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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

Topics on this Page:


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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