Canine Endocrine Disorders and Diagnostic Approaches

Canine endocrine disorders encompass a diverse array of conditions arising from dysregulation of hormone-producing glands, most commonly affecting the adrenal, pituitary and thyroid axes. Among the most prevalent are hyperadrenocorticism (excess cortisol production), hypoadrenocorticism (cortisol and aldosterone deficiency), diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism. Clinical signs often overlap with other systemic diseases and range from polyuria, polydipsia and dermatological lesions to weakness, weight changes and gastrointestinal disturbances. Definitive diagnosis relies on integration of history, physical examination and targeted laboratory assays such as basal hormone measurements and dynamic tests (for example, ACTH stimulation or suppression protocols), supplemented by diagnostic imaging to evaluate gland size or detect neoplastic changes. Recent advances extend into genetic and immunological markers, automated prediction tools and machine-learning algorithms, aiming to expedite case identification, improve monitoring of therapy and refine prognostic assessments. Together, these developments hold promise for earlier intervention, more precise therapeutic dosing and enhanced outcomes in both individual patients and broader canine populations, while offering translational insights into human endocrine disease models.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated the utility of machine-learning algorithms applied to large primary-care electronic health records to predict Cushing’s syndrome at first suspicion. By incorporating demographic data, presenting clinical signs and routine laboratory variables, models such as LASSO-penalised regression achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of approximately 0.85, with sensitivity and specificity both exceeding 0.70. These approaches promise to support veterinarians in decision-making, enabling earlier confirmation of hyperadrenocorticism and reducing unnecessary testing. The work also underscores the potential for artificial intelligence to integrate heterogeneous data streams and to deliver clinical decision support at the point of care.

Canine Endocrine Disorders and Diagnostic Approaches publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in canine endocrine disorders and diagnostic approaches across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Hyperadrenocorticism: Excessive production of glucocorticoids by the adrenal glands, often termed Cushing’s syndrome.

Hypoadrenocorticism: Insufficient secretion of cortisol and/or aldosterone, commonly known as Addison’s disease.

ACTH stimulation test: A dynamic endocrine assay measuring adrenal cortisol response to synthetic adrenocorticotropic hormone.

LASSO regression: A statistical machine-learning method that performs variable selection and regularisation to enhance predictive accuracy.

References

1. Machine-learning based prediction of Cushing’s syndrome in dogs attending UK primary-care veterinary practice. Scientific Reports (2021).
2. Evaluation of resting cortisol concentration testing in dogs with chronic gastrointestinal signs. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine (2022).
3. Diagnosis of canine spontaneous hypoadrenocorticism. Companion Animal Health and Genetics (2022).