Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Addison's disease due to bilateral adrenal malignancy in a dog.
- Journal:
- The Journal of small animal practice
- Year:
- 2010
- Authors:
- Kook, P H et al.
- Affiliation:
- Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 12-year-old Rottweiler-Labrador mix was brought to the vet because he had stopped eating and seemed very weak. Tests showed that he had adrenal insufficiency, which means his adrenal glands weren't producing enough hormones, and he had low sodium and high potassium levels. Imaging revealed that both of his adrenal glands were enlarged, but other tests on his liver, spleen, and lymph nodes came back normal. Although he initially improved with treatment, he got worse again soon after, and his owners decided to have him euthanized after surgery to remove both adrenal glands. The examination of the removed glands showed aggressive cancer, which is the first known case of this type of cancer causing adrenal problems in a dog.
Abstract
A 12-year-old Rottweiler cross Labrador was presented with anorexia and weakness. Adrenal insufficiency was diagnosed with hyponatraemia, hyperkalaemia and undetectable resting and post-ACTH cortisol and aldosterone concentrations. The only abnormal diagnostic imaging result was bilateral adrenomegaly. Cytologic findings of liver, spleen and peripheral lymph nodes were normal. The dog responded initially to standard replacement therapy but relapsed shortly afterwards. The owners opted for euthanasia and allowed only removal of both adrenal glands. Microscopically, infiltrative polymorphic proliferations of densely packed tumour cells arranged as nests, intermingled with multifocal areas of necrosis and inflammatory cells were found. Silver staining revealed a few non-neoplastic adrenomedullary cells, whereas neoplastic cells did not stain. Immunohistochemistry was negative for neuron-specific enolase, vimentin, cytokeratin, synaptophysin, chromogranin A, S-100 protein, CD 56, 79 and 3. The final diagnosis was highly anaplastic bilateral adrenal neoplasia. This is the first report of bilateral adrenal malignancy presenting as clinical hypoadrenocorticism in a dog.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20492452/