La Addison's disease in dogs, which we can also know by the name of hypoadrenocorticism, is part of one of the diseases that has serious sequelae in dogs, despite the fact that fortunately with the most appropriate treatment, dogs that have received a diagnosis with this disease have the possibility of having a completely normal life expectancy.
If we observe that our pet gets sick very frequently and in turn the medications that we have given it do not cause any effect, it is most likely that it suffers from Addison's disease, it is for this reason that in this article we bring you all the information necessary about the symptoms, treatment and care of this disease
What is Addison's disease?
Addison's disease in dogs, which has a scientific name hypoadrenocorticism, it is a very serious disease that affects either one or both adrenal glands of our dog, which are the ones that are located precisely on the kidneys.
Anything that causes a damage to the adrenal glands it may be the cause of Addison's disease.
Dogs with this disease do not have the ability to produce the necessary amount of adrenal hormones (better known as canine adrenal insufficiency) and therefore represents something critical to most aspects of the organism's function. This causes that the levels of glucose, sodium, potassium and also chloride found in the blood do not have the necessary control, which can cause dehydration in our dog and also quite serious problems in the vital organs of our furry friend, in special for the heart.
What Causes Addison's Disease in Dogs
In general and in almost all cases, what can cause the Addison's disease in dogs it is something that is not yet known.
Veterinarians have the suspicion that in most cases with this disease it is due to a result of a process that is autoimmune. Addison's disease likewise can be triggered due to destruction of the adrenal glandEither by a metastatic tumor, by a heart attack, hemorrhage, by a granulomatous disease, by adrenolytic agents, such as the drug mitotane or by some medication such as trilostane, which has the ability to inhibit adrenal enzymes.
If anything prevents the proper functioning of the adrenal glands, the body no longer has the ability to produce glucocorticoids as well as mineralocorticoids, especially aldosterone and cortisol. Therefore, this causes a large number of symptoms and in the most severe cases of dogs suffering from Addison's disease, death occurs.
Scientists do not have the exact knowledge of what may be the cause of Addison's diseaseHowever, any dog regardless of breed as well as size has the possibility of developing this disease. However, certain breeds of dogs are more prone to developing Addison's disease and they are the following:
- Caniche
- White terrier
- Great dane
- Bearded Collie.
- Portuguese Water Dog
- Nova Scotia Terrier.
- Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Addison's disease has the ability to affect dogs regardless of their breed, age or sexHowever, it becomes quite common in young dogs, females and also those that are middle-aged.
Symptoms of Addison's disease
When Addison's disease occurs in dogs, it does so progressively and it is usually very difficult to diagnose due to the large number of symptoms that are related to this disease.
In general, dogs with Addison's disease have the ability to develop quite severe episodes of gastroenteritis, loss of appetite, slow loss of body condition, and it can also cause stress. It is very important that we keep in mind that Symptoms of Addison's Disease in Dogs, since these can grow or decrease.
The decreased production of aldosterone has a pronounced impact on the body. This is something that leads to changes in serum levels of sodium potassium and also chloride and that can affect the kidneys. This in the same way can cause problems in the heart and also in the circulatory system.
Cortisol is another of the steroid hormones of great importance which is affected by Addison's disease, which in turn plays a very important role in most of the tissues of our dog's body. This is responsible for regulating the production of glucose, but also regulates metabolism, is responsible for breaking down fat and proteins, regulates blood pressure, stimulates the formation of red blood cells, prevents inflammation and also has the ability to counteract stress.
Decreased production of aldosterone as well as cortisol causes the common symptoms in Addison's disease such as depression, lethargy, loss of appetite or anorexia, vomiting, weight loss, canine diarrhea, bloody stools, hair loss or alopecia, increased urination, increased thirst, weak pulse, dehydration, irregular heart rhythm, hypoglycemia, pain in the abdomen and also hyperpigmentation of the skin.
Diagnosis of Addison's disease
Addison's disease and you are usually diagnosed when an Addisonian crisis occurs, something that occurs when the disease has reached an acute phase and therefore dogs present symptoms that represent a threat to their life, such as shock and collapse.
When the Addisonian crisis has stabilized, veterinarians will have to do a number of tests to be able to determine the cause of the collapse as well as to rule out any other cause. For this reason, a blood test must be performed on our dog and also a complete biochemistry and in the same way, a urinalysis may be needed.
Anemia, as well as unusual levels of potassium and urea in the blood, apart from unusual levels of sodium, calcium, and also chloride in the blood, are symptoms of Addison's disease. Urinalysis has the ability to equally reveal the low urine concentrations and the vet could give our dog an electrocardiogram to check if there is any change in our dog's heart.
The definitive test for this disease is the test of corticotropin stimulation, which is about controlling the function of the adrenal glands through the introduction of the synthetic hormone ACTH. Veterinarians measure the cortisol concentration before and after it is administered, which allows them to know if the adrenal glands are working properly.
Treatment and care for Addison's disease in dogs
One of the first things veterinarians do to treat Addison's disease in dogs is solve the Addison crisis.
In order to do this, the dog has to be hospitalized and in turn must undergo intensive therapy in order to control the symptoms of the crisis. Once our dog is out of danger and has been able to stabilize, immediately your vet may give you a hormone replacement drug to be able to help our dog with the deficiency.
There is usually more than one drug for Addison's disease in dogs, an injectable one that is mineralocorticoids that is applied every month and also one that is steroids that is applied every day. Other than that the vet usually performs blood tests every year or every semester to be sure that the medicine really does its job correctly.
Addison's disease in dogs is something that cannot be cured. Our dog will have to take replacement hormones for the remaining years of his life, as well as it is most likely that it will be necessary to make an adjustment in the dose over the years, especially when the dog goes through times of stress.
It is very important that we do not try to adjust the medication without first consulting with the veterinarian, because This could trigger another imbalance in our dog's hormones.
To be able to find the indicated dose to treat Addison's disease requires time and as owners we must be prepared to visit the vet very often while the first month of diagnosis elapses, so that in this way the veterinarian has the opportunity to measure the levels of hormones as well as electrolytes of our dog.
After having done all that, we will have to take our dog once a month to place a hormone replacement injection and also to make sure we follow the additional medication protocol that the vet may prescribe for us.