Secretion of sex hormones in dogs with adrenal dysfunction.

Objective: To evaluate adrenal sex hormone concentrations in response to ACTH stimulation in healthy dogs, dogs with adrenal tumors, and dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH).

Design: Prospective study.

Animals: 11 healthy control dogs, 9 dogs with adrenal-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (adenocarcinoma [ACA] or other tumor); 11 dogs with PDH, and 6 dogs with noncortisol-secreting adrenal tumors (ATs).

Validation of a chemiluminescent enzyme immunometric assay for plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone in the dog.

Background: The concentration of canine adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is usually determined by radioimmunoassay. However, chemiluminescent assay techniques have many advantages for clinical endocrine testing.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to validate a commercially available chemiluminescent assay for determination of canine ACTH concentration and to determine whether protease inhibitors are appropriate for use in the chemiluminescent assay system.