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Addison Disease Pets and Vitamin Supplements

Addison disease pets, (referred to as Hypoadrenocorticism), is very similar to the disase in humans. In pets, it most typically will affect young or middle aged female dogs and involves the malfunctioning of the adrenal glands.

Vitamin and mineral supplements are not a cure for Addison’s disease pets, but they can assist with restoring power to the adrenal glands, especially Pantothenic acid and Vitamin C.

In most typical cases, parts of the dogs adrenal glands that are cortisone producing will start wasting away to the effect that they are only functioning at a very minimal level.

This will have a significant impact on a dog’s health, but can be properly managed with medication. Addison disease pets can also occur in cats, but it is relatively uncommon except in female dogs, usually around the age of four years.

The causes of Addison disease pets are not fully understood, but it has been suspected that the immune system will attack its own adrenal glands.

As a result of this, the dog’s adrenal glands don’t produce enough of the two types of cortisone that are critical to the dog’s ability to balance the levels of such critical minerals such as sodium and potassium.

Addison disease pet’s works basically like this:

The adrenal glands which manufactures hormones and has a series of effects on numerous body functions, with this disease, the outer glands (called the cortex) fails to produce what is called corticosteroids.

These are a type of hormone that enables the body to properly handle stress. Occasionally Addison disease in pets is due to a failure of brain-controlled mechanisms that are responsible to stimulate the adrenal glands, to secrete hormones. Because it is so uncommon, it is very challenging for a veterinarian to properly diagnose.

Addison disease pets is not curable, but it certainly is treatable. However, if not treated, in some cases the slightest bit of stress in the animal will result in malfunctions of numerous body functions that could ultimately lead to a state of shock that can and has caused the death of the animal.

Symptoms:

Dogs that suffer from chronic forms of hypoadrenocorticism will have reoccurring periods of appetite loss, weakness, diarrhea, and vomiting. Other symptoms could be lethargy, regurgitation of undigested food shortly after eating, low blood sugar, and a slowed heart rate. These symptoms could lead to seizure and tremors, collapse, and or shock.

Some dogs may, at any time, develop hypo adrenal crisis this is the acute form of this disorder), and this may result in acute kidney failure and a very low body temperature.

If this happens, your dog must receive immediate attention for your veterinarian.

Diagnosis of Addison’s disease pets will be very from what is known as the ACTH Stimulation test. Taking between 24 to 36 hours to complete, dogs will be given a hormone called ACTH which will trigger the release of corticosteroids in stressful situations.

Because the pet does not manufacture cortisol, there will be no response to the ACTH, which usually indicates Addison disease.

Treatment:

Again, there is no cure for this disease. There are basically two approaches to treating Addison’s disease in pets. Both approaches will basically involve replacing the missing hormones.

The first will involve a drug called Florinef. Typically given in a pill form twice daily, it help to serve as a replacement for the mineralolcorticolds and the glucocorticolds that ultimately help to keep the pet’s metabolism in balance, and is far and away currently the most used treatment.

The second is a recently introduced drug that is an inject able drug called Percortin. This drug was on the market, than taken off of the market, and now is back on. This method of treatment seems to be gaining strong support among some circles.

You should always consult your veterinarian before any type of treatment or for any advice.

Addison Disease Pets and Natural Wellness