Incidence and risk factors for insulinoma diagnosed in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK.

Insulinoma is the most common pancreatic tumor diagnosed in dogs. This study aimed to report incidence risk, breed predispositions and other demographic risk factors for insulinoma diagnosed in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK. The VetCompass Program supports research on anonymized electronic health records (EHRs) from dogs under UK veterinary care.

Diagnosis of naturally-occurring Cushing's syndrome by primary care veterinarians in selected European countries.

Background: Several tests are available to diagnose naturally-occurring Cushing's syndrome in dogs but there is a paucity of information on how primary care veterinarians (PCVs) use or interpret them.

Objectives: Determine how PCVs from selected European countries diagnose Cushing's syndrome in dogs.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey study assessing testing protocols used by PCVs for screening and differentiation of Cushing's syndrome.

Metabolomic profiling of pheochromocytomas in dogs: Catecholamine phenotype and tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites.

Background: In humans with pheochromocytomas (PCCs), targeted metabolomics is used to determine the catecholamine phenotype or to uncover underlying pathogenic variants in tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle genes such as succinate dehydrogenase subunits (SDHx).

Hypothesis/objectives: To analyze catecholamine contents and TCA cycle metabolites of PCCs and normal adrenals (NAs).

Animals: Ten healthy dogs, 21 dogs with PCC.

Whole transcriptome analysis of canine pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma.

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are neuroendocrine tumors arising from the chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla and extra-adrenal paraganglia, respectively. Local invasion, concurrent disorders, and metastases prevent surgical removal, which is the most effective treatment to date. Given the current lack of effective medical treatment, there is a need for novel therapeutic strategies.

Laparoscopic vs. open adrenalectomy: perioperative data and survival analysis in 70 dogs with an adrenal tumor.

Adrenalectomy is the treatment of choice in case of functional adrenal tumors and malignant adrenal incidentalomas. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) in dogs has gained popularity in recent years, however, clinical studies on large patient populations are scarce. This retrospective study describes perioperative and recurrence data, survival, and prognostic factors in 70 dogs that underwent LA or open adrenalectomy (OA) in our hospital between 2008 and 2022.

Challenges of transsphenoidal pituitary surgery in severe brachycephalic dogs.

Introduction: Transsphenoidal hypophysectomy is the standard surgical technique for the excision of pituitary neoplasms. Anatomy may be more obscured in brachycephalic skull types due to the crowding of soft tissue and osseous structures. We describe the unique challenges to approach the sphenoid bone and localize the correct burr hole site in severe brachycephalic dogs.

Plasma and urinary metanephrine and normetanephrine concentrations using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry in healthy cats and in a cat with pheochromocytoma.

Background: Pheochromocytoma (PCC) is rare in cats and plasma (PL) and urinary (U) metanephrines (metanephrine [MN]; normetanephrine [NMN]) measurement is rarely described in cats.

Objectives: We evaluated the utility of PL and U MNs measurement in 10 healthy cats and a cat with a confirmed diagnosis of pheochromocytoma (PheoCat), using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS).

Methods: Urine and EDTA PL samples collected from each of the 10 cats and the PheoCat were promptly stored at -80°C and remained frozen until analysis.

Reference intervals for plasma, urinary, and salivary concentrations of free metanephrines in dogs: Relevance to the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma.

Background: Measurement of free metanephrines is recommended for screening of pheochromocytoma (PCC) but requires appropriate reference intervals (RIs).

Hypothesis/objectives: To report RIs for plasma, urinary and salivary concentrations of free metanephrines and to determine the diagnostic performance of plasma free normetanephrine (pNMN) and metanephrine (pMN) concentrations in dogs with PCC, hypercortisolism (HC), and nonadrenal illness (NAI).

Animals: Eighty healthy dogs, 11 PCC dogs, 25 HC dogs, 6 NAI dogs.

Transcriptome sequencing reveals two subtypes of cortisol-secreting adrenocortical tumours in dogs and identifies CYP26B1 as a potential new therapeutic target.

