This study included 35 lambs with selenium deficient myopathy (SDM) and 30 healthy lambs. Measurements were made in each group for the markers of SDM (erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase [GSH-Px] and plasma creatine kinase [CK] ), and serum thyroid-stimulating hormone adapted for sheep (sTSH), total thyroxine (T4) and total triiodothyronine (T3).

Compared with findings in healthy lambs, GSH-Px activity, T3 concentration and T3:T4 ratio were significantly decreased, whereas T4 concentration, sTSH and CK activity were significantly increased in affected lambs. Analysis revealed a significant negative correlation in the affected group between erythrocyte GSH-Px activity and plasma CK activity, sTSH, T4 and T3 concentrations.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance Results suggested that notable changes in circulating amounts of thyroid hormones develop in association with selenium deficiency in lambs. Such alterations in thyroid hormone metabolism may be involved in the high incidence of disorders, such as stillbirths and neonatal deaths, in selenium-deficient flocks.

Reference: Dalir-Naghadeh and Asri Rezaei. AJVR 69:659-663, 2008.

This prospective study assessed the long-term survival rate and factors that affect survival time of 130 domestic ferrets treated surgically for hyperadrenocorticism.

Medical records of ferrets surgically treated for hyperadrenocorticism were reviewed. Data recorded included signalment, duration of clinical signs prior to hospital admission, CBC values, serum biochemical analysis results, anesthetic time, surgical time, concurrent diseases, adrenal gland affected (right, left, or both), histopathologic diagnosis, surgical procedure, caudal vena caval involvement, postoperative melena , days in hospital after surgery, and whether clinical signs of hyperadrenocorticism developed after surgery.

Eleven of the 130 ferrets were admitted and underwent surgery twice. The 1- and 2-year survival rates were 98% and 88%, respectively. A 50% survival rate was never reached. Combined partial adrenal gland resection with cryosurgery had a significantly negative effect on survival time. No other risk factors were identified. Survival time was not significantly affected by either histopathologic diagnosis or specific affected adrenal gland (right, left, or both).

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance Ferrets with adrenal gland masses that were treated surgically had a good prognosis. Survival time of ferrets with hyperadrenocorticism undergoing surgery was not affected by the histologic characteristic of the tumor, the adrenal glands affected (right, left, or both), or complete versus partial adrenal gland resection. Debulking was a sufficient surgical technique to allow a favorable long-term outcome when complete excision was not possible.

Reference: Swiderski et al. Waitt and Cebra. JAVMA 232: 1338-1343, 2008.

This retrospective case study of 23 alpacas and 8 llamas (camelids) with hypertriglyceridemia evaluated the signalment, clinical features of disease, and response to treatment with insulin.

For analysis of medical record data, 20 hypertriglyceridemic camelids with multiple recorded measurements of serum or plasma triglycerides concentration were classified as follows: those with initial triglycerides concentration > 60 to 500 mg/dL that were (T) or not (NT) treated with insulin (T), and those with high initial triglycerides concentration > 500 mg/dL that were treated with insulin (HT). Another 11 hypertriglyceridemic camelids were included in the characterization of the signalment and clinical features of disease.

Compared with the general population of hospitalized camelids, hypertriglyceridemic camelids did not differ significantly with respect to age or sex. Of 22 female camelids, only 7 were lactating or pregnant. Triglycerides concentrations in NT and T camelids did not differ significantly at admission, but these concentrations decreased significantly after insulin treatment. During hospitalization, triglycerides concentrations in NT camelids increased, whereas those in NT and HT camelids decreased significantly.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance Results indicated that hypertriglyceridemia affects llamas and alpacas of all ages and both sexes. Insulin treatment may reduce serum or plasma triglycerides concentrations in camelids with hypertriglyceridemia.

Reference: Waitt and Cebra. JAVMA 232: 1362-1367, 2008.

Breed differences in susceptibility to diabetes mellitus in dogs suggest an underlying genetic component to the pathogenesis of the disease. There is little evidence for an equivalent of human type 2 diabetes in dogs, and it has been proposed that canine diabetes is more comparable to the type 1 form of the disease. Certain immune response genes, particularly those encoding major histocompatibility complex molecules involved in antigen presentation, are important in determining susceptibility to human type 1 diabetes.

The hypothesis tested was that canine major histocompatibility complex genes (known as dog leucocyte antigen) are associated with diabetes in dogs. A total of 530 diabetic dogs and more than 1000 controls were typed for dog leucocyte antigen [DLA], and associations were found with three specific haplotypes. The
DLA-DRB1*009/DQA1*001/DQB1*008 haplotype showed the strongest association with diabetes in the UK dog population. This haplotype is common in diabetes-prone breeds (Samoyed, Cairn terrier and Tibetan terrier) but rare in diabetes-resistant breeds (boxer, German shepherd dog and golden retriever), which could explain differences in the prevalence of diabetes in these different breeds. There is evidence that the DLA-DQA1*001 allele is also associated with hypothyroidism (Kennedy et al, 2006), suggesting that this could represent a common susceptibility allele for canine immune-mediated endocrinopathies.

Reference: Catchpole et al. J Sm An Pract 49: 4-10, 2008; Kennedy et al. Tissue Antigens 68:82-86, 2006.