Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surgery to remove large pituitary tumor in dog with hormone disease
By Fracassi, Federico et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2014·Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Complete surgical removal of a very enlarged pituitary corticotroph adenoma in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 13-year-old male Vizsla was brought in for excessive thirst, frequent urination, increased appetite, and weight loss. After tests showed he had a pituitary tumor causing hormone imbalances, he was treated with medication, but his symptoms didn't improve and he developed neurological issues. The dog underwent surgery to remove the tumor, which was confirmed to be a corticotroph adenoma. He lived for 13 months after the surgery, and a follow-up showed no remaining tumor tissue in the pituitary gland.
People also search for: dog pituitary tumor treatment · Vizsla excessive thirst · dog surgery for pituitary adenoma
Abstract
A 13 yr old castrated male vizsla was referred to the authors' institute because of polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, and weight loss. Pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism (PDH) was diagnosed by hormone testing and adrenal and pituitary imaging. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a pituitary mass measuring 21 mm in width. Medical therapy was initiated with trilostane. Despite adequate control of the hypercortisolemia, the polyuria and polydipsia persisted and the dog developed neurologic signs due to the pituitary mass effect. Pituitary transsphenoidal debulking surgery was performed and immunocytochemistry confirmed a corticotroph adenoma. The dog survived for 13 mo after surgery. Postmortem examination revealed an empty fossa without pituitary remnants and the presence of a malignant pheochromocytoma in the right adrenal gland. This case report demonstrates, for the first time, that a large pituitary adenoma in the dog may be treated successfully by pituitary surgery.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24659728/