Cushing's syndrome (CS) is a serious endocrine disorder that is relatively common in dogs, but rare in humans. In ~15%-20% of cases, CS is caused by a cortisol-secreting adrenocortical tumour (csACT). To identify differentially expressed genes that can improve prognostic predictions after surgery and represent novel treatment targets, we performed RNA sequencing on csACTs (n = 48) and normal adrenal cortices (NACs; n = 10) of dogs.

Ultrasonographic Detected Adrenomegaly in Clinically Ill Cats: A Retrospective Study.

This retrospective study aimed to assess the prevalence of ultrasonographic detected adrenomegaly in clinically ill cats, evaluating the final established diagnosis, describe adrenal ultrasound findings and if the adrenomegaly was suspected or incidental. Abdominal ultrasonography reports of cats presenting to a veterinary teaching hospital between October 2018 and February 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Cats showing adrenomegaly (one or both glands having a dorsoventral axis >4.

Circulating MicroRNAs as Non-invasive Biomarkers for Canine Cushing's Syndrome.

Canine Cushing's syndrome (hypercortisolism) can be caused by a pituitary tumor (pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism; PDH) or a cortisol-secreting adrenocortical tumor (csACT). For both cases, non-invasive biomarkers that could pre-operatively predict the risk of recurrence after surgery would greatly impact clinical decision making. The aim of this study was to determine whether circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) can be used as diagnostic (presence of PDH or csACT) and/or prognostic (disease recurrence, histological grade) non-invasive biomarkers for canine Cushing's syndrome.

CDC6: A novel canine tumour biomarker detected in circulating extracellular vesicles.

Circulating nucleic acids and extracellular vesicles (EV) represent novel biomarkers to diagnose cancer. The non-invasive nature of these so-called liquid biopsies provides an attractive alternative to tissue biopsy-based cancer diagnostics. This study aimed to investigate if circulating cell cycle-related E2F target transcripts can be used to diagnose tumours in canine tumour patients with different types of tumours.

Comparison of methods to monitor dogs with hypercortisolism treated with trilostane.

Background: The use of adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test as method to monitor efficacy of trilostane treatment of hypercortisolism (HC) in dogs has been questioned.

Objectives: To evaluate and compare 12 methods with which to monitor efficacy of trilostane treatment in dogs with HC.

Animals: Forty-five client-owned dogs with HC treated with trilostane q12h.

Evaluation of hypophysectomy for treatment of hypersomatotropism in 25 cats.

Background: Successful treatment of cats with hypersomatotropism by transsphenoidal hypophysectomy is described in small numbers of cats.

Objectives: To describe the endocrine profile, survival, and remission rates of hypersomatotropism and diabetes mellitus in a cohort of cats with hypersomatotropism that underwent hypophysectomy between 2008 and 2020.

Animals: Twenty-five client-owned cats with spontaneous hypersomatotropism.

Planar and single-photon emission computed tomography imaging in dogs with thyroid tumors: 68 cases.

Background: Information on scintigraphy findings in dogs with thyroid neoplasia is scarce. The use of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) could improve detection of metastatic disease.

Hypothesis/objectives: To describe planar and SPECT imaging findings in dogs with thyroid tumors, and to compare SPECT and thoracic radiography for metastasis detection.

Feline plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone: validation of a chemiluminescent assay and concentrations in cats with hypercortisolism, primary hypoadrenocorticism and other diseases.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to validate a commercially available chemiluminescent assay for measurement of feline plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone concentration (ACTH), to determine the normal reference interval (RI) of plasma ACTH in healthy cats, to assess plasma ACTH in cats with naturally occurring hypercortisolism (HC), primary hypoadrenocorticism (PH) and other diseases (OD), and to evaluate the effect of aprotinin on plasma ACTH degradation.

Methods: Forty healthy cats, 10 with HC, 11 with PH and 30 with OD, were included. The chemiluminescent enzyme immunometric assay was evaluated by measurement of intra-assay precision, interassay precision and linearity.

