CAUSES AND DEVELOPMENT

This disease most often occurs in young or middle-aged dogs, especially females. Some breeds are particularly predisposed, such as the Portuguese Water Dog, the Poodle, the Leonberger, the Labrador Retriever and the Nova Scotia Retriever. However, all breeds can be affected. In cats, it is a very rare disease, however.

CLINICAL SYMPTOMS

Some dogs come with chronically evolving symptoms while others come with acute symptoms for emergency treatment.

When the disease is chronic and has been evolving for several weeks or months, the most common symptoms observed are increased drinking and urination, weight loss, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite and depression. These symptoms can be fluctuating.

The acute form, also called “Addisonian crisis” is less common but can have fatal consequences. Symptoms vary from patient to patient. These are generally the same as those described above but with a sudden onset and a more marked degree of severity. Some patients also experience gastrointestinal bleeding. Fresh blood or digested blood (black stools) is found in the stool, and dogs show vomit with fresh blood. Since the dogs are in shock, they need to be taken to a veterinarian quickly.

DIAGNOSIS

The diagnosis is made by analyzing the report, the clinical signs, the abnormalities observed in the blood test and the results of the hormonal tests.

TREATMENTS AND PROGNOSIS

During an Addisonian crisis, patients must be taken care of immediately by a veterinarian and receive an intravenous perfusion which consists of administering fluids directly into the vessels to stabilize the state of shock.

Whether for the acute or chronic form, hormone supplementation is also necessary. This is a lifelong treatment that aims to replace the hormones that are not produced by the adrenal glands (glucocorticoids +/- mineralocorticoids).

Glucocorticoid supplementation is administered orally on a daily basis. Mineralocorticoid supplementation can be done by injection (one injection per month on average) or orally on a daily basis.

Depending on the disorders observed, other symptomatic treatments are sometimes necessary to counter the clinical signs of vomiting, such as Gastro Supp™, of diarrhea, such as Digest Regul™, of weight loss and depression, such as Energy Supp™ and Omega Supp™.

With appropriate treatment the prognosis is very good and the dog can have a normal life. However, the stabilization of the disease can take several months and requires repeated checks with the veterinarian.

Dr Emilie Vangrinsven
Diplomate from European college of veterinary internal medicine | PhD U-Liège
Assistant at the Liege University in the university clinic for PETs | Author and co-author of numerous scientific publications