Canine adult-onset hypothyroidism: Prevalence, clinical and laboratory findings with special reference to therapeutic approach

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

Hypothyroidism is one of the most common endocrinopathies in dogs, it is defined as a decrease in production of thyroid hormones. Hypothyroidism results in vague clinical of signs but metabolic and dermatological signs are the most reported manifestations. This investigation aimed to study canine hypothyroidism in terms of clinical, haemato- biochemical, and thyroid panel alterations and evaluate response to treatment in adult onset hypothyroidism in dogs’ cosmopolitan in Cairo and Giza governorates. To crude determination of disease in dog cosmopolitan in Cairo and Giza governorates, multicenter study was conducted. In the period from December-2019 to May-2020, 220 dogs with various dermatologic signs represented to different clinics, after ruling out other causes, 40 with signs consistent with hypothyroidism were subjected to initial screening for hypothyroidism using TT4. Only 15 dogs showed decrease in TT4 and these dogs were further investigated, additional 8 clinically healthy dogs enrolled as control group. Blood sample was taken from both hypothyroid dogs [N=15] and control dogs [N=8] for hematology analysis, TT4, fT4, TSH. Cholesterol, ALT and ALP. Diseased group [15 dogs] were treated with levothyroxine and re-evaluated after 1-month period. Overall prevalence of hypothyroidism in this investigation was 7.5 percent. Significant decrease in RBCs, PCV, TT4 and fT4 along with non-significant increase in TSH and cholesterol were recorded in hypothyroid patients compared to control group. Treatment with levothyroxine caused thyroid hormones to be within normal reference range. The Prevalence of hypothyroidism in studied cases in this investigation was 7.5 % and is similar to the reported prevalence; diagnosis of hypothyroidism should be relying on combination of clinical and laboratory data. Usage of human levothyroxine can successfully manage caninehypothyroidism.

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