Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome with hypoadrenocorticism and diabetes mellitus in a dog: A rare case

Abstract

Background: Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome, also called polyglandular autoimmune syndrome, is a rare immune-mediated disorder that involves various endocrine glands.

Purpose: To report autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome in a dog.

Methods: A 9-year-old spayed female miniature poodle diagnosed with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus emergently visited our clinic for anorexia, severe depression, and vomiting. Hyponatremia, hypochloridemia, and recurrent hypoglycaemia were found. Hypoadrenocorticism was diagnosed based on consistent clinical signs and repeated adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation tests.

Results: After injecting deoxycorticosterone pivalate and increasing the oral prednisolone dose, the patient's systemic condition improved.

Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of hypoadrenocorticism concurrent with diabetes mellitus in a dog. Furthermore, we would like to present the probability of an immune-mediated disorder with multiple organs involved, like type IV autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome in humans.

Keywords: glomerular nephropathy; hyperadrenocorticism; inflammatory bowel disease; insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; polyglandular autoimmune syndrome.