Occurrence of hypothyroidism-associated epilepsy in a dog: a case report... | ||
| تحقیقات دامپزشکی و فرآوردههای بیولوژیک | ||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 16 June 2026 | ||
| Document Type: Case Report | ||
| DOI: 10.22092/vj.2026.371871.2278 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Reza Azargoun* ; Siamak Asri-Rezaei; Zahra Saeidi tala-tapeh | ||
| Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Introduction: Epilepsy describes a difficult-to-treat disease that manifests with chronic recurrent seizures. Patients with epilepsy usually have a high rate of comorbidities. Early diagnosis and treatment of these diseases can reduce the severity of epilepsy and increase the quality of life. Based on recent studies and the known effects of thyroid function on the pathogenesis of epilepsy, hypothyroidism has been associated with epileptic seizures. Objective: Since the neurological complications of hypothyroidism have rarely been studied in small animals, this report describes a rare case of hypothyroidism-associated epilepsy in a dog. Methods: A four-year-old, intact male Alaskan Malamute was referred to Urmia University Veterinary Hospital with the owner's complaint of a history of recurrent generalized seizures for about six months. Depression, hypothermia, and suboptimal body condition score were among the abnormal findings on physical examination. Results: Urinalysis and cerebrospinal fluid analysis were unremarkable. Hematology and biochemical studies showed neutrophilia, anemia, lipemia, azotemia, and elevated liver enzymes. Thyroid function evaluation showed low levels of total (0.9 μg/dl) and free (0.57 ng/dl) thyroxine, and high levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (14.32 mlU/L). Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, primary hypothyroidism was considered a possible underlying cause of epilepsy, and significant improvement was achieved following treatment. The mechanism of the association between these two diseases can be attributed to factors that regulate the pathogenesis of epilepsy, while being strongly influenced by thyroid hormones. This report, while confirming the role of thyroid hormones in canine seizures, emphasizes the attention of veterinarians to underlying metabolic diseases in the occurrence of epilepsy. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Seizures; thyroid; levothyroxine; Malamute; hypothyroidism | ||
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