Studies on the pathogenesis of hypercalcemia in canine lymphosarcoma have led to conflicting results. The biochemical and bone histomorphometric findings in canine lymphosarcoma were examined in 19 hypercalcemic and 17 nonhypercalcemic dogs with lymphosarcoma. Compared to the nonhypercalcemic group, the hypercalcemic dogs demonstrated an increase in fasting and 24-h calcium excretion, an increase in fractional phosphorus excretion, and a significant increase in nephrogenous AMP excretion. Plasma 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and immunoreactive PTH levels were equivalent in the two groups. Quantitative bone histomorphometry performed on iliac crest biopsies revealed increased parameters of bone resorption in those hypercalcemic dogs with no evidence of tumor at the biopsy site, without a compensatory increase in bone formation. Acid-urea tumor tissue extracts from eight hypercalcemic and six nonhypercalcemic dogs were examined for adenylate cyclase-stimulating activity (ACSA). All tumors from hypercalcemic dogs contained ACSA, whereas none of the tumors from nonhypercalcemic dogs had ACSA. Further purification of one tumor extract yielded an adenylate cyclase-stimulating protein which appeared to interact specifically with the PTH receptor. We conclude that in some cases, hypercalcemia in canine lymphosarcoma is mediated by a tumor-derived circulating bone-resorbing factor which is distinct from PTH. ACSA detected in tumor tissue appears to be a reliable marker for the syndrome in vivo. The role of this activity in the pathogenesis of the syndrome remains to be determined.