The purpose of this study was to determine if there are specific
steroid hormone aberrations associated with suspect endocrine alopecias in dogs in whom
hypothyroidism and
hyperadrenocorticism have been excluded.
Steroid hormone panels submitted to the UTCVM endocrinology laboratory over a 7.5-year period (783 samples) from dogs with
alopecia were reviewed. During this period, 276 dogs met the criteria for inclusion and were comprised of 54 different breeds. Approximately 73% of dogs had at least one baseline or post-
ACTH stimulation
steroid hormone intermediate greater than the normal range. The most frequent
hormone elevation noted was for
progesterone (57.6% of samples). When compared with normal dogs,
oestradiol was significantly greater in Keeshond dogs and
progesterone was significantly greater in Pomeranian and Siberian Husky dogs. Not all individual dogs had
hormone abnormalities. Chow Chow, Samoyed and Malamute dogs had the greatest percentage of normal
steroid hormone intermediates of the dogs in this study. Baseline
cortisol concentrations were significantly correlated with
progesterone,
17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) and
androstenedione. Results of this study suggest that the pathomechanism of the
alopecia, at least for some breeds, may not relate to
steroid hormone intermediates and emphasizes the need for breed specific normals.