Serum T3 and T4 Concentrations in Lambs with Nutritional Myodegeneration

Abstract

Background: Selenium (Se) deficiency is an important etiological factor in Nutritional Myodegeneration Disease (NMD) of lambs, and Se is required for synthesis of thyroid hormones. Hypothesis: That serum T4 and T3 concentrations in lambs with NMD will be abnormal. Animals: Ten healthy lambs and 15 lambs with NMD were included in the study. Methods: Serum thyroid hormone concentrations were measured by chemiluminescence assay in samples collected from control and NMD lambs before and after treatment with a preparation containing sodium selenite, vitamin E, and vitamin Bi, which was administered subcutaneously to lambs with NMD twice, with a 2‐week interval. Results: Before treatment, serum concentrations of fT3 and TT3 in lambs with NMD were lower than those of control group (P < .001), while serum concentrations of fT4 and TT4 in lambs with NMD were significantly higher than those of control group (P < .001, P < .01, respectively). Similarly, serum creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) values in lambs with NMD were significantly higher compared with those of control (P < .001, P < .001, P < .001, P < .01, and P < .05, respectively) before treatment. However, serum concentrations of Se and α‐tocopherol in lambs with NMD were significantly lower compared with those of control (P < .001). After treatment (at day 30), none of the variables were significantly different between control and NMD lambs (P > .05). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Nutritional myodegeneration in lambs is associated with abnormalities in serum thyroid concentrations. Abnormalities in serum thyroid concentrations can result from selenium deficiency in NMD lambs. Serum thyroid concentrations together with serum CK, LDH, AST, ALT, and ALP values can be considered additional tools in diagnosis and prognosis of NMD in lambs.