Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Epiglottic retroversion signs improved after treating dog's
By Wada, Shota & Nakamura, Kensuke·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2022·From Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Resolution of Signs of Epiglottic Retroversion Following Medical Management of Hyperadrenocorticism in a Dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 6-year-old spayed female Chihuahua was having trouble breathing for 10 months due to a condition called epiglottic retroversion, where the epiglottis flips backward during inhalation. Tests showed she had high cortisol levels from hyperadrenocorticism (HAC), a hormonal disorder. Before planning surgery to correct the epiglottic issue, the vet started her on a medication called trilostane to manage the HAC. Remarkably, just a week after starting the medication, her breathing problems completely resolved, and she remained stable without any issues for over 15 months.
People also search for: Chihuahua breathing problems · hyperadrenocorticism treatment in dogs · epiglottic retroversion surgery dog
Abstract
A 6 yr old spayed female Chihuahua was referred for a 10 mo history of chronic respiratory compromise. Decreased serum thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone concentrations had been confirmed at a primary clinic, but no treatment was initiated. Serum biochemistries revealed elevated alkaline phosphatase and cholesterol concentrations. An adrenocorticotropic hormone-stimulating test revealed elevated preserum and postserum cortisol concentrations. Fluoroscopy revealed marked epiglottic retroversion (ER) during inhalation. Enlarged bilateral adrenal glands were found on abdominal ultrasonography. Based on these findings, ER and hyperadrenocorticism (HAC) were diagnosed and surgical correction of the ER was planned. Trilostane administration was initiated before surgery to reduce the risk of thrombosis due to HAC. Seven days after the initiation of trilostane therapy, clinical signs of chronic respiratory compromise were resolved. The patient had remained clinically stable without recurrence of respiratory compromise for at least 15 mo at the time of this case report. This case suggests that HAC could contribute to the development of clinical signs of ER, which could potentially be successfully controlled by medical treatment of HAC.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36315860/