Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Spayed cat showing heat behavior from adrenal gland tumor
By Meler, Erika N et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2011·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Cyclic estrous-like behavior in a spayed cat associated with excessive sex-hormone production by an adrenocortical carcinoma.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 15-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat was brought in for unusual behavior, showing signs of going into heat intermittently for a year. Tests revealed that her adrenal gland was enlarged and producing excessive sex hormones due to a tumor called an adrenocortical carcinoma. After surgery to remove the affected adrenal gland, her symptoms disappeared right away, and her hormone levels returned to normal within two months.
People also search for: cat in heat after spay · cat adrenal tumor treatment · spayed cat hormonal imbalance
Abstract
A 15-year-old, spayed female domestic shorthair cat was evaluated for 1-year duration of cyclic intermittent estrous behavior. Diagnostic testing performed before referral, including baseline progesterone concentration, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone stimulation test and surgical exploratory laparotomy, had remained inconclusive for a remnant ovary. Evaluation of sex hormones before and after adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) administration revealed increased basal concentrations of androstenedione, estradiol, progesterone, and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone and normal ACTH-stimulated hormone concentrations. Enlargement of the right adrenal gland was identified by abdominal ultrasound. The cat underwent an adrenalectomy and histopathology of the excised adrenal gland was consistent with an adrenocortical carcinoma. Clinical signs resolved immediately following surgery, and most hormone concentrations declined to within or below the reference interval (RI) by 2 months after surgery.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21498101/