title: L-thyroxine responsive cricopharyngeal achalasia associated with hypothyroidism in a dog.
abstract: An eight-year-old, male boxer dog was presented with a one-month history of hindlimb weakness followed by compulsive ineffective drinking, dysphagia, regurgitation and nasal reflux during drinking. A neurological examination revealed weakness and conscious proprioception deficits in both hindlimbs with normal spinal reflexes. The dog's swallowing function was examined by fluoroscopy. This showed normal prehension of the barium paste, bolus formation and contraction of the pharyngeal muscle, but no opening of the upper oesophageal sphincter was detected. A serum thyroid stimulating hormone level of 0.402 ng/dl and serum total T4 of 0-01 microg/dl were determined. The dog fully recovered one month after L-thyroxine therapy. The association found between cricopharyngeal achalasia and hypothyroidism suggests that hypothyroidism should be included in the list of differential diagnoses for dogs with cricopharyngeal achalasia.
authors.affiliation: Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bruchim
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kushnir
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Shamir
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D013974:Thyroxine