Inefficacy of selegiline in treatment of canine pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism

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. 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.