Thyroid function in anhidrotic horses.
Abstract: This study was performed to determine whether anhidrotic horses have altered thyroid function compared with horses that sweat normally. Objective: Anhidrotic horses have normal thyroid function. Methods: Ten client-owned horses with clinical signs of anhidrosis were paired with 10 horses living in the same environment that had normal sweat production. Methods: Horses were diagnosed as having normal sweat production or being anhidrotic based on responses to intradermal injections of terbutaline and physiologic responses to lunging exercise. Control horses were selected from the same environment and matched as closely as possible to anhidrotic horses in terms of age, sex, breed, and athletic condition. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation tests were performed in both horses at the same time, once in the summer or fall, and once again in winter. Results: Anhidrotic horses produced less sweat in response to intradermal injections of terbutaline and exercise than did control horses. They also had greater increases in body temperature and respiratory rate in response to exercise. Resting concentrations of thyroid hormones and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were not different between anhidrotic and control horses. Thyroid hormone responses to TRH also were not different between the 2 groups of horses. However, anhidrotic horses had a significantly different TSH response to TRH compared with control horses, particularly in the winter. Conclusions: The biologic relevance of the altered TSH response to TRH in anhidrotic horses is uncertain, considering that TSH concentrations remained within previously reported normal ranges and thyroid hormone responses were not different between anhidrotic and control horses.
Publication Date: 2009-01-30 PubMed ID: 19175736DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2008.0217.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research was conducted to understand if horses suffering from anhidrosis, a condition where horses cannot sweat normally, had any changes in their thyroid functions when compared to regular sweating horses. The results, however, found that anhidrotic horses have normal thyroid function.
Methodology
The methodology of the study involved studying 10 horses were clinically diagnosed with anhidrosis and 10 other horses that lived in the same environmental conditions with normal sweat production.
- Diagnosis of anhidrosis or normal sweat production was done based on the horse’s reactions to intradermal injection of terbutaline and their physiological responses to lunging exercises.
- The control group comprised of horses from the same environment and were matched as closely as possible to anhidrotic horses considering attributes like age, sex, breed and athletic condition.
- Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone (TRH) stimulation tests were conducted on both groups during the summer or fall, and once again in winter.
Results
The results derived from the study showed:
- Anhidrotic horses produced less sweat in response to intradermal injections of terbutaline and lesser compared to the control group during exercises.
- Anhidrotic horses also showed greater increases in body temperature and respiratory rate during exercises.
- There was no marked difference in resting concentrations of thyroid hormones and Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) between anhidrotic and control horses.
- The thyroid hormone response to TRH was no different in both groups of horses.
- However, the TSH response to TRH in anhidrotic horses differed significantly, especially during winter.
Conclusion
Despite the varied TSH response to TRH in anhidrotic horses, it remains unclear regarding the biological relevance of this difference. This is because the TSH concentrations remained within previously reported normal ranges and there were no observable differences in thyroid hormone responses between anhidrotic and control horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Breuhaus BA.
(2009).
Thyroid function in anhidrotic horses.
J Vet Intern Med, 23(1), 168-173.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2008.0217.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA. quiksilvr@bellsouth.net
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horses
- Hypohidrosis / blood
- Hypohidrosis / veterinary
- Physical Exertion
- Seasons
- Thyroid Diseases / blood
- Thyroid Diseases / veterinary
- Thyrotropin / blood
- Thyrotropin / metabolism
- Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / pharmacology
- Thyroxine / metabolism
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Patterson Rosa L, Mallicote MF, MacKay RJ, Brooks SA. Ion Channel and Ubiquitin Differential Expression during Erythromycin-Induced Anhidrosis in Foals.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Nov 25;11(12).
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
