Travail V, Fernandez Sanchez C, Costo JM, Valentine N, Conroy M, Lee V, Bouziopoulos D, Bateman K, Gatehouse E, Cruzado‐Perez J, Pollard D, Lamb V, Juvet F, Kelly D. Assessment of the likelihood of hypothyroidism in dogs diagnosed with and treated for hypothyroidism at primary care practices: 102 cases (2016-2021).
J Vet Intern Med 2024;
38:931-941. [PMID:
38314891 PMCID:
PMC10937491 DOI:
10.1111/jvim.16993]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
There is a possibility that an incorrect diagnosis of hypothyroidism could be made in euthyroid dogs, and the prevalence of hypothyroidism in the dog population remains unknown.
OBJECTIVES
To retrospectively assess the percentage of dogs diagnosed with, and treated for, hypothyroidism at first opinion practice which are likely to be hypothyroid and require levothyroxine supplementation.
ANIMALS
One hundred two client-owned dogs were included in this study.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The computerized databases of 7 first opinion practices were searched to identify dogs treated with levothyroxine supplementation. Three European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine-Companian Animals (ECVIM-CA) diplomates independently assigned 1 of 4 clinical assessments to each case as follows: confirmed or likely hypothyroid, hypothyroidism suspected but not confirmed, hypothyroidism considered unlikely, and no reason to suspect hypothyroidism. They commented as to whether or not they thought levothyroxine supplementation was appropriate.
RESULTS
The clinical assessments of "confirmed or likely hypothyroid"; "Hypothyroidism suspected but not confirmed"; "Hypothyroidism considered unlikely"; and "No reason to suspect hypothyroidism" was assigned respectively by Clinician 1 to 38.2%, 5.9%, 3.9%, and 52% of cases, by Clinician 2 to 48%, 22.6%, 22.6%, 6.9% of cases, and by Clinician 3 to 55.9%, 11.8%, 13.7% and 18.6%. Clinician 1, Clinician 2, and Clinician 3 considered levothyroxine supplementation not indicated in 58.8%, 52.9%, and 45.1% of cases, respectively.
CONCLUSION
These results support the concern that hypothyroidism might be overly and incorrectly diagnosed in first opinion practice, and that thyroid function testing should be performed only in those dogs with a high pretest probability of the disease.
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