Molecular markers of prognosis in canine cortisol-secreting adrenocortical tumours.

Hypercortisolism is caused by a cortisol-secreting adrenocortical tumour (ACT) in approximately 15%-20% of cases in dogs. Little is known about which molecular markers are associated with malignant behaviour of canine ACTs. The objective of this study was to identify molecular markers of prognosis, which could be useful to refine prognostic prediction and to identify potential treatment targets.

Molecular Alterations in Dog Pheochromocytomas and Paragangliomas.

8658860258318000Recently, genetic alterations in the genes encoding succinate dehydrogenase subunit B and D ( and ) were identified in pet dogs that presented with spontaneously arising pheochromocytomas (PCC) and paragangliomas (PGL; together PPGL), suggesting dogs might be an interesting comparative model for the study of human PPGL. To study whether canine PPGL resembled human PPGL, we investigated a series of 50 canine PPGLs by immunohistochemistry to determine the expression of synaptophysin (SYP), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and succinate dehydrogenase subunit A (SDHA) and B (SDHB). In parallel, 25 canine PPGLs were screened for mutations in and by Sanger sequencing.

The Utrecht Score: A novel histopathological scoring system to assess the prognosis of dogs with cortisol-secreting adrenocortical tumours.

A cortisol-secreting adrenocortical tumour (ACT) is the cause of naturally occurring canine hypercortisolism in approximately 15% to 20% of cases. The differentiation between an adrenocortical adenoma and carcinoma is usually based on histopathology. However, histopathological parameters have never been linked to the dogs' survival.

Concurrent pituitary and adrenocortical lesions on computed tomography imaging in dogs with spontaneous hypercortisolism.

Background: Spontaneous hypercortisolism or Cushing's syndrome in dogs is either pituitary or adrenal dependent, but concurrent pituitary and adrenal hypercortisolism also has been reported.

Objective: To determine how often concurrent pituitary and adrenal lesions are present in dogs with spontaneous hypercortisolism.

Animals: Two hundred one client-owned dogs with spontaneous hypercortisolism.

TRH-induced secretion of adrenocorticotropin and cortisol in dogs with pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism.

Background: In dogs, spontaneous Cushing's syndrome is most often pituitary-dependent and caused by hypersecretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), resulting in increased adrenocortical glucocorticoid secretion similar to horses. In horses with Cushing's syndrome (or pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction [PPID]) a thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation test can be used for diagnosis, as TRH administration results in increased circulating ACTH and cortisol concentrations in affected horses.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of TRH administration on the circulating ACTH and cortisol concentrations in dogs with pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism (PDH).

Abiraterone Acetate for Cushing Syndrome: Study in a Canine Primary Adrenocortical Cell Culture Model.

Abiraterone acetate (AA) is a potent inhibitor of steroidogenic enzyme 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (CYP17A1). AA is approved for the treatment of prostate cancer but could also be used to treat patients with Cushing syndrome (CS). Similar to humans, canine glucocorticoid synthesis requires CYP17A1, providing a useful animal model.

Melanocortin 2 receptor antagonists in canine pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism: in vitro studies.

Canine hypercortisolism is most often caused by an ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma (pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism; PDH). An interesting target for a selective medical treatment of PDH would be the receptor for ACTH: the melanocortin 2 receptor (MC2R). In this study we investigated whether two peptide compounds, BIM-22776 (#776) and BIM-22A299 (#299), are effective MC2R antagonists in vitro.

Use of basal and TRH-stimulated plasma growth hormone concentrations to differentiate between primary hypothyroidism and nonthyroidal illness in dogs.

Background: A low plasma total thyroxine (TT ) concentration in combination with a plasma TSH concentration within reference range does not distinguish between hypothyroidism and nonthyroidal illness (NTI) in dogs. Hypothyroidism is associated with TSH-releasing hormone (TRH)-induced increased release of growth hormone (GH).

Hypothesis: Basal and TRH-induced plasma GH concentrations can be used to distinguish hypothyroid dogs from NTI dogs.