ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Mammary tumors are among the most frequent neoplasms in female dogs, but the strategies employed in animal treatment are limited. In human medicine, hormone manipulation is used in cancer therapy. Tamoxifen citrate is a selective inhibitor of oestrogen receptors and exerts a potent anti-oestrogen effect on the mammary gland. The aim of this study was to evaluate the adverse effects when exposing healthy female dogs to tamoxifen. METHODS: Tamoxifen was administered for 120 days at a dose of 0.5 or 0.8 mg/kg/day to either intact or spayed female dogs. The effects were assessed through clinical examination, haematology, serum biochemistry, ophthalmology and bone marrow aspirate examination. Ovariohysterectomy was performed and the uterus examined by histopathology. RESULTS: Vulva oedema and purulent vaginal discharge developed with 10 days of tamoxifen exposure in all groups. Pyometra was diagnosed after around 90 days of exposure in intact females with frequencies increasing during the following 30 days of exposure. Up to 50% of dogs within the groups developed retinitis but none of the dogs had signs of reduced visual acuity. The prevalence of retinitis in each group was similar after 120 days of exposure. Haematological, biochemical and bone marrow changes were not observed. Due to the high risk of developing pyometra after prolonged exposure to tamoxifen, only spayed animals should be given this medication. CONCLUSIONS: A dose of 0.8 mg tamoxifen/kg body weight/day is recommended when treating tamoxifen-responsive canine mammary tumors. Due to the high risk of developing pyometra, ovariohysterectomy is recommended.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal/adverse effects , Dog Diseases/chemically induced , Tamoxifen/adverse effects , Animals , Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal/administration & dosage , Dogs , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Edema/chemically induced , Edema/veterinary , Female , Hysterectomy/veterinary , Pyometra/chemically induced , Pyometra/veterinary , Retinitis/chemically induced , Retinitis/veterinary , Tamoxifen/administration & dosage , Vulvar Diseases/chemically induced , Vulvar Diseases/veterinaryABSTRACT
A relação tireóide-gônadas sobre o perfil hematológico foi investigada em ratas Wistar adultas castradas e não castradas mantidas em hipotireoidismo induzido pela administração diária de propiltiouracil por 120 dias. Dois grupos eutireóideos não castrado e castrado foram mantidos nas mesmas condições e serviram como controle. Foram colhidos o plasma para dosagem de T4 livre e o sangue para análise hematológica. Os valores de T4 livre significativamente menores nas ratas tratadas confirmaram seu estado hipotireóideo. O hipotireoidismo causou anemia apenas em ratas com gônadas funcionais, já que a castração reverteu os efeitos do déficit de tiroxina sobre o eritrograma. Tanto o hipotireoidismo quanto o hipogonadismo apresentaram pouco significado sobre o leucograma.
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Rats , Hypothyroidism/blood , Ovariectomy , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
The relationship between thyroid-gonads on the blood profile was investigated in adult Wistar female rats. These animals were either castrated or intact and were kept under hypothyroidism, induced by daily administration of propylthiouracil (PTU) during 120 days. Two groups (castrated and intact) were kept in an euthyroid condition and used as controls. It was collected plasma for free T4 dosage and blood for hematological analysis. The significant low values of free T4 in the treated rats confirmed their hypothyroid state. The hypothyroidism caused anemia in the rats with functional gonads. The castration reverted the effects of thyroxine deficit in the erythrogram. Both the hypothyroidism and the hypogonadism showed just a discret effect on the leucogram.
