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Objectives: Adrenal gland size and its association with body weight have been rarely evaluated in cats. This study was undertaken to assess the association between feline body weight and adrenal gland thickness, and to propose reference intervals (RIs) for adrenal gland thickness in healthy cats., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in which 39 healthy cats were included. The cats were divided into two weight categories, classified as ⩽4.0 kg and >4-8 kg of ideal body weight (with 13 and 26 cats in each group, respectively), which took into consideration the body condition score of the cats. All cats underwent an ultrasound examination that was taken from a subcostal position. Maximum dorsoventral thicknesses of the left (MTL) and right (MTR) adrenal glands were measured in a sagittal plane. RIs were obtained for the maximum thickness (MT), which included the MTLs and MTRs of each cat. RIs with the 90% confidence intervals were calculated according to American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology guidelines on RIs., Results: No statistical differences for adrenal gland thickness were observed between the left and right ( P  = 0.543) adrenal glands or between male and female cats ( P  = 0.943). Mean MT was significantly greater in the group of cats weighing >4-8 kg compared with the group of cats weighing ⩽4 kg (3.7 ± 0.6 vs 3.2 ± 0.4 mm; P <0.005). The lower limit of the RI for MT was 2.4 mm (range 2.2-2.6 mm) in the group weighing ⩽4 kg and 2.6 mm (range 2.4-2.8 mm) in the group weighing >4-8 kg. The upper limit of the RI for MT was 3.9 mm (range 3.7-4.1 mm) in the group of cats weighing ⩽4 kg and 4.8 mm (range 4.6-5.1 mm) in the group of cats weighing >4-8 kg., Conclusions and Relevance: The use of RIs based on two group sizes allows for a more accurate ultrasonographic evaluation of adrenal gland thickness in cats. The maximum normal adrenal gland thickness is lower in smaller cats (3.9 mm for those weighing ⩽4 kg and 4.8 mm for those weighing >4-8 kg).

Background: Precise reference intervals of adrenal gland thickness are required for detection of adrenomegaly in dogs with hyperadrenocorticism (HAC)., Methods: Eighty-six clinically healthy dogs were prospectively included, and 91 dogs with untreated HAC were retrospectively evaluated. Dorso-ventral adrenal gland thickness was ultrasonographically measured on the sagittal plane. Dogs were classified into four body weight categories, and those with HAC were also ultrasonographically classified as consistent with pituitary-dependent HAC (PDH), adrenal-dependent HAC (FAT), equivocal adrenal asymmetry (EAA), or normal adrenal thickness., Results: The upper limits for left adrenal gland in clinically healthy dogs were 5.1 mm (≥2.5-5 kg), 5.5 mm (>5-10 kg), 6.4 mm (>10-20 kg), and 7.3 mm (>20-40 kg), and for right adrenal gland the upper limits were 5.3 mm (≥2.5-5 kg), 6.8 mm (>5-10 kg), 7.5 mm (>10-20 kg), and 8.7 mm (>20-40 kg). The sensitivity of ultrasound to detect adrenomegaly in dogs with HAC was 95.6%. Most dogs with HAC (56.0%) had ultrasound findings consistent with either PDH or FAT; however, EAA was commonly occurring in 39.6% of dogs with HAC., Conclusions: The sensitivity of ultrasonography to detect adrenomegaly in dogs with HAC is high when using four weight categories. EAA is common in dogs with HAC., (© 2021 British Veterinary Association.)