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    latcamp02's Avatar
    latcamp02 Posts: 6, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Jul 12, 2005, 05:52 PM
    Addison's Disease
    This isn't really a question but more of a informational statement. I posted earlier about my dog not eating (see what's wrong with my dog). I have a 6 year old lab that just stopped eating one day. Long story short, I took her to the vet, she was diagnosed with a blockage, we thought she had eaten plastic and voilą, she was home within 4 days, getting released on 6/30/05. Things started to look good and her appetite increased but on Friday, 7/8/05, it started all over again. She stopped eating, started sleeping and didn't want to move again. I took her to the vet this past Monday and he did more blood tests. It seems as though my dog has Addison's Disease--an underactive adrenal gland. It is characterized by loss of appetite, vomiting, listlessness, lethargy and weakness or pain in the hind legs. She had all this but we never pieced it together. Dogs can have it for a while but until they have a "breakdown" you don't really know it. I attributed the weakness in the hind legs to her being fat. Yep, she was kind of overweight and pretty sluggish, but I thought it was just her being "big boned" that kept her acting like she was 60 instead of 6.

    I am hopeful that some will read this and maybe speed up a diagnosis on their dog. No one should panic if their dog becomes a picky eater. The loss of appetite is a TRUE loss of appetite. My lab would eat ANYTHING but when she began to spit out, that's right, spit out CHICKEN, I knew things were very wrong.

    Corky will be on medication for the rest of her life. I got her from the animal shelter when she was 12 weeks old and who knew this would happen 6 years later. She is wonderful dog and a great friend and I am so thankful that I finally know what's wrong.

    Thanks labman... although you didn't bring this up, you helped comfort me when I was "freaking" out early on.
    packert115's Avatar
    packert115 Posts: n/a, Reputation:
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    #2

    Jul 12, 2005, 06:13 PM
    Gastrointestinal disturbances
    Addison's disease is also known as hypoadrenocorticism. It is an insufficient production of adrenal hormones by the adrenal gland. Since these hormones are essential for life, this is an extremely serious disease and it must be treated as such.

    Adrenal insufficiency can be primary or secondary. Primary adrenocorticism affects salt/potassium balance in the body and glucorticoid as well. Secondary adrenocorticism usually only affects the glucocorticoids. It is not known why primary adrenocorticism occurs but it may be an immune mediated process. Secondary adrenocorticism probably occurs most often when prednisone or other cortisone being administered for medical reasons are suddenly withdrawn. It can occur as a result of pituitary cancer or some other process that interferes with production of hormones that stimulate the adrenal glands.

    Most dogs with Addison's disease initially have gastrointestinal disturbances like vomiting. Lethargy it also a common early sign. Poor appetite can occur as well. These are pretty vague signs and it is extremely easy to miss this disease. More severe signs occur when a dog with hypoadrenocorticism is stressed or when potassium levels get high enough to interfere with heart function. Dogs with this problem will sometimes suffer severe shock symptoms when stressed, which can lead to a rapid death. When potassium levels get high heart arrythmias occur or even heart stoppage which also is fatal. In some cases, especially secondary Addison's disease, there are no detectable electrolyte changes.

    This disease can be picked up by changes in the ratio between sodium or potassium by accident at times. When this happens it is still extremely important to treat for it. It is confirmed by an ACTH response test -- administration of this hormone should stimulate production of adrenal hormones. If this does not occur then hypoadrenocorticism is present. In cases in which the electrolyte levels are normal this is the only test for the problem and it will be missed unless it is looked for specifically. At times this disease can be hard to differentiate from renal failure because the symptoms and even the bloodwork can be similar ---- so the ACTH response test may be necessary to differentiate them.

    Treatment for this disease is usually done by oral administration of fludrocortisone acetate (Flurinaf), salting the food, and administration of corticosteroids like prednisone. In a crisis situation this disorder must be treated more aggressively with intravenous fluids, IV glucocorticoids and correction of acid/base balances.

    You have to pay close attention to a dog with this problem. Don't ignore any changes in appetite, GI disturbances or anything else that makes you think your dog is ill. If you work with your vet and are careful about following his or her directions this disease has a good prognosis when it is discovered before a crisis occurs. I have written many articles on this and many other ,gastrointestinal disturbances
    labman's Avatar
    labman Posts: 10,580, Reputation: 551
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    #3

    Jul 14, 2005, 06:56 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by latcamp02
    This isnt really a question but more of a informational statement. I posted earlier about my dog not eating (see what's wrong with my dog). I have a 6 year old lab that just stopped eating one day. Long story short, I took her to the vet, she was diagnosed with a blockage, we thought she had eaten plastic and voila, she was home within 4 days, getting released on 6/30/05. Things started to look good and her appetite increased but on Friday, 7/8/05, it started all over again. She stopped eating, started sleeping and didnt want to move again. I took her to the vet this past Monday and he did more blood tests. It seems as though my dog has Addison's Disease--an underactive adrenal gland. It is characterized by loss of appetite, vomiting, listlessness, lethargy and weakness or pain in the hind legs. She had all this but we never pieced it together. Dogs can have it for a while but until they have a "breakdown" you dont really know it. I attributed the weakness in the hind legs to her being fat. Yep, she was kind of overweight and pretty sluggish, but I thought it was just her being "big boned" that kept her acting like she was 60 instead of 6.

    I am hopeful that some will read this and maybe speed up a diagnosis on their dog. No one should panic if their dog becomes a picky eater. The loss of appetite is a TRUE loss of appetite. My lab would eat ANYTHING but when she began to spit out, that's right, spit out CHICKEN, I knew things were very wrong.

    Corky will be on medication for the rest of her life. I got her from the animal shelter when she was 12 weeks old and who knew this would happen 6 years later. She is wonderful dog and a great friend and I am so thankful that I finally know what's wrong.

    Thanks labman...although you didnt bring this up, you helped comfort me when I was "freaking" out early on.
    Thanks for the update. Although most failure to eat problems are a result of over feeding, when an otherwise faithful eater suddenly stops, likely it is a serious problem. With a Lab it is easy to suspect a blockage from foreign material. For less common conditions, the vet may have to accumulate more information.

    5 years ago, when my Aster was still working as a dog guide, the local vet did a poor job diagnosing her colitis. We had to take her to the dog guide school's clinic. It was one of several conditions that lead her to retiring and coming to live with me.

    Each case is different. Nothing beats a hands on exam by a good vet.

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