The aim of the current study was to identify independent risk factors for thyroid axis
alterations in dogs with non-thyroidal diseases. In this retrospective cross-sectional
study, data and plasma samples from 207 dogs with non-thyroidal diseases was used. The
involvement of various factors (disease severity, sex, age, breed, category and duration
of disease, and medication) in the alteration of plasma thyroxine (T4) or
thyroid-stimulation hormone (TSH) concentrations was analyzed using multivariate logistic
regression. Among the 207 dogs analyzed, 99 (47.8%) had low plasma T4 concentrations,
while 45 (21.7%) had high TSH concentrations. Intact male sex [odds ratio (OR), 3.25;
1.67–6.35;
P
<0.001], Labrador Retrievers (OR, 18.70; 2.32–151.00;
P
=0.006), moderate (OR, 2.39; 1.21–4.74;
P
=0.012) and
severe diseases (OR, 6.84; 2.27–20.70;
P
<0.001) were associated with
increased risk for low plasma T4 concentrations. Meanwhile, intact male (OR, 3.93;
1.51–10.30;
P
=0.005), spayed female (OR, 4.22; 1.59–11.20;
P
=0.004), older age (OR, 2.73; 1.28–5.84;
P
=0.009),
and Miniature Dachshunds (OR, 5.39; 2.38–12.20;
P
<0.001) had increased
risk for high plasma TSH concentrations. Disease severity had been determined as an
independent risk factor for canine NTIS. In addition, sex, age and breed were also
associated with thyroid axis alterations in dogs with non-thyroidal diseases.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of concurrent measurement of
serum phosphorylated neurofilament heavy subunit (pNF-H) concentration and intramedullary
T2W hyperintensity in paraplegic to paraplegic dogs. Our hypothesis was that concurrent
measurement of these would provide a more accurate prediction of functional outcome in
dogs with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH). A prospective case-control
clinical study was designed using 94 dogs with acute onset of thoracolumbar IVDH. The
association of serum pNF-H concentration, T2W hyperintensity on sagittal MRI (T2H/L2),
deep pain perception and surgical outcome were evaluated with logistic regression analysis
after three months for all 94 surgically treated dogs. Sensitivity to predict
non-ambulatory outcome was compared among pNF-H and T2H/L2 and combination of both.
Logistic regression analysis indicated that serum pNF-H concentration and T2H/L2 were
significantly correlated with surgical outcome (P<0.05); however, deep
pain perception was not (P=0.41). The results of logistic regression
analysis indicated that the odds ratios of unsuccessful long-term outcome were 2.6 for
serum pNF-H concentration, 1.9 for T2H/L2 and 2.3 for deep pain sensation. The sensitivity
and specificity to predict non-ambulatory outcome for using serum parameter pNF-H>2.6
ng/ml, using T2H/L2 value of>0.84 and using both
serum pNF-H and T2H/L2, were 95% and 75.7%, 65% and 86.5%, and 90.0% and 97.5%,
respectively. Therefore, combined measurements of serum pNF-H and T2H/L2 might be useful
for predicting long-term outcome in dogs with thoracolumbar IVDH.
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