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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Myotonia causing stiff walk in two dogs with Cushing's disease

By Swinney, G R et al.·Published in Australian veterinary journal·1998·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed

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Original publication title: Myotonia associated with hyperadrenocorticism in two dogs.

Species:
dog

Plain-English summary

A 7-year-old mixed breed dog and a 10-year-old Beagle both developed stiffness that made it hard for them to walk. The stiffness was linked to a condition called hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's disease). The first dog improved significantly after gradually stopping corticosteroid treatment, which had caused its hyperadrenocorticism. The second dog, which had a different form of the disease, continued to have stiffness even while on mitotane treatment, but its symptoms got better with a medication called procainamide.

People also search for: dog stiffness walking · Cushing's disease treatment for dogs · myotonia in dogs · procainamide for dog stiffness

Abstract

Two dogs developed a disabling gait abnormality characterised by stiffness. The abnormality was consistent with a diagnosis of myotonia secondary to hyperadrenocorticism. The first dog had iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism, and its signs improved substantially after corticosteroid administration was gradually withdrawn. The second had pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism, but myotonic signs progressed despite effective mitotane therapy. Procainamide administration reduced the myotonic stiffness in the second case.

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Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9862060/