WHAT IS ADDISON’S DISEASE?

Addison’s disease is a malfunction of the adrenal glands. These are the two small glands located on the kidneys. It is actually quite common in dogs. Addison’s is a very difficult disease to diagnose because it often mimics many other problems. There are three types of Addison’s (primary, secondary, and atypical). When the adrenal gland does not function properly it causes improper secretion of aldosterone, adrenaline(epinephrine), and cortisol. Cortisol is vital for dogs to handle any type of stress or excitement. Aldosterone keeps electrolytes in balance. These chemicals are essential for a dog’s survival.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

Symptoms are elusive and can vary quite a bit. Lethargy, muscle tremors, and stomach and intestinal problems are a few. Also they may have excessive thirstiness and urinate frequently. Some dogs may develop dry eye (KCS) because the mucous membranes may dry. Some dogs may develop a generalized muscle weakness or have a pain localized in their hind end. These symptoms may come and go over many times, but eventually a crisis will occur.

WHAT IS AN ADDISON’S CRISIS?

When a crisis occurs it causes the electrolytes to become imbalanced. When potassium levels rise the heart becomes arrhythmitic and blood pressure drops critically low.

HOW DO I FIND OUT IF MY DOG HAS ADDISON’S DISEASE?

When a dog is being evaluated for illness blood work will help determine the problem. A dog with Addison’s will have electrolyte levels that will be abnormal, particularly the ratio between sodium(low) and potassium(high). An ACTH stimulation test, to evaluate how the adrenals produce cortisol, should be done if this electrolyte imbalance is discovered. The ACTH stimulation test involves taking blood samples before and after injecting the dog with ACTH, a hormone from the pituitary gland that stimulates the secretion of cortisol in a health dog. If no cortisol is produced in response to the ACTH injection, the dog has Addison’s disease.

HOW DO I TREAT THIS DISEASE?

Treatment requires replacement of the dog’s own aldosterone with a choice of two different drugs. Florinef (fludrocortisone acetate) is a daily oral medication or Percorten-V ( desoxycorticosterone pivalate or DOCP ) which is an injection given about every 25 days. The cortisol can be replaced with prednisone or hydrocortisone by mouth. It is important to remember that medication levels may need to be adjusted when events can trigger more stress, such as boarding or grooming. It is important that drug treatment maintains normal electrolyte levels. The veterinarian working with the owner will decide which therapy is the most effective.

SUCCESS

Treatment is lifetime. Owner and veterinarian must work together to figure out which medications work the best and how much is needed. A properly treated dog immediately feels better and with diligent maintenance and monitoring an Addison’s dog will live a normal life.

Recent studies have shown that some minerals such as iodine, iron, zinc and selenium play a profound effect on the functioning of a healthy thyroid. Cereal grain crops grown on iodine or selenium deficient soil will contain relatively low levels. Although commercial food manufacturers compensate for irregularities by adding vitamins and mineral supplements; it is difficult to determine optimum levels for many different breeds and individual metabolic needs.Selenium has a significant clinical importance, because blood levels of thyroid hormones rise in selenium deficiency, but tissue levels remain insufficient. Because of this a selenium deficient individual, showing clinical signs of hypothyroidism can be overlooked when solely based on blood levels of thyroid hormones that appear normal.