Improvement of the clinical signs of gait abnormality after treatment with levothyroxine in a horse with shivering and hypothyroidism.

This research article documents the successful treatment of a horse diagnosed with gait abnormality and hypothyroidism using the drug levothyroxine over the course of one year.

Introduction

• The study revolves around an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding, a horse breed popular for jumping. This particular horse was suffering from abnormal movements and issues with its hindlimbs’ hooves.

Diagnosis

• The clinical examinations carried out revealed symptoms in line with a condition known as “shivers,” a rare neuromuscular disorder in horses that causes trembling and difficulty moving the hind limbs.
• In addition to the shivers, an enlarged thyroid gland was observed and the horse’s thyroid hormone (TH) concentrations were significantly lower than normal. Furthermore, the response to administered thyrotropin-releasing hormone, a hormone regulating thyroid functionality was low.
• Signs pointed to the presence of hypothyroidism, a condition that occurs when the horse’s body doesn’t make sufficient thyroid hormones.

Treatment and Recovery

• The approach to treating this horse involved the administration of levothyroxine, which is commonly used in replacing or provide more thyroid hormone. This treatment spanned across 1 year.
• Four weeks into the medication regime, the stepping stone towards recovery started showing. The horse’s TH concentration had adjusted back into the normal range.
• A significant milestone was reached at the 30th week post initiating the treatment where the gait abnormality started receding. This indicates that the levothyroxine was effective in dealing with the condition.

Implications of Research

• The results of this study indicate that exploring the state of the thyroid gland, particularly in the case of subclinical thyroid disorders, could be valuable in understanding the cause and potential treatment of shivering in horses.
• Moreover, as evident from this case, levothyroxine could be used to alleviate the clinical signs of shivering and provide an improved quality of life for affected horses.
• This study adds to the body of veterinary knowledge and could potentially inform and influence future care and treatment for horses suffering from similar symptoms.