The prevalence of hypocobalaminaemia in cats with spontaneous hyperthyroidism.
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OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of hypocobalaminaemia in cats with moderate to severe hyperthyroidism and to investigate the relationship between cobalamin status and selected haematologic parameters. METHODS: Serum cobalamin concentrations were measured in 76 spontaneously hyperthyroid cats [serum thyroxine (T(4) ) concentration 100 nmol/L] and 100 geriatric euthyroid cats. Erythrocyte and neutrophil counts in hyperthyroid cats with hypocobalaminaemia were compared with those in hyperthyroid cats with adequate serum cobalamin concentrations (290 ng/L). RESULTS: The median cobalamin concentration in hyperthyroid cats was lower than the control group (409 versus 672 ng/L; P=00040). In addition, 408% of hyperthyroid cats had subnormal serum cobalamin concentrations compared with 25% of controls (P=00336). Weak negative correlation (coefficient: -03281) was demonstrated between serum cobalamin and T(4) concentrations in the hyperthyroid population, and the median cobalamin concentration was lower in cats with T(4) above the median of 153 nmol/L compared with cats with T(4) below this value (P=00281). Hypocobalaminaemia was not associated with neutropenia or anaemia in hyperthyroid cats. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study indicates that a substantial proportion of cats with T(4) 100 nmol/L are hypocobalaminaemic and suggests that hyperthyroidism directly or indirectly affects cobalamin uptake, excretion or utilisation in this species.
