goitre (redirected from goiters)

goiter, goitre

enlargement of the thyroid gland, causing a swelling in the front part of the neck.

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adenomatous goiter

multilobular goiters cause thyroid enlargement in cats.

colloid goiter

is characterized by the presence of a large soft thyroid gland with its glandular space distended with colloid. Most cases occur in neonatal lambs, calves and kids which show a high rate of stillbirths and weakness and a high mortality rate. Enlarged thyroid glands and alopecia are good indicants of the existence of a nutritional deficiency of iodine, the usual cause of goiter in animals.

dyshormonogenetic goiter

an impairment in thyroglobulin synthesis is thought to be the cause of inherited, congenital goiter recorded in sheep, cattle and goats. The thyroid gland is enlarged, there is a high neonatal mortality, a silky wool in sheep and a rough, sparse haircoat in goats. Called also inherited goiter.

goitrogen-induced goiter

there are a number of goitrogens in the environment of grazing animals. Their effect is almost entirely on the newborn. Common agents are low level intakes of cyanogenetic glycosides, e.g. in white clover, the glucosinolates in Brassica spp. plants, and mimosine in Leucaena leucocephala.

hyperplastic goiter

diffuse hyperplasia is the standard response to dietary iodine deficiency and to poisoning by plant goitrogens. It may also be caused by persistent exposure of the fetus to a high iodine intake of the dam. See also iodide goiter (below). Neonates are the usual subjects and the disease is manifested by clinical goiter, often sufficient to cause dystocia, and weak neonates with a high rate of stillbirths and deaths soon after birth.

inherited goiter

see dyshormonogenetic goiter (above).

iodide goiter

that occurring in reaction to iodides at high concentrations, due to inhibition of iodide organification.

nodular goiter

an endocrinologically inactive nodular enlargement of the thyroids in old dogs and horses. In old cats similar goiters sometimes develop functional adenomas.