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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism in 28 dogs.

Journal:
Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association
Year:
1999
Authors:
Huang, H P et al.
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Medicine
Species:
dog

Plain-English summary

In this study, 28 dogs were found to have iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism, which is a condition caused by the use of corticosteroids. The dogs showed various symptoms, including skin problems, drinking a lot, peeing a lot, and being very tired. Blood tests revealed issues like high levels of certain liver enzymes and cholesterol. After stopping the corticosteroids, the dogs started to improve in about six weeks, and it took around 12 weeks for them to fully recover. Overall, the treatment was effective in helping the dogs return to normal health.

Abstract

Twenty-eight dogs with iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism were studied. The most common clinical signs were cutaneous lesions (27/28), polydipsia (21/28), polyuria (19/28), and lethargy (16/28). The most predominant findings on biochemical profile were elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP, 15/28) and alanine transferase (ALT, 14/28); hypercholesterolemia (14/28); elevated aspartate transferase (AST, 12/28); and elevated triglycerides (12/18). Baseline cortisol levels of all 28 dogs were at the lower end of the reference range and exhibited suppressed or no response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation. The mean time for each dog to show initial improvement of clinical signs after corticosteroid withdrawal was six weeks, with another mean time of 12 weeks to demonstrate complete remission.

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Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10333257/