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Hypothyroidism - A cause for dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs; four year study (2008-2011)

Aim: The study was carried out to understand the thyroid dysfunction and its association with dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs. 
 
Materials and Methods: The study was done at Teaching Veterinary Hospital, Bhoiguda, College of Veterinary Science, Hyderabad for four years, i.e., from 2008 to 2011. A total of 256 dogs of various breed, age and sex were presented with typical skin and coat abnormalities. Few were also exhibiting signs of low metabolic rate. Skin sample analysis was done to rule out the causes of dermatitis. Thyroid profile was estimated to diagnose hypothyroidism. Selected cases were also subjected for echocardiography to study the association of cardiomyopathy. Based on thyroid profile, hypothyroid dogs were treated with levothyroxine @20mcg/kg wt, once daily, orally on empty stomach and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) associated patients were additionally supplemented with enalapril @0.5 mg/kg, twice daily, orally for 6 months. The hemato biochemical and echocardiographic aspects are discussed. 
 
Results: The classical signs that were recorded in almost all the thyroid dysfunction dogs (231) were bilateral alopecia, rat tail and pigmentation and whereas, dyspnoea at rest, exercise intolerance, obesity, pale mucosae and corneal lipidosis were the significant low metabolic rate signs noticed in 42 dogs. However, syncope and seizures were also recorded in 31 of these hypothyroid dogs. Echocardiographic evaluation revealed significantly (P