Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's Disease)

Hypoadrenocortism (more commonly Addison’s Disease) is a condition not many pet with which not many pet owners are familiar. This condition is present in dogs that can not produce normal circulating steroids in the body. Steroids produced by animals (and people) are essential to the body to help deal with stressful situations. Without these steroids patients can become very will and in a crisis could even die.

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Probably the most difficult aspect of Addison’s disease is that the symptoms mimic MANY other conditions. They are very generic and can range from intermittent vomiting and diarrhea, to weakness, lethargy, increased drinking and increased urination. This can at times make it very difficult to diagnose in a patient on its first episode, especially if it is mild. Many times pet owners may not even notice the symptoms as the patient will just not be them self for a day or so and then be back to normal. However many owners tend to pick up a pattern if this continues to happen and at that time a trip to the vet is a good idea!

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To diagnose Addison’s disease there are special blood tests that are performed. Typically these are sent to an outside laboratory. There are several tests and depending on the symptoms and your pet your veterinarian may choose one test over another. While it is not diagnostics in house blood work can be indicative that further testing may be needed. In Addison’s disease the ratio between Sodium and Potassium (Na/K) typically becomes very low. If this is seen in combination with waxing and waning of symptoms it may be a good idea to screen for this condition. There may also be slight increases in the kidney values however this alone is not enough to make a diagnosis.

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If a patient is having an acute crisis they can become extremely sick and may even need to be hospitalized. Once however the steroids are replenished from an external source, usually either injectable or oral, these patients can do very well.

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Addison’s disease is not curable but rather is managed. Basically we need to replace what the body can no longer produce. This means steroids. There are many treatment choices and depending on the patients and the external stressors they may be exposed to will determine which treatment protocol your veterinarian will recommend. Finances can also be a determining factor. The injectable replacement while convenient can be costly in large dogs. Regular blood work is typically done to ensure that the condition is managed and to hopefully catch changes in blood work prior to a crisis.

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While not the most common conditions in pets, it can be life threatening. It is important to monitor pets closely and if you notice they are not feeling well at regular intervals this is worth mentioning to your pets doctor! For more information on this condition you can go to this website.