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Addison's Disease Dog

You are in the Veterinarian’s office and the diagnosis is Addison's disease dog. Don’t panic. Although serious, this disease can be treated and your dog can return to normal activity.

Canine Addison's Disease (hypoadrenocorticism) occurs when your dogs adrenal glands (each kidney has one gland) stop producing the hormones (cortisol and aldestorone) necessary to regulate sodium in the blood. Without these hormones, sodium levels decline causing an increase potassium and lower blood pressure.

The problem is that the higher levels of potassium stop the heart from beating faster which it would naturally do to make up for the loss of blood pressure. With a lower heart rate and lower blood pressure your dog could go into shock (called Addison’s crisis). This could be fatal.

Types of Addison's Disease Dog

There are three kinds of Canine Addison’s disease called primary, secondary and atypical.

Primary – When the adrenal glands fail to produce both mineralcorteriods and glucococosteriods. Requires the replacement therapy of mineralocortioids.

Atypical – When there is immune system related damage to the adrenal glands. Without treatment can become primary Addisons. Requires replacement therapy of glucocorticoids.

Secondary – When the pituitary gland does not secrete ACTH, a hormone necessary to stimulate the adrenal glands. Requires replacement therapy of glucocorticoids.

Cause of Canine Addisons Disease

Canine Addison’s tends to occur in younger to middle aged dogs with a bias towards females. The disease is more common in certain dog breeds such as Labrador Retrievers, Standard Poodles and Portuguese Water Dogs where it seems to be inherited.

Addison’s can be caused by diseases that affect the functioning of the adrenal gland. This includes toxic drugs, infections and tumors. Sometimes if steroids are used to treat another illness, it can cause the adrenal gland to temporarily stop functioning, inducing Addisons disease.

Symptoms of Canine Addisons

Dogs with Addisons’s appear weak and lethargic. Vomitting and diarrhea are common. Other symptoms include reduced appetite, tremors, shaking, muscle weakness and pain in the hind quarters.

If your dog collapses for no apparent reasons, Addison’s is one of the prime considerations.

Tests for Addison's Disease Dog

Your Veterinarian will do a heart EKG to see if the heart has slowed down or if there your dog’s natural pace maker isn’t working. As indicated above, if blood tests show lower sodium levels and higher potassium levels, there is a high likelihood of Addisons. Your Vet may also administer a ACTH test (measures adrenal gland function).

Treatment for Addison's Disease Dog

There are several drugs available to help replace the missing hormones from your dog's body. Examples include Percorten V produced by Novartis and Florinef. Percorten replaces the Aldosterone that the adrenal glands do not make. It is an injection given approximately every 28 days. It is given in combination with Prednisone, a steroid that is given to dogs with Addison's to replace the cortisol that they are not producing.

Treatment costs approximately $30 per month (U.S.$, $37/month Canadian).

Diet for Addison's Disease Dog

When your Addison's disease dog has health problems it is a good idea in general to examine their diet to ensure they are getting the vitamins and nutrition they need.

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is the organization that sets commercial standards for dog food in the United States. Only buy dog food that has the following statement on the bag “Animal Feeding Tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that (name of brand) provides complete and balanced nutrition for the growth of dogs”.

If the AAFCO statement is on the bag, the nutritional balance is probably somewhat similar from brand to brand. The key to the statement is “animal feeding tests” which means that the food was tested on dogs over several months and is a commitment to high standards.

If your dog has Addison’s you may want to go beyond the AAFCO standard. This is because AAFCO foods can contain meat by products such as lungs, spleen and kidneys. Not what I want to feed my dog.

If you want to avoid “meat-by-products” you can look for labels that state the ingredients are human grade.

Use of Herbs for Canine Addison’s Disease

Like using herbs in humans, they are not approved for medicinal purposes in addison's disease dog. However, holistic veterinarian's believe that herbal remedies can play a role in helping dog's with diseases such as Canine Addison's Disease. One supplement to consider that is made specifically for Addison's is PetAlive Cushex. Be sure to discuss this and other herbal remedies you might find with your veterinarian.

A rule of thumb for determining the right dose is to take your dogs weight and divide it by 150 (called Clarke’s rule). Multiply this percentage by the adult dose of the herb. Herbs can be mixed into dog food or can be turned into a tea for your dog to drink.

Licorice – This herb interacts and prolongs the effectiveness of corticosterods, the very substance Addison's disease dog need. It has an ACTH-like action on the adrenal cortex, increasing the production of glucose and mineralocorticoids

Milk Thistle – Supports the immune system as an antioxidant.

Slippery Elm – Used as a natural treatment for diarrhea

Ginger – Thought to strengthen steroid production

Garlic – Helps strengthen the heart and reduces blood pressure

Valerian – Beneficial effect on the heart and blood pressure

Taraxacum officinale (Dandelion) - helps the liver, kidneys and adrenal glands. Promotes adrenal function.

Arctium laps (Burdock) - detoxifies tissues

Astragalus membranaceous (Huang Qi) - helps to restore balance to the adrenal glands.

Arsenicum (30C) - helps with normal urination and thirst levels.

Sources:

Brevitz, Betsy D.V.M – Hound Health Handbook

Griffin, James M. – Dog Owners Home Veterinary Handbook

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