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GROWTH HORMONE DEFICIENCY
This information is provided by
Provet for educational purposes only.
You should seek the advice of
your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise
on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for
your pet.
Note for Pet Owners:
- Affected animals should not be used for breeding
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Description
Growth hormone is essential for normal development and growth of the skeleton. Inadequate growth hormone will result in delayed skeletal development and maturation, and a small animal, though in every other respect the anatomy of the skeleton may be normal.
Cause
Growth hormone deficiency is due to undersecretion of pituitary hormones due to a pituitary disorder.
Breed Occurence
A line of German Shepherd Dogs have been reported to have a this disorder and it is an autosomal recessive inherited defect.
Immunodeficiency has also been reported in a litter Weimaraners which were
deficient in growth hormone and had low T-cell lymphocytes. Clinical signs
included :
- Recurrent severe infections
- Poor growth rate and condition
Treatment with bovine growth hormone was successful.
Treatment
Growth hormone treatment would be theoretically possible but it is an expensive drug and in short supply for human use.
Updated October 2013
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