Acromegaly due to a pituitary tumor in a dog – diagnosis, therapy and long-term follow-up

Abstract

Acromegaly due to a pituitary tumor has so far only been described in 3 dogs. The present case report describes a 7-year-old male-castrated Labrador Retriever which was referred because of difficult-to-control diabetes. Physical examination revealed markedly enlarged head, tongue and paws, widened interdental spaces and thickening of the skin in the head and neck area. IGF-1 and GH were increased and the latter continued to be abnormal after somatostatin application. Computed tomography demonstrated a space-occupying lesion in the pituitary gland and the diagnosis of acromegaly due to a GH-producing tumor of the pituitary was made. The dog underwent radiation therapy with a 6MV linear accelerator (3×8Gy) and improved substantially. Two and a half years after radiation therapy the dog developed lethargy and anorexia and was euthanized. Necropsy was not permitted. This case report represents the description of a dog suffering from pituitary-dependent acromegaly which was successfully treated and had a long-term survival