Small animal endocrinopathies 4 Flashcards
Hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, calcium disorders
What are the severe side effects of hyperthyroidism medication?
- Facial pruritus
- Severe blood dyscrasia
- Neutropaenia, thrombocytopaenia, IMHA
- Hepatic necrosis
- Myasthenia gravis
What are the consequences of severe side effects from hyperthryoidism medication?
Usually resolve within 5-7 days, but must withdraw treatment permanently - can occur at any stage of treatment
What are the requirements for dietary management of feline hyperthyroidism?
- Can only eat iodine restricted diet and prevent other cats in household having same diet
- NO access to other food i.e. must be indoor cats
- May need to give bottled/filtered water
What is the target response to dietary management of hyperthyroidism in cats?
Normal tT4 in 8 weeks
What is a key concern regarding dietary management of feline hyperthyroidism?
Low protein diet not always ideal for older cats
What are the 2 curative options for feline hyperthyroidism?
- Surgical thyroidectomy
- Radioactive iodine (I131)
What are the main points take into account when considering a thyroidectomy in a case of feline hyperthyroidism?
- Will need to stabilise prior to surgery with medical management
- May not be appropriate for cats with pre-existing azotaemia
- Uni or bilateral? Commonly both
- High anaesthetic risk
- Potential for hypoparathyroidism or hypothyrodism following surgery
- Ectopic tissue easily missed
What treatment is preferred in hyperthyroid cats with pre-existing azotaemia?
Reversible treatment preferred i.e. medical, dietary
Explain the how radioactive iodine works as a treatment for feline hyperthyroidism
- Radioactive iodine injected SC
- Taken up and concentrated by active adenomatous thyroid tissue
- Emits radiation to local tissue causing necrosis
What are the main advantages of radioactive treatment for feline hyperthyroidism?
- On off cost, curative
- Quiescete atrophied tissue spared and can recover after
- Low morbidity and mortality
- Is the only effective treatment for thyroid carcinomas
What are the main disadvantages of radioactive therapy for feline hyperthyroidism?
- Irreversible
- High initial cost
- Prolonged hospitalisation (unsuitable if on other medication)
- May be advised to stop anti-thyroid medication
What is the main complication of concern following any treatment for feline hyperthyroidism?
Iatrogenic hypoparathyroidism
What are the signs of hypoparathyroidism?
- Hypocalcaemia usually within 72 hours, but can be up to 7d later
- Weakness, anorexia, muscle tremors, hyperaesthesia, twitching, seizures
- Can be mild, subclinical, self-limiting or life threatening
What is the management for hypoparathyroidism?
- 10% calcium gluconate IV 0.5-1ml/kg to effect, best as part of IVFT
- vitD to promote calcium uptake, use with oral or injectable calcium -
- Reduce dose gradually over weeks to months if possible
What elements are involved in the monitoring of cats with hyperthyroidism?
- Owner observations
- Examination of the cat
- Blood tests q2-3 weeks after start of treatment of change in dose
- Urinalysis if any suspicion of UTI
- Adverse effects common, as well as concurrent conditions e.g. facial pruritus, CKD, hypertension
What aspects are addressed in the examinations of a feline hyperthyroid patient for monitoring?
- Weight (weight gain good)
- Concurrent disease
- Blood pressure
What aspects are addressed in the monitoring blood tests for a feline hyperthyroid patient?
- tT4, to avoid hypothyroid state (esp. if azotaemic) and assess if working
- +/- TSH
- Biochem: liver enzyme recovery, haematology (monitor side effects, assess kidney function in response to reduced GFR)
Explain the relationship between CKD and hyperthyroidism at the time of diagnosis and how these complicate each other
- Hyperthyroidism can attenuate or resole mild/moderate azotaemia in CKD patients by increasing GFR, and hyperthryoidism also leads to lower creatinine due to lower muscle mass
- CKD can hide hyperthryoidism by causing euthyroid sick syndrome
When interpreting endocrine results for T3 ro T4, what is the significance of thyroid hormone antibodies?
When thyroid inflamed by autoimmune process, thyroglobin antibodies released, some react with T3 or T4. Panel looks for these, if present then cannot trust the T3 and T4 results. Can only trust the “Free from antibody interference” result for T4 if antibodies present
What are the potential causes of adult onset hypothyroidism in the dog?
