When typical clinical signs are not enough: overdiagnosis of canine hypothyroidism in Costa Rica

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15359/rcv.42-1.4

Keywords:

Hypothyroidism, TSH, fT4, overdiagnosis, dogs, thyroid gland, hormone assays, laboratory

Abstract

Canine hypothyroidism is the most common endocrine disease in dogs and is often overdiagnosed. The purpose of this study is to analyze the importance of testing TSH together with free Thyroxine (fT4) to differentiate between true hypothyroid cases and suspected cases with clinical signs suggestive of hypothyroidism and identify if there is any level of canine hypothyroidism overdiagnosis. There were 48 individuals in the control group (clinically healthy animals) (CT), 40 with clinical signs but with no laboratory confirmation (SHT), and 41 with laboratory confirmation (HT). Significant differences were obtained between the HT group and the C and SHT groups in both hormone values, but not between the C and SHT groups. A diagnosis solely based on clinical signs rather than laboratory diagnostic methods, the use of a single hormone test, the method used for measuring hormones, and any possible interference can cause false positives in the diagnosis of canine hypothyroidism. Therefore, all these factors must be considered when making a diagnosis, leading the clinician to use a multiple-approach diagnosis rather than a single-approach diagnosis.

References

Dixon, R. M. (2013). Hipotiroidismo canino. In: C. T. Mooney & M. E. Peterson (Ed.). Manual de endocrinología en pequeños animales (pp. 111-137). BSAVA.

Dixon, R. M., Reid, S. W., & Mooney, C. T. (1999). Epidemiological, clinical, hematological and biochemical characteristics of canine hypothyroidism. The Veterinary Record, 145(17), 481–487. https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.145.17.481

Ferguson, D. C. (2007). Testing for hypothyroidism in dogs. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, 37(4), 647–669. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2007.05.015

Graham, P. A. & Mooney, C. T. (2012). Manual de diagnóstico de laboratorio en pequeñas especies. BSAVA.

Kantrowitz, L. B., Peterson, M. E., Melián, C., & Nichols, R. (2001). Serum total thyroxine, total triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, and thyrotropin concentrations in dogs with nonthyroidal disease. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 219(6), 765–769. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.2001.219.765

Mooney, C. T. (2011). Canine hypothyroidism: a review of aetiology and diagnosis. New Zealand Veterinary Journal, 59(3), 105-114. https://doi.org/10.1080/00480169.2011.563729

Panciera, D. L., Purswell, B. J., Kolster, K. A., Werre, S. R., & Trout, S. W. (2012). Reproductive effects of prolonged experimentally induced hypothyroidism in bitches. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 26(2), 326-333. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2011.00872.x

Peterson, M. E., Melian, C., & Nichols, R. (1997). Measurement of serum total thyroxine, triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, and thyrotropin concentrations for diagnosis of hypothyroidism in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 211(11), 1396-1402.

Randolph, J. F., Lamb, S. V., Cheraskin, J. L., Schanbacher, B. J., Salerno, V. J., Mack, K. M., Scarlett J.M & Place, N. J. (2015). Free thyroxine concentrations by equilibrium dialysis and chemiluminescent immunoassays in 13 hypothyroid dogs positive for thyroglobulin antibody. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 29(3), 877-881. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.12573

Schachter, S., Nelson, R.W., Scott-Moncrieff, C., Ferguson, D.C., Montgomery, T., Feldman, E.C., Neal, L.A., & Kass, P.H. (2004). Comparison of serum-free thyroxine concentrations determined by standard equilibrium dialysis, modified equilibrium dialysis, and 5 radioimmunoassays in dogs. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 18(3), 259-64.

Scott-Moncrieff J. C. (2007). Clinical signs and concurrent diseases of hypothyroidism in dogs and cats. The Veterinary Clinics of North America. Small animal practice, 37(4), 709–vi.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2007.03.003

Scott-Moncrieff, J. C. (2015). Hypothyroidism. In: E. C. Feldman, R. W. Nelson, C. E. Reusch & S.-M. J. Catharine (Eds.). Canine & Feline Endocrinology (4th Ed), (pp. 77-124). Elsevier.

Spence, S. (2022). Canine hypothyroidism: avoiding over diagnosing the condition. In Practice, 44(2), 68-75. https://doi.org/10.1002/inpr.74

Published

2024-07-31

How to Cite

When typical clinical signs are not enough: overdiagnosis of canine hypothyroidism in Costa Rica. (2024). Ciencias Veterinarias, 42(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.15359/rcv.42-1.4

How to Cite

When typical clinical signs are not enough: overdiagnosis of canine hypothyroidism in Costa Rica. (2024). Ciencias Veterinarias, 42(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.15359/rcv.42-1.4

Comentarios (ver términos de uso)