Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Blindness in dogs with pituitary hyperadrenocorticism linked to blood
By Cabrera Blatter, M F et al.·Published in Research in veterinary science·2012·Clí·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Blindness in dogs with pituitary dependent hyperadrenocorticism: relationship with glucose, cortisol and triglyceride concentration and with ophthalmic blood flow.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with pituitary dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH), a condition that can cause various health issues, was studied to understand why some became blind. Out of 70 dogs with PDH, 12 were found to be blind, but only 2 had a specific eye structure affected. Tests showed that the blind dogs had altered blood flow to the eyes and higher levels of cortisol, triglycerides, and glucose compared to those that could still see. This suggests that blindness in these dogs may be linked to changes in blood flow and increased levels of certain substances in the body.
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Abstract
Pituitary dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) shows a high morbidity and blindness is one of its complications. Compression of the optic chiasm (OC) by the hypophysis adenoma is one of the causes. Another cause could be due to vascular and metabolic alterations of the PDH. Out of a total of 70 dogs with confirmed diagnosis of PDH, 12/70 showed blindness. In only 2/12 the OC was compromised. Electroretinography in dogs without the OC being compromised showed altered A and B wave patterns. Ophthalmological Doppler showed an alteration of the blood flow only in blind dogs without OC compression. Cortisol concentrations (Co), triglycerides (Tg) and glycaemia (G) were greater in 10 dogs with non-compressive blindness vs. dogs with conserved vision. Loss of vision correlated with the increase in these variables. Blindness in dogs with PDH would be related to changes in retinal blood flow, associated to higher Co, Tg and G concentrations.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21575979/