Traumatic partial hypopituitarism in a cat

Abstract

Traumatic hypopituitarism was diagnosed in an 11-month-old male neutered cat. The presenting complaints were polydipsia, polyuria and lethargy of three months' duration. Craniocerebral trauma, as a result of a road traffic accident, had preceded the onset of clinical signs by six weeks. Neurological examination revealed right-sided mydriasis, reduced visual and tactile left forelimb placing reflexes and decreased proprioception in both the left fore- and hindlimb. Initial laboratory findings included hypernatraemia, hyperchloraemia, mild azotaemia, eosinophilia and isosthenuria. Low basal cortisol, thyroxine, thyroid-stimulating hormone and insulin growth factor-1 were noted. Subsequent to treatment with prednisolone, a water deprivation test confirmed the presence of central diabetes insipidus and therapy with synthetic antidiuretic hormone successfully ameliorated the polydipsia.