- Lymphocytic thyroiditis
- Idiopathic thyroid atrophy
- thyroid carcinoma
- Iatrogenic
Describe lymphocytic thyroiditis as a cause of adult hypothyroidism in the dog
- Most common
- Assumed autoimmune
- Infiltration of thyroid gland by lymphocytes, plasma cells and macrophages
- End stage leads to replacement of normal thyroid tissue by fibrous tissue
Describe idiopathic thyroid atrophy as a cause of hypothyroidism in the dog
- Minimal inflammation or fibrosis
- End stage leads to replacement by adipose tissue i.e. fatty rather than fibrotic change
Describe thyroid carcinoma as a cause of hypothyroidism in the dog
- Hypo if >75% of gland destroyed
- Rare, tumour cells usually functional and lead to hyperT
Describe iatrogenic causes of hypothyroidism in the dog
- RARE
- Thyroidextomy, radioactive therapy
What are the potential causes of congenital 1yr old hypothyroidism in the dog?
- Dietary deficiency of iodine in bitch during pregnancy
- Dyshormoneogenesis (o.e. iodine organification defect)
- Thyroid a/hypoplasia or dysgenesis
What are common concurrent signs with congenital 1yr hypothyroidism?
- Mental retardation
- Stunted growth
- Disproportionate body size
- large broad heads
- Protruding tongue
- Square trunk
- Short limbs
- Dull, lethargic
- Persistence of puppy haircoat or alopecia
- Delayed dental eruption
- Can be primary or secondary
Describe the treatment of congenital hypothyroidism in dogs
Can be treated with supplementation but cannot be cured
What are the potential causes of secondary hypothyroidism?
- Disease at level of pituitary
- May be pituitary hypoplasia or cyst
- Or failure of piutuitary thyrotropic cells
- Or destruction of the pituitary gland
Describe pituitary hypoplasia or cysts as a cause of secondary hypothyroidism
- Rare
- Autosomal recessive inherited disorder in GSDs
- Leads to combined deficiency of GH, TSH, prolactin
Describe pituitary thryotropic cell failure as a cause of secondary hypothyroidism
- More common vs cyst/hypoplasia
- Decreased TSH results in thyroid atrophy
- Suppression by glucocorticoids
- Euthyroid sick syndrome may occur (low thyroid hormone in sick dogs with totally unrelated disease)
Describe destruction of the pituitary gland as a cause of secondary hypothyroidism
- Rare
- Neoplasia
- Pituitary tumour more likely to lead to Cushings than hypothyroidism
Describe the pathophysiology of tertiary hypothyroidism
- Decreased TRH
- Normally would expect suppressed T4 due to excess glucocorticoid
Describe the typical signalment for canine hypothyroidism
- Middle ages to older dogs (mean age 7yrs)
- No sex/neuter predisposition
- Breed dispositions present but care not to over/mis diagnose based on breed
- Slow, progressive, gradual onset
What are the clinical signs of hypothyroidism related to the altered metabolic rate?
- Lethargy/weakness
- Mental dullness
- Exercise intolerance
- Weight gain or obesity
- Cold intolerance/heat seeking behaviour
- Bradycardia
What are the dermatological clinical signs of hypothyroidism?
- Alopecia/no regrowth
- Dorsal nose alopecia
- Seborrhoea
- Pyoderma
- Ceruminous otitis
- Secondary Malassezia +/- demodex
- Hyperkeratotis
- Hyperpigmentation
- Comedoes
- Bruising, poor wound healing
- Dry, brittle hair, dull colour, loss of undercoat and primary guard hairs, sometimes hair retention (variable)
Compare the dermatological signs in hypothyroidism and Cushing’s
Cushing’s usually thinning of skin, hypothyroidism usually thickening
Explain the cause of the alopecia seen in hypothyroidism
- Failure to initiate anagen phase of hair growth if t4 deficient
- Bilaterally symmetrical and areas of wear and tear particularly affected, head and extremities often spared
Explain the pyoderma that may be seen in hypothyroidism
- Decreased thyroid hormones = suppression of immune response
- impaired T cell function and reduced circulating lymphocytes
- Can be focal, multifocal, generalised and cause marked pruritus
Explain the tragic facial expression that may be seen in hypothyroidism
- Occurs with severe thyroid deficiency
- Mucopolysaccharide (hyaluronic acid) deposits in the dermis bind water
- Leads to thickened and puffy skin, face and forehead, facial skin folds, upper eyelids drop
- Rare cases may develop myxoedema coma
What are the potential neurological signs that may be seen in hypothyroidism? (List)
- Peripheral neuropathy (e.g. facial nerve paralysis, laryngeal paralysis, ataxia, paraparesis)
- Seizures
- Vestibular disease
- Behavioural changes