Inefficacy of selegiline in treatment of canine pituitary‐dependent hyper‐adrenocorticism

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate selegiline, a monoamine oxidase‐B inhibitor, for treating dogs with pituitary‐dependent hyperadrenocorticism. DESIGN: Prospective clinical trial using client‐owned dogs with pituitary‐dependent hyperadrenocorticism treated at The University Veterinary Centre, Sydney, from September 1999 to July 2001. PROCEDURE: Eleven dogs with pituitary‐dependent hyperadrenocorticism treated with selegiline were monitored at days 10, 30 and 90 by clinical examination, tetracosactrin stimulation testing, urinary corticoid:creatinine ratio measurement and client questionnaire. Endogenous adrenocorticotropic hormone measurements were also performed on most dogs on days 0 and 90. RESULTS: No dog treated with selegiline had satisfactory control of disease. CONCLUSION: Selegiline administration was safe and free of side‐effects at the doses used, but did not satisfactorily control disease in pituitary‐dependent hyperadrenocorticism affected dogs.