What is Addission’s Disease in Dogs?
Addission’s Disease in pets is a disease that requires to be carefully monitored and dealt with in order to offer your furry friend as many healthy years as possible.
Addison's disease occurs when the adrenal glands fails to produce the hormones that they are in charge of. This disease can lead to serious consequqneces and in some cases even death. Fortunately, dogs with Addison's disease can still expect normal lifespans if properly treated.
Here’s all you have to know about addission’s disease in dogs – how to prevent your pupfrom addission’s disease, the early signs or of addission’s disease that you should look out for, and what to do if you find symptoms of addission’s disease in dogs.
Symptoms of Addission’s Disease in Dogs
Addission’s Disease can cause visible changes in your dog’s wellbeing and behaviour. As a pet owner, it is essential to understand the signs and symptoms of addission’s disease in dogs, so you can get the right treatment for your canine as soon as possible.
- Lethargy
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Increased Thirst
- Increased Urination
The Main Causes of Addission’s Disease in Dogs
To recognize and treat addission’s disease in dogs, you need to know the underlying causes of addission’s disease in dogs. This can help you prevent addission’s disease happening in the first place or again.
In majority of cases, the initial cause of Addison's disease is unknown. However, veterinarians suspect that Addison's disease may be casued by a hemorrhage, infarction, metastatic tumor, adrenolytic agents, and granulomatous disease.
Diagnosing Addission’s Disease in Dogs
No one knows your dog better than you do and hence it is vital that your pet be checked thoroughly by a veterinarian at least once a year.
The conclusive test for Addisons disease in dogs is the Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) Stimulation Test. This test monitors the adrenal glands by introducing the ACTH synthetic hormone. Veterinarians will assess the concentration of cortisol before and after ACTH is administered and the test will show them if the adrenal glands are functioning properly.
Talk to your vet to find out more about the treatments for addission’s disease in dogs.
Preventing Addission’s Disease in Dogs
Preventing addission’s disease in dogs is always more ideal than treating it, therefore let’s explore ways to avoid addission’s disease in dogs rather than treating it.
To not to appear weak or susceptible to predators, the natural survival instincts make canines conceal diseases. This indicates extensive physical exams by a qualified veterinarian are crucial to keep your family pets healthy. Typically, blood and urine tests carried out by your veterinarian are needed to get the complete picture of your family pet’s health. These preventive checks steps will diagnose any health problems earlier making treatment more successful and less expensive and, more notably, will help your pet dog live a longer, much healthier life.
Dog Addisons disease is generally not preventable. However, there is an exemption - a medicatally-induced Addisonian crisis. If your pet is taking medications like Trilostane or Milotane to treat Cushings disease, make sure you know of the symptoms of Addisons disease, as an accidental overdose may result in a crisis. Make sure these medications are out of your dogs reach and carefully monitor their medication intake.
Sometimes a quick withdrawal of medication like prednisone can lead to dog Addisons disease. The best way to prevent this is to follow veterinarians instructions involving your dogs medication.
Treatment for Addission’s Disease in Dogs
Most dogs that have Addisons disease can be successfully treated without making changes to their diet and activity level.
There is an injectable medication, Desoxycorticosterone Pivalate (DOCP), that is approved by the FDA to treat Addisons disease in dogs. Although, DOCP may not be suitable for all dogs, some dongs will react better to oral medications that replace both the glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid like Fludrocortisone.
When diagnosed, your vet will discuss the treatments available and provide a treatment taht best suits your dog.
Talk to your vet to understand more about how to treat addission’s disease in dogs.