Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with low adrenal blood flow after trilostane treatment
By Nagata, N et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2023·Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Adrenocortical hypoperfusion detected by contrast-enhanced ultrasound in a dog with trilostane-induced hypoadrenocorticism.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 12-year-old neutered male Chihuahua was feeling very tired and had low sodium and high potassium levels after being treated with a medication called trilostane for a hormone imbalance. The vet suspected a serious condition called hypoadrenocorticism (adrenal insufficiency) and used a special ultrasound to check blood flow in the adrenal glands, which showed reduced blood flow. The dog was treated with fludrocortisone acetate, which helped improve his condition for a while. Unfortunately, 13 months later, he showed signs of another hormone imbalance and passed away 22 months after his first visit.
People also search for: dog lethargy low sodium high potassium · Chihuahua adrenal insufficiency treatment · trilostane side effects in dogs
Abstract
A 12-year-old neutered male Chihuahua dog was diagnosed with pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism and treated with trilostane. Eighty-nine days later, the dog showed lethargy accompanied by hyponatraemia and hyperkalaemia. Hypoadrenocorticism due to trilostane was suspected, but the result of the adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test was not conclusive. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound showed loss of adrenocortical blood flow in both adrenal glands, indicating adrenocortical hypoperfusion and isolated hypoadrenocorticism. Treatment with fludrocortisone acetate improved the condition and electrolyte abnormalities. Thirteen months later, the dog showed alopecia, and an adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test revealed increased cortisol concentration, indicating hypercortisolism recurrence. The dog died due to progressive deterioration 22 months after the initial presentation. Post-mortem examination revealed focally extensive necrosis with marked calcification in the parenchyma of the adrenal glands and regeneration of the cells in the zona fasciculata with severe fibrosis. Adrenocortical hypoperfusion detected by contrast-enhanced ultrasound can support the diagnosis of adrenal necrosis and hypoadrenocorticism.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37340686/