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Multicenter Study
. 2020 Jul;34(4):1399-1405.
doi: 10.1111/jvim.15752. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

Prevalence and characterization of hypoadrenocorticism in dogs with signs of chronic gastrointestinal disease: A multicenter study

Christina Hauck  1 , Silke S Schmitz  2 , Iwan A Burgener  3 , Astrid Wehner  1 , Reto Neiger  4 , Barbara Kohn  5 , Thomas Rieker  6 , Sven Reese  7 , Stefan Unterer  1
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Prevalence and characterization of hypoadrenocorticism in dogs with signs of chronic gastrointestinal disease: A multicenter study

Christina Hauck et al. J Vet Intern Med. 2020 Jul.

Abstract

Background: Dogs with hypoadrenocorticism (HA) frequently show signs of gastrointestinal disease (SGD). The prevalence of dogs presented for chronic SGD with HA is unknown.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of HA in dogs with chronic SGD and to identify clinical and laboratory variables for HA in this population.

Animals: One hundred fifty-one dogs with chronic SGD.

Methods: In this multicentered prevalence study a standardized workup was performed in prospectively enrolled dogs with SGD > 3 weeks duration. Basal serum cortisol concentration was measured in every dog with ACTH stimulation test (ACTHST) if basal serum cortisol concentration was <3 μg/dL.

Results: Basal serum cortisol concentration was <3 μg/dL in 80/151 (53%) dogs, <2 μg/dL in 42/151 (28%) dogs, and < 1 μg/dL in 9/151 (6%) dogs. In 6/151 dogs HA was diagnosed based on ACTHST (stimulated serum cortisol concentration < 2 μg/dL), a prevalence of 4%. There was no difference in history, physical examination, and laboratory variables between dogs with HA and those with other causes of chronic SGD. In 4/6 dogs with HA, there was melena or hematochezia indicating gastrointestinal blood loss. Hyperkalemia, hyponatremia, or both was not observed in any dog.

Conclusion and clinical importance: The prevalence of HA among dogs with chronic SGD is higher than in the general population. Based on these results, testing adrenal function should be performed as a standard screening test in dogs with chronic SGD to differentiate between HA and chronic enteropathies.

Keywords: Addison's disease; atypical hypoadrenocorticism; chronic diarrhea; cortisol.

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Conflict of interest statement

Some of the hematology, serum biochemistry profiles, and serum cortisol measurements were performed free of charge by IDEXX Laboratories, Ludwigsburg, Germany.

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Scatter plot showing basal serum cortisol concentrations in 145 dogs without hypoadrenocorticism and 6 dogs with hypoadrenocorticism. The horizontal bars represent the 25% percentile, the median and the 75% percentile
Figure 2
Figure 2
Scatter plot showing stimulated serum cortisol concentrations in 145 dogs without hypoadrenocorticism and 6 dogs with hypoadrenocorticism. The horizontal bars represent the 25% percentile, the median and the 75% percentile
Figure 3
Figure 3
Scatter plot showing serum cortisol concentrations in 6 dogs with hypoadrenocorticism before and after the stimulation with ACTH
Figure 4
Figure 4
Scatter plot showing serum cortisol concentrations before and after the stimulation with ACTH in 74 dogs without hypoadrenocorticism and basal cortisol values < 3 μg/dL
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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