Radiographic findings in dogs with naturally-occurring primary hypoadrenocorticism

Survey radiographs often are obtained in dogs with primary hypoadrenocortic ism in adrenal crisis as part of the routine evaluation of a critically ill dog. In this study, standardized methods of cardiac, pulmonary vasculature , and vena cava mensuration were used in 22 dogs with naturally-occurring p rimary hypoadrenocorticism, and the findings were compared with those in 22 breed-matched, clinically normal dogs. Most (81.8%) untreated dogs with pr imary hypoadrenocorticism had one or more radiographic abnormalities, inclu ding small size of the heart (45.5%), cranial lobar pulmonary artery (36.4% ), caudal vena cava (54.5%), or liver (36.4%), Megaesophagus was not found in any of the dogs with hypoadrenocorticism, and therefore, compared to the other common radiographic findings, should be considered a rare finding.