Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Hypoadrenocorticism frequency and risk factors in UK dogs
By Schofield, I et al.Ā·Published in The Journal of small animal practiceĀ·2021Ā·The Royal Veterinary College, United KingdomĀ·View original on PubMed ā
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Original publication title: Hypoadrenocorticism in dogs under UK primary veterinary care: frequency, clinical approaches and risk factors.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs diagnosed with hypoadrenocorticism (a condition where the adrenal glands don't produce enough hormones) showed symptoms like lethargy, loss of appetite, and vomiting. In a study of over 900,000 dogs, 177 cases were identified, with the standard poodle being significantly more likely to be affected. Treatment typically involves hormone replacement therapy, which can help manage the symptoms and improve the dog's overall health. If your dog is showing similar signs, it's important to consult your veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment options.
People also search for: dog lethargy and vomiting Ā· hypoadrenocorticism treatment in dogs Ā· standard poodle health issues
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To estimate the frequency, clinical approaches and risk factors of hypoadrenocorticism in dogs under UK primary veterinary care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dogs diagnosed with hypoadrenocorticism were identified from the UK VetCompass™ programme by searching anonymised electronic patient records. Pre-existing and newly diagnosed cases of disease during 2016 were included. Cases were further sub-categorised as having a laboratory-confirmed or presumed diagnosis of hypoadrenocorticism based on the information recorded in the electronic patient records. Descriptive data were manually extracted. Multivariable logistic regression methods were used to identify demographic risk factors. RESULTS: There were 177 hypoadrenocorticism cases identified from 905,543 dogs in 2016; 72 laboratory-confirmed and 105 presumed. The 1-year period prevalence for hypoadrenocorticism in all dogs was 0.06% (95% confidence interval: 0.05-0.07%). The most common presenting clinical signs in laboratory-confirmed dogs were lethargy (51/66, 77.3%), anorexia (48/66, 66.7%) and vomiting (48/66, 66.7%). Hyperkalaemia was reported in 47 of 53 (88.7%), hyponatraemia in 46 of 53 (86.8%). Median sodium: potassium ratio was 19.00 (interquartile range: 16.20-20.60). Breed, age, neuter status and insurance status were associated with a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of hypoadrenocorticism. No sex association with hypoadrenocorticism was observed in the multivariable model. The standard poodle had 51.38 times the odds (95% CI: 14.49-182.18) of hypoadrenocorticism compared with crossbreeds. The labradoodle and West Highland white terrier also had increased odds. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first epidemiological study to report on hypoadrenocorticism in dogs within the UK primary-care population. These results provide benchmark data of current veterinary activity relating to hypoadrenocorticism in primary-care practices.
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Search related cases āOriginal publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33555046/