Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Severe low blood sugar in a 9-year-old Brittany Spaniel with kidney
By Paula Simons et al.·Published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science·2023·Department of Emergency and Critical Care, Cornell University Veterinary Specialists, Stamford, CT, United States, CH·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: Case report: Severe, refractory hypoglycemia in a 9-year-old Brittany Spaniel with renal nephroblastoma
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 9-year-old female spayed Brittany Spaniel was brought in for weakness and stumbling, and tests showed she had very low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Despite treatment with glucagon, her blood sugar levels did not improve. Further imaging revealed a large tumor in her left kidney, which was causing the hypoglycemia. The dog underwent surgery to remove the affected kidney, and her blood sugar levels returned to normal afterward. She then started chemotherapy with vincristine and doxorubicin to treat the tumor.
People also search for: dog weakness and stumbling · Brittany Spaniel low blood sugar treatment · dog kidney tumor surgery · hypoglycemia in dogs treatment
Abstract
A 9-year-old female spayed Brittany Spaniel presented for weakness and stumbling, and was diagnosed with severe hypoglycemia. An insulin to glucose ratio was not consistent with insulinoma as a cause for hypoglycemia. Diagnostic imaging (abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography) revealed a large left renal mass and a possible metastatic lesion in the right kidney. Glucagon therapy was initiated, but hypoglycemia was refractory to therapy. A left nephrectomy was performed and hypoglycemia subsequently resolved. Histopathology of the mass was consistent with nephroblastoma and immunohistochemistry for anti-insulin-like Growth Factor-2 (IGF-2) antibody revealed immunoreactivity in over 50% of the neoplastic cells. Chemotherapeutic treatment was initiated with a combined protocol of vincristine and doxorubicin. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case report documenting the treatment of severe, refractory non-islet cell tumor-induced hypoglycemia in a dog, suspected to be secondary to an IGF-2 secreting nephroblastoma.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1116846