Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with low cortisol and adrenal lymphoma causing weakness
By Buckley, M E et al.·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2017·Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Glucocorticoid-deficient hypoadrenocorticism secondary to intravascular lymphoma in the adrenal glands of a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 2-year-old neutered male German Shepherd was brought to the vet because he was weak, had a poor appetite, and was losing weight. The vet diagnosed him with a serious condition called glucocorticoid-deficient hypoadrenocorticism, which means his body wasn't producing enough cortisol, a hormone important for many bodily functions. Despite treatment with glucocorticoids (hormone supplements), his condition worsened, and he developed neurological problems. Sadly, the dog was euthanized, and tests revealed he had intravascular lymphoma, a type of cancer affecting his adrenal glands and other organs.
People also search for: dog weakness and weight loss · German Shepherd adrenal gland disease · glucocorticoid treatment for dogs
Abstract
CASE REPORT: A 2-year-old neutered male German Shepherd dog was presented with weakness, poor appetite and weight loss. Glucocorticoid-deficient hypoadrenocorticism was diagnosed with undetectable pre- and post-ACTH cortisol concentrations but normal sodium and potassium concentrations. Despite appropriate supplementation with glucocorticoids, the patient's weakness progressed and neurological deficits developed. The patient was euthanased. Histopathological analysis of multiple organs, including the adrenal glands, showed an accumulation of neoplastic lymphocytes within blood vessels, consistent with a diagnosis of intravascular lymphoma. Histologically, in both adrenal glands, the architecture of the zona fasciculata and reticularis was disrupted by blood vessels congested with a neoplastic population of T-lymphocytes; the zona glomerulosa remained intact. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of intravascular lymphoma causing glucocorticoid-deficient hypoadrenocorticism in a dog.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28239861/