Veterinary Research Forum
Vet Res Forum

Generalized megaesophagus associated with Schmidt-like syndrome in a dog

Document Type : Clinical Report

Authors

Reza Azargoun 1
Seyed Mohammad Hashemi-Asl 2
Siamak Asri-Rezaei 1

1 Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

2 Department of Surgery and Diagnostic Imaging, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

https://doi.org/10.30466/vrf.2024.2011964.4014
Abstract
A 2-year-old intact male Asian Shepherd dog was referred with a history of chronic regurgitation along with normal appetite and diagnosis of megaesophagus on plain radiography. Clinical examination revealed normothermia, normocardia, normopnea, low body condition score and poor hair coat. The most important laboratory findings include anemia, azotemia, hyperlipidemia, increased thyroid stimulating hormone, decreased thyroxine and hypocortisolemia, as well as a marked increase in acetylcholine receptor antibody concentration. Based on the results, in addition to primary hypothyroidism and primary hypoadrenocorticism, myasthenia gravis was also diagnosed as an underlying cause of megaesophagus. Following nursing care and preferred treatment of each disease, the megaesophagus was resolved in the next visit. This clinical report describes for the first time, to the authors' knowledge, a dog with a rare type of autoimmune polyglandular syndrome (APS) known in human medicine as a Schmidt's syndrome. We want to emphasize the importance of clinicians’ awareness regarding the possibility of APS to identify different diseases caused by it in order to achieve successful treatment.

Keywords

Autoimmune poly-glandular syndrome
Hypoadrenocorticism
Hypothyroidism
Myasthenia gravis
Subjects
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Veterinary Research Forum
Volume 15, Issue 4
April 2024
Pages 215-218

  • Receive Date 20 September 2023
  • Revise Date 25 December 2023
  • Accept Date 08 January 2024

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