Addison's Disease in Dogs: Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment

Diagnosing Addison's Disease in Dogs

Your vet's evaluation will start with a history and a physical exam. Addison's disease in dogs is often suspected after a vet listens to your observations, as signs and symptoms come and go, and may not be present at time of the veterinary visit.

Because the signs of this disease are not just associated with this condition, basic blood and urine tests are recommended as the first diagnostic step. Initial testing can increase or decrease veterinary suspicions while also providing information about your dog's general health and providing your vet with information about other potential diseases. A complete blood cell count (CBC), along with a routine biochemistry panel and electrolytes will provide further clues if the disease is a strong contender. To officially confirm or rule out the diagnosis though, your vet will perform a blood test called an ACTH stimulation test, which involves measuring the response of the adrenal glands to a small, harmless hormone injection. Because this test can be expensive and takes roughly 1-2 hours to perform, vets will often wait to perform this test until they are either highly suspicious of Addison's disease or if they feel it's important to eliminate Addison's disease as a possibility for what's ailing your dog.

Treating Hypoadrenocorticism in Dogs

If your dog is experiencing an "Addisonian crisis", which is a more severe presentation of the disease characterized by collapse, shock, and severe dehydration, your pet will likely need to be hospitalized to receive IV fluids and supