An 8 wk old male Yorkshire terrier was presented with a 2 wk history of recurrent hypoglycemia, lethargy, and seizures. Investigations revealed a marked increase in blood ammonia, low serum cobalamin, and increased levels of urinary methylmalonic acid (MMA) excretion. No liver vascular abnormality was detected. The patient was diagnosed with methylmalonic aciduria due to cobalamin malabsorption. The patient responded well to parenteral cobalamin administration, and the urinary MMA levels normalized rapidly following instigation of treatment. Due to the suspected hereditary nature of selective cobalamin deficiency, one sibling of this dog was screened and found to be normal. This is the first reported case of MMA secondary to hypocobalaminemia in Yorkshire terriers, and the second report of this disease in a dog in the United Kingdom. Given the fact that clinical signs of MMA are similar to those seen in dogs with portosystemic shunts and that Yorkshire terriers are predisposed to liver vascular abnormalities, this case report adds important clinical information to the current available literature.
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July/August 2015
Case Reports|
July 01 2015
Methylmalonic Aciduria Secondary to Selective Cobalamin Malabsorption in a Yorkshire Terrier
Gerard McLauchlan, BVMS, DECVIM (Companion Animal), MRCVS;
Gerard McLauchlan, BVMS, DECVIM (Companion Animal), MRCVS
From the Small Animal Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
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Angela McLaughlin, BVMS, MRCVS;
Angela McLaughlin, BVMS, MRCVS
From the Small Animal Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
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Adrian C. Sewell, Dr.rer.nat.;
Adrian C. Sewell, Dr.rer.nat.
From the Small Animal Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
*Adrian C. Sewell's present affiliation is Institut für Medizinische Diagnostik GmbH, Konrad-Adenauer-Straße, 1755218 Ingelheim, Germany.
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Rory Bell, MVB, DSAM, DECVIM (Companion Animal), MRCVS
Rory Bell, MVB, DSAM, DECVIM (Companion Animal), MRCVS
From the Small Animal Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
†Rory Bell's present affiliation is Dick White Referrals, London Road, Six Mile Bottom, Cambridge, United Kingdom, CB8 0HU.
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J Am Anim Hosp Assoc (2015) 51 (4): 285–288.
Citation
Gerard McLauchlan, Angela McLaughlin, Adrian C. Sewell, Rory Bell; Methylmalonic Aciduria Secondary to Selective Cobalamin Malabsorption in a Yorkshire Terrier. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 1 July 2015; 51 (4): 285–288. doi: https://doi.org/10.5326/JAAHA-MS-6195
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