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Addisons Disease in Dogs

Addisons disease (aka canine hypoadrenocorticism or adrenal insufficiency) is not common among dogs but, when it occurs, is a very serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. This page looks at the different forms of Addison's disease, the signs and symptoms, conventional treatment, as well as natural remedies that can be used to treat canine Addison's disease. Addison's disease is a condition in which there is insufficient corticosteroid secretion from the adrenal glands. This disease is the opposite of ushing's disease. !n ushing's disease, the adrenal glands produce e"cessive corticosteroids. #hile Addison's disease in dogs is not as common as ushing's disease, it still occurs quite frequently in the dog population, especially among young to middle$aged female dogs. %tatistically, among dogs with Addison's disease, about &'$()* of them are females between + and & of age. ,reed$wise, it seems that certain breeds are more susceptible to this disease. They include, among others, the -reat .anes, /ottweilers, #heaten Terriers, #esties and %tandard 0oodles.

Functions of Adrenal Hormones


orticosteroids are produced by the corte" (outer area) of the adrenal gland. 1ne of the most important functions of corticosteroids is to make it possible for animals like dogs and cats to react and adapt physiologically to stress. There are two groups of corticosteroids2 glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids. 3ou may guess from the prefi" gluco- that this group of hormones are related to metabolism of fuel such as carbohydrate. !ndeed, glucocorticoids regulate the metabolism of protein, carbohydrate, and fat. #hen a dog, for e"ample, is in a dangerous or stressful situation, these hormones prepare the body to metaboli4e fuel for energy. 5ineralocorticoids, on the other hand, regulate electrolyte balances of sodium and potassium. !n a dangerous situation, these hormones help the dog's body to conserve sodium in preparation for possible blood loss. onserving sodium means potassium is lost as a result. As you can see, corticosteroids are indispensable for animals to physiologically adapt to stressful situations.

Forms of Addisons Disease in Dogs


There are three forms of canine Addison's disease2 Primary Addison's This is the most common form of canine Addisons disease. !t is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the adrenal glands, causing damage to the glands making the glands fail to product sufficient amount of the corticosteroid hormones. Another cause of primary Addison's disease is a tumor of the adrenal gland.

Secondary Addison's %econdary Addison's disease is the result of a lack of adrenocorticotropic hormone (A T6), whose function is to stimulate the adrenal gland to produce corticosteroids. A T6 is produced by the pituitary gland, which may fail to produce sufficient amount of A T6 due to in7ury, inflammation, or a pituitary tumor. Atypical Addison's 8ust like primary Addison's, atypical Addison's occurs when the adrenal glands fail to work properly. !n cases of atypical Addison's, however, the adrenal glands fail to secrete sufficient amount of the glucocorticoid hormones only, whereas the electrolyte balances are usually normal.

Symptoms of Addisons Disease in Dogs


9nfortunately, the symptoms of Addison's disease are not distinct and as such many dogs may be suffering from the disease for a while before a positive diagnosis can be made. %ome of the more common symptoms are2 lethargy: appetite loss: vomiting: diarrhea: dehydration: weight loss: muscle weakness.

As you can see, the above symptoms are very common and non$specific, resulting in frequent mis$diagnosis. Also, sometimes these symptoms may come and go for a while, making diagnosis all the more difficult. 1ften, the disease may not be properly diagnosed until an episode called an ;Addisonian crisis; finally occurs. (Appro"imately <'* of dogs with Addison's disease are diagnosed at the time of an Addisonian crisis.) !n an episode of ;Addisonian crisis;, the dog suddenly collapses in shock because his body fails to ad7ust to an imbalance of electrolytes and fuel metabolism during a period of stress. The result of an Addisonian crisis= 9sually the dog will have very low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and high potassium levels. Also, heart problems such as slow heart rate and arrhythmias (irregular heart beat) may result. %evere cases of an Addisonian crisis can be fatal to the dog.

Treatment for Canine Addison's Disease


onventional treatment for Addisons disease in dogs is hormone replacement. .epending on the type of Addison's disease (primary, secondary, or atypical), one or more drugs are used to replace one or both of the hormones (mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids) in the dog's body. >or primary Addison's, the most commonly used drug is >lorinef (fludrocortisone). As well, there is an in7ectable medication called .1 0 (0ercorten ?) that is given under the skin every @) days. This drug works primarily to regulate electrolytes, so in addition to regular in7ections of 0ercorten, hormone replacement is required. !n cases of secondary or atypical Addison's disease, only glucocorticoid replacement (e.g. 0rednisone) is needed.

Natural Remedies for Addisons Disease in Dogs


Glandular Therapy 1ne key natural treatment for Addisons disease in dogs is glandular therapy (-T), which involves using whole animal tissues or e"tracts of the adrenal gland. -T is used quite often by holistic vets to treat dog patients with autoimmune diseases. !n the case of Addison's disease, when the adrenal gland tissues or e"tracts of the gland is fed to a dog patient, and when these proteins pass through the dog's gut immune tissue, it is thought to desensiti4e the body's immune response to these proteins, thus calming the body's response to its own similar tissue (in this case, the dog's own adrenal gland). .uring this process, immune cells are transformed from ;attacking; or ;inflammatory; cells to ;regulatory; cells, which are less reactive. 6olistic vets believe that since the modern dogs' diet usually does not contain glandular tissues, dogs are more prone to the development of chronic and autoimmune diseases. They suggest that dogs should be fed home$cooked foods that include glandular tissues such as liver, kidney, and spleen to prevent or minimi4e the onset of such diseases. !f your dog has Addison's disease, you may want to discuss with a holistic vet the possibility of using glandular therapy. Her s and Supplements #hile natural remedies cannot regenerate the adrenal glands, proper use of natural supplements and herbs can dramatically slow down the progression of Addisons disease in dogs. The key is to provide suitable nutrients to maintain a healthy body and a strong immune system. !n particular, the following herbs and supplements are beneficial2 Her s2 Autritious herbs (especially those rich in beneficial minerals and vitamins for the proper functioning of the adrenals) such as dandelion, parsley, spirulina (blue$green algae) and nettle can be fed to a dog with symptoms of Addison's disease. !mmune$boosting herbs such as garlic, echinacea, and astragalus are also essential to strengthen the dog's immunity. Natural Supplements2 .ogs with Addison's disease can also benefit from essential fatty acids as well as antio"idants such as vitamins , B and A.

An !"cellent Supplement for Dogs #ith Addison's Disease Animal !ssentials $ulti%&itamin Her al Supplement for Dogs This supplement contains herbs (such as garlic, spirulina, nettle, dandelion) as well as B>A$rich fla"seed, vitamins and minerals which are all beneficial for strengthening a dog's adrenal functions, immune system, and overall general health.

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