Veterinary Physiology-III

EFFECTS OF ABNORMAL PRODUCTION

• Panhypopituitarism is decreased secretion of all the anteri­or pituitary hormones. Underproduction of pituitary hormones in the immature animal results in underdevelopment of the animal referred to as pituitary dwarfism. Such an animal shows reduced activity in the other target organs of the pituitary (hypothyroidism, hypogonadism, hypoadrenocortical function).
• The effects of overproduction of STH depend to a great extent on the age of the animal in which this overproduction occurs.
• If the overproduction occurs before the closure of epiphyseal lines in the long bones, it results in lengthening of the long bones and increased deposition of soft tissue, resulting in gigantism. This condition occasionally occurs in domestic animals.
• If excess produc­tion of STH occurs after the closure of epiphyseal lines, the long bones of the body are thickened and there is excessive soft tissue and this condition is termed as acromegaly. This is produced in acidophilic tumours.