Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Neurohormone imbalances in dogs with sudden vision loss and Cushing's
By Oh, Annie et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2019·Department of Clinical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Circulating neurohormone imbalances in canine sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome and canine pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS) experienced rapid vision loss, with some losing their sight in just 18 days. Researchers compared these dogs to healthy dogs and those with pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism (PDH) to see if hormone levels were different. They found that while certain hormone levels were similar across the groups, dogs with PDH had higher levels of a specific urine marker compared to those with SARDS. This suggests that while both conditions affect vision, they may involve different hormonal imbalances.
People also search for: dog sudden vision loss · SARDS in dogs · pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism treatment · dog eye problems · canine hormone imbalance
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS) has clinical similarity to pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism (PDH) in dogs. Some studies have identified a greater frequency of SARDS in seasons with reduced daylight hours. Neurohormone imbalances contribute to retinal lesions in other species, warranting further study in dogs with SARDS. HYPOTHESIS: Dysregulation of circulating melatonin concentration is present in dogs with SARDS but not in dogs with PDH. ANIMALS: Fifteen client-owned dogs with spontaneous SARDS (median time of vision loss 18 days), 14 normal dogs, and 13 dogs with confirmed PDH. PROCEDURES: Prospective case-control study. ELISA on samples (obtained in the morning) for measurement of plasma melatonin and dopamine, serum serotonin, urine 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (MT6s), and creatinine. Statistical analysis was performed using 1-way ANOVA, Spearman correlation and receiver operator characteristic area under the curve analysis. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in circulating melatonin, serotonin or dopamine concentrations between the 3 groups, although the study was underpowered for detection of significant differences in serum serotonin. Urine MT6s:creatinine ratio was significantly higher in dogs with PDH (4.08 ± 2.15 urine [MT6s] ng/mL per mg of urine creatinine) compared with dogs with SARDS (2.37 ± .51, P < .01), but not compared with normal dogs. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: We have identified neurohormone differences between dogs with SARDS and PDH.
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 PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31660652/