Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Adrenal gland function in cats with hyperthyroidism compared
By Ramspott, Sabine et al.·Published in Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery·2012·Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, LMU University of Munich, Munich, Germany, Germany·View original on Crossref →
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Original publication title: Adrenal function in cats with hyperthyroidism
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 17 cats with hyperthyroidism had their adrenal function tested to see how it compared to healthy cats and those with other chronic diseases. The tests showed that the hyperthyroid cats had higher cortisol levels, which is a stress hormone, but their adrenal glands were normal in size. This suggests that while these cats can produce more cortisol when stimulated, their adrenal glands are not permanently overactive. If your cat has hyperthyroidism, it's important to monitor their adrenal function, but the findings indicate that their adrenal glands may not be damaged.
People also search for: cat hyperthyroidism symptoms · adrenal function in cats · high cortisol levels in cats
Abstract
Adrenal function may be altered in animals with hyperthyroidism. The aim of the study was to assess adrenal function of hyperthyroid cats (n = 17) compared to healthy cats (n = 18) and cats with chronic diseases (n = 18). Adrenal function was evaluated by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test and the urinary cortisol to creatinine ratio (UCCR) was determined. Length and width of both adrenal glands were measured via ultrasound. Hyperthyroid cats had significantly higher cortisol levels before and after stimulation with ACTH than the other groups. However, the UCCR was not elevated in hyperthyroid cats. The size of the adrenal glands of hyperthyroid cats was not significantly different from the size of those of healthy cats. The results indicate that cats with hyperthyroidism have a higher cortisol secretory capacity in a hospital setting. The normal size of the adrenal glands suggests that cortisol levels may not be increased permanently.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612x11435893