Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Young dog with swollen neck and thyroid inflammation
By Kyle L. Granger et al.·Published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science·2025·Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States, CH·View original on DOAJ →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Case Report: Steroid-responsive immune-mediated thyroiditis in a young dog with multi-systemic pyogranulomatous inflammation
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old neutered male Posavac Hound was brought to the vet with a swollen neck, trouble breathing, and signs of systemic inflammation. Tests showed he had very low thyroid hormone levels and signs of immune system issues, along with swollen lymph nodes and lung nodules. After starting treatment with steroids and thyroid hormone supplements, the dog's symptoms improved quickly, and he was back to normal within about two months. This case highlights the need to consider immune-mediated thyroiditis when a young dog has neck swelling and breathing problems.
People also search for: dog neck swelling · Posavac Hound thyroid problems · dog breathing issues treatment
Abstract
A 3-year-old neutered male Posavac Hound presented with rapidly progressive cervical swelling, respiratory distress, and systemic inflammation. Diagnostics confirmed severe hypothyroidism [total thyroxine (TT4) < 0.5 μg/dL, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) 5.54 ng/dL], elevated thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAA 131%), hyperglobulinemia, hypoalbuminemia, and mild ionized hypercalcemia. Imaging showed bilateral thyroid enlargement with cavitated necrosis, pulmonary nodules, and lymphadenopathy. Cytology revealed pyogranulomatous inflammation without infectious organisms, and infectious disease screening was negative. Protein electrophoresis and immunofixation revealed elevated IgG4, suggesting immune-mediated dysregulation. The dog responded rapidly to prednisolone and thyroid hormone supplementation, with resolution of clinical signs and normalization of inflammatory markers by ~60 days. This report describes a unique case of immune-mediated thyroiditis with systemic inflammatory involvement that responded to steroids, emphasizing the importance of considering immune-mediated thyroiditis as a differential diagnosis for acute cervical neck swelling in a young dog with concurrent pulmonary involvement.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1662178