Medical Management of Dental Abnormalities Related to Congenital Hypothyroidism in a Cat.

A 5-month-old intact male domestic shorthair cat presenting for routine vaccinations was diagnosed with congenital hypothyroidism. His primary presenting symptom was incomplete dentition with delayed dental eruption. Congenital hypothyroidism was confirmed by baseline thyroxine (T4), free T4, and thyroid-stimulating hormone testing. The cat was treated with oral thyroid hormone supplementation and 16 weeks after initiation of therapy the cat was clinically normal with age-appropriate dentition. No surgical intervention was necessary to achieve normal dental eruption.

CONGENITAL HYPOTHYROIDISM IN A BORNEAN ORANGUTAN (PONGO PYGMAEUS) AND A SUMATRAN ORANGUTAN (PONGO ABELII).

Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) in humans is most commonly caused by disruption of thyroid gland development (dysgenesis) or an inherited defect in thyroid hormone biosynthesis (dyshormonogenesis). CH has not been previously documented in great apes. This report describes the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of CH in a 9-mo-old male Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) and a 6-wk-old female Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii). Primary CH due to thyroid dysgenesis was confirmed in the Bornean orangutan using sonography and radioisotope scintigraphy. Although commercial thyroid immunoassays are not validated for use in orangutans, in comparison to age-matched controls, thyroid-stimulating hormone level was markedly elevated, and serum thyroxine (T4) and free T4 levels were markedly decreased in both cases. Oral supplementation with levothyroxine sodium resulted in noticeable clinical improvement in both orangutans within 30 days of initiating treatment.

Congenital Feline Hypothyroidism With Partially Erupted Adult Dentition in a 10-Month-Old Male Neutered Domestic Shorthair Cat: A Case Report.

Congenital feline hypothyroidism was diagnosed in a 10-month-old kitten. The kitten appeared to have disproportionate dwarfism, with the clinical signs of incompletely erupted permanent dentition covered by thickened gingival tissue, short stature, a broad, flattened face, short neck, pendulous abdomen, kitten-like hair coat, and goiter. Hypothyroidism was confirmed with baseline T4, freeT4, and thyroid-stimulating hormone testing. The kitten was treated with thyroid hormone supplementation and monitored. The kitten appeared clinically like a normal healthy cat at 22 months of age on thyroid supplementation.

Congenital hypothyroidism and concurrent renal insufficiency in a kitten.

A 3-month-old male domestic short-hair kitten was presented with chronic constipation and disproportionate dwarfism. Radiographs of the long bones and spine revealed delayed epiphyseal ossification and epiphyseal dysgenesis. Diagnosis of congenital primary hypothyroidism was confirmed by low serum total thyroxine and high thyroid stimulating hormone concentrations. Appropriate supplementation of levothyroxine was instituted. The kitten subsequently developed mild renal azotaemia and renal proteinuria, possibly as a consequence of treatment or an unmasked congenital renal developmental abnormality. Early recognition, diagnosis and treatment are vital as alleviation of clinical signs may depend on the cat's age at the time of diagnosis.