2017 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

These results indicate that a TSH stimulation test using rhTSH could be a useful method for diagnosing hypothyroidism, even in dogs receiving long-term, high-dose hydrocortisone. In clinical practice, the TSH stimulation test is valuable for the diagnosis of hypothyroidism in dogs with a variety of NTIs, hyperadrenocorticism, or dogs administered glucocorticoids. The adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test is an excellent tool for assessing adrenal gland function in dogs. Among the various presentations of ACTH available for testing, the Depot Tetracosactide (Synacthen Ò Depot) is economically advantageous in some countries, because of the volume and concentration of its ampoule (1.0 mg/1.0 mL). This advantage depends on the reuse of the surplus volume of the ampoule, as the indicated dose for dogs is 0.25 mL per dog. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of freezing on the biological activity of Depot Tetracosactide for the stimulation of adrenal gland in healthy dogs. Thirteen healthy adult dogs were submitted to ACTH stimulation test (0.25 mL/dog/IM) four times at intervals of two months between each test (0, 2, 4 and 6 months). The first stimulation test was done in every dog with the first aliquot of a fresh, refrigerated ampoule, opened at the time of application. The remaining three aliquots were stored at À20°C in plastic syringes of 50 units protected from light. Samples for determination of serum cortisol by radioimmunoassay were obtained before, one and two hours after administration of the ACTH. All samples were thawed once and analyzed in duplicate by ANOVA. Serum cortisol levels did not differ significantly (P < 0.01) before or after freezing for all sampling times. We conclude that Depot Tetracosactide can be stored in plastic syringes at À20°C for up to six months without interfering with the biological stability of the hormone. Portable blood glucose meters (PBGMs) are widely used because of their usefulness in the control of blood glucose levels. However, the accuracy of PBGMs has been questioned repeatedly, and factors that can interfere with blood glucose measurements have been identified. The objective of this study was to evaluate the factors associated with deviations in the measurements obtained by PBGMs from the blood glucose reference range in dogs.