriol were measured at 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months of age. From 3 months of age to adulthood cats showed a decrease in calcium (both total and ionised), phosphorus and magnesium. No major changes in PTH were evident, although the ratio of W-PTH:I-PTH decreased significantly with age. A reciprocal change in vitamin D metabolites (decrease in calcitriol and increase in calcidiol) was identified during the growing process. Our results, showing changes in most parameters of mineral metabolism during growth, reinforce the need to use adequate age-related reference values for diagnostic purposes.
authors: 1Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain.
authors: Carmen
authors: C
authors: Pineda
authors: Escolastico
authors: E
authors: Aguilera-Tejero
authors: Fatima
authors: F
authors: Guerrero
authors: Ana I
authors: AI
authors: Raya
authors: Mariano
authors: M
authors: Rodriguez
authors: Ignacio
authors: I
authors: Lopez
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002415:Cats / Q000097:blood / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008903:Minerals / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D002117:Calcitriol; D002112:Calcifediol