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Dog Health...Addison's Disease Dog HealthAddison's Disease Addison’s disease is an endocrine system disorder that occurs when the adrenal glands – located above the kidneys – fail to produce enough hormones to keep the body functioning normally. The adrenal glands secrete glucocorticoids such as cortisol and mineralocorticoids such as aldosterone; when proper amounts of these are not produced, an animal's metabolic and electrolyte balances may be upset. Mineralcorticoids control the amount of potassium, salt and water in the body. This may occur when the animal's pituitary gland fails to secrete ACTH, the hormone which stimulates the adrenal glands' production of cortisol, or when a disorder causes the body to attack and kill its own tissue ("immune mediated destruction"). The disease is also known as hypoadrenocorticism, adrenal insufficiency, or hypocortisolism. Addison’s disease is fatal if left untreated. The only preventable kind of Addison's disease is that which is caused when a dog is abruptly taken off of a steroid medication. Diagnosis: Symptoms of Addison's disease in canines can include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, lack of appetite, tremors or shaking, muscle weakness, low body temperature, collapse, low heart rate, and pain in the hind quarters. Hypoglycemia can also be present, and intially may appear to be a seizure disorder or an insulin-secreting pancreatic tumor (insulinoma). Symptoms can appear to be those of many other disorders, earning Addison's disease the nicknames of "the Great Mimic" and "the Great Imitator" because of this. It is possible not to see any signs of the disease until 90% of the adrenal cortex is no longer functioning. Signs that a dog may have Addison's disease include elevated levels of potassium and unusually low levels of sodium (hyponatremia) and chloride (hypochloremia). However, not all dogs' electrolyte ratios are affected during an Addisonian episode.Therefore, the only accurate test for Addison's disease in canines is an ACTH stimulation test. While most corticosteroid drugs will invalidate the results of an ACTH test, Dexamethasone may be used in the event of an Addison's emergency without fear of compromising the results of the test. In general, Addison's disease in canines is underdiagnosed, and one must have a clinical suspicion of it as an underlying disorder for many presenting complaints. Females are overrepresented, and the disease often appears in middle age (four to seven years), although any age or gender may be affected. Genetic continuity between dogs and humans helps to explain the occurrence of Addison's disease in both species. Treatment: Hypoadrenocorticism is treated with fludrocortisone (trade name Florinef) or a monthly injection called Percorten-V (desoxycorticosterone pivalate, DOCP) and prednisolone. Routine blood work is necessary in the initial stages until a maintenance dose is established. Most of the medications used in the therapy of hypoadrenocorticism cause excessive thirst and urination. It is absolutely vital to provide fresh drinking water for a canine suffering from this disorder. If the owner knows about an upcoming stressful situation (shows, traveling etc.), patients generally need an increased dose of prednisone to help deal with the added stress. Avoidance of stress is important for dogs with hypoadrenocorticism. Physical illness also stresses the body and may mean that the Addison's medication(s) need to be adjusted during this time.[39] Most dogs with hypoadrenocorticism have an excellent prognosis after proper stabilization and treatment Susceptibility of certain breeds Certain breeds are more susceptible than others to Addison's disease: Bearded collies German shepherds German Shorthaired Pointers Great Danes Leonbergers Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers Portuguese water dogs Rottweilers Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Springer spaniels St. Bernards Standard poodles West Highland white terriers from: wikipedia The dog disease directory at Long Live Puppies is a list of diseases and other health conditions related to dogs and are continuously being updated with new definitions and improvements. A happy and healthy pet contributes to your own health and happiness. The articles here are constructed to help aide you in making informative decisions concerning your puppy and dog and your family. The intentions of these articles are to help give you choices on how to find your puppy, topics of discussions with family members before the decision to get a dog is set in stone, how to prepare your home for him, how to care for him throughout his life and how to spend quality, enjoyable time with him. Any medical advice or health information should never take the place of your veterinarian. If your dog is not feeling well or there is something wrong, don’t wait! Make a doctor’s appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible. We welcome any suggestions to our articles. Our contributors are working hard to bring you the most up-to-date quality information. Complete Dog Disease Directory Dog Endocrine Health Disorders - Addison's Disease, Hypoadrenocorticis - Dog Health Issues Dog Health Addison's Disease Dog related information, articles and descriptive, educational videosincluding related dog endocrine health disorders - addison's disease, hypoadrenocorticis - dog health issues videos when possible

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