Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ghrelin test to diagnose pituitary dwarfism in dogs
By Bhatti, S F M et al.·Published in Research in veterinary science·2006·Department of Small Animal Medicine and Clinical Biology·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Ghrelin-stimulation test in the diagnosis of canine pituitary dwarfism.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of German shepherds with pituitary dwarfism (a condition where the pituitary gland doesn't produce enough growth hormone) was tested using a hormone called ghrelin to see if it could help diagnose their condition. The results showed that the dwarf dogs had a much lower growth hormone response compared to healthy Beagles, but some healthy dogs also had low responses, which could lead to confusion in diagnosis. The study suggests that while a low response to ghrelin can indicate growth hormone deficiency, it might not always be accurate.
People also search for: dog pituitary dwarfism symptoms · growth hormone deficiency in dogs · diagnosing dwarfism in German shepherds
Abstract
This study investigated whether ghrelin, a potent releaser of growth hormone (GH) secretion, is a valuable tool in the diagnosis of canine pituitary dwarfism. The effect of intravenous administration of ghrelin on the release of GH and other adenohypophyseal hormones was investigated in German shepherd dogs with congenital combined pituitary hormone deficiency and in healthy Beagles. Analysis of the maximal increment (i.e. difference between pre- and maximal post-ghrelin plasma hormone concentration) indicated that the GH response was significantly lower in the dwarf dogs compared with the healthy dogs. In none of the pituitary dwarfs, the ghrelin-induced plasma GH concentration exceeded 5 microg/l at any time. However, this was also true for 3 healthy dogs. In all dogs, ghrelin administration did not affect the plasma concentrations of ACTH, cortisol, TSH, LH and PRL . Thus, while a ghrelin-induced plasma GH concentration above 5 microg/l excludes GH deficiency, false-negative results may occur.
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/16271735/