Levothyroxine supplementation in hypothyroid bitches during pregnancy. 2020

Julie Cecere, and Beverly Purswell, and David Panciera
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, 205 Duck Pond Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA. Electronic address: juliet@vt.edu.

Hypothyroidism is the most common endocrine disease in dogs and has been shown to have a hereditary nature in many breeds. Previous studies have documented decreased fertility in bitches with experimentally-induced hypothyroidism, decreased viability at birth, increased periparturient mortality, and reduced birth weight in pups born to hypothyroid dogs. Hypothyroid women have an increased demand for exogenous thyroxine throughout gestation in order to maintain normal plasma concentrations of thyroid hormones and produce neuropsychologically normal children. This study was performed to determine if pregnancy causes a similar need for increased levothyroxine dosages in dogs to maintain a euthyroid state. Serum was harvested from blood collected from six bitches with experimentally-induced hypothyroidism that were receiving standard thyroid hormone replacement therapy and from four euthyroid control bitches. Thyroid function tests performed on these samples included total thyroxine (T4), free T4 (fT4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3). Thyroid function tests were measured from ovulation through the end of pregnancy. All bitches whelped normal litters. Euthyroid bitches had no significant alterations in their hormone concentrations throughout pregnancy. None of the supplemented hypothyroid bitches had clinical signs of hypothyroidism throughout the study. Serum concentrations of T4 and fT4 were elevated compared to ovulation at multiple sample points during gestation in supplemented dogs. The results from this study indicate that standard levothyroxine supplementation is adequate to maintain a euthyroid state during pregnancy in experimentally-induced hypothyroid dogs. In addition, there is no evidence that canine thyroid profiles in euthyroid dogs are altered during gestation.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007037 Hypothyroidism A syndrome that results from abnormally low secretion of THYROID HORMONES from the THYROID GLAND, leading to a decrease in BASAL METABOLIC RATE. In its most severe form, there is accumulation of MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDES in the SKIN and EDEMA, known as MYXEDEMA. It may be primary or secondary due to other pituitary disease, or hypothalamic dysfunction. Central Hypothyroidism,Primary Hypothyroidism,Secondary Hypothyroidism,TSH Deficiency,Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Deficiency,Central Hypothyroidisms,Deficiency, TSH,Deficiency, Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone,Hormone Deficiency, Thyroid-Stimulating,Hypothyroidism, Central,Hypothyroidism, Primary,Hypothyroidism, Secondary,Hypothyroidisms,Primary Hypothyroidisms,Secondary Hypothyroidisms,TSH Deficiencies,Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Deficiency,Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Deficiencies
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D011270 Pregnancy, Animal The process of bearing developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero in non-human mammals, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Animal Pregnancies,Animal Pregnancy,Pregnancies, Animal
D004283 Dog Diseases Diseases of the domestic dog (Canis familiaris). This term does not include diseases of wild dogs, WOLVES; FOXES; and other Canidae for which the heading CARNIVORA is used. Canine Diseases,Canine Disease,Disease, Canine,Disease, Dog,Diseases, Canine,Diseases, Dog,Dog Disease
D004285 Dogs The domestic dog, Canis familiaris, comprising about 400 breeds, of the carnivore family CANIDAE. They are worldwide in distribution and live in association with people. (Walker's Mammals of the World, 5th ed, p1065) Canis familiaris,Dog
D005260 Female Females
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013972 Thyrotropin A glycoprotein hormone secreted by the adenohypophysis (PITUITARY GLAND, ANTERIOR). Thyrotropin stimulates THYROID GLAND by increasing the iodide transport, synthesis and release of thyroid hormones (THYROXINE and TRIIODOTHYRONINE). Thyrotropin consists of two noncovalently linked subunits, alpha and beta. Within a species, the alpha subunit is common in the pituitary glycoprotein hormones (TSH; LUTEINIZING HORMONE and FSH), but the beta subunit is unique and confers its biological specificity. Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone,TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone),Thyreotropin,Thyrotrophin,Hormone, Thyroid-Stimulating,Thyroid Stimulating Hormone
D013974 Thyroxine The major hormone derived from the thyroid gland. Thyroxine is synthesized via the iodination of tyrosines (MONOIODOTYROSINE) and the coupling of iodotyrosines (DIIODOTYROSINE) in the THYROGLOBULIN. Thyroxine is released from thyroglobulin by proteolysis and secreted into the blood. Thyroxine is peripherally deiodinated to form TRIIODOTHYRONINE which exerts a broad spectrum of stimulatory effects on cell metabolism. L-Thyroxine,Levothyroxine,T4 Thyroid Hormone,3,5,3',5'-Tetraiodothyronine,Berlthyrox,Dexnon,Eferox,Eltroxin,Eltroxine,Euthyrox,Eutirox,L-3,5,3',5'-Tetraiodothyronine,L-Thyrox,L-Thyroxin Henning,L-Thyroxin beta,L-Thyroxine Roche,Levo-T,Levothroid,Levothyroid,Levothyroxin Deladande,Levothyroxin Delalande,Levothyroxine Sodium,Levoxine,Levoxyl,Lévothyrox,Novothyral,Novothyrox,O-(4-Hydroxy-3,5-diiodophenyl) 3,5-diiodo-L-tyrosine,O-(4-Hydroxy-3,5-diiodophenyl)-3,5-diiodotyrosine,Oroxine,Sodium Levothyroxine,Synthroid,Synthrox,Thevier,Thyrax,Thyroxin,Tiroidine,Tiroxina Leo,Unithroid,L Thyrox,L Thyroxin Henning,L Thyroxin beta,L Thyroxine,L Thyroxine Roche,Levo T,Thyroid Hormone, T4
D014284 Triiodothyronine A T3 thyroid hormone normally synthesized and secreted by the thyroid gland in much smaller quantities than thyroxine (T4). Most T3 is derived from peripheral monodeiodination of T4 at the 5' position of the outer ring of the iodothyronine nucleus. The hormone finally delivered and used by the tissues is mainly T3. Liothyronine,T3 Thyroid Hormone,3,3',5-Triiodothyronine,Cytomel,Liothyronine Sodium,Thyroid Hormone, T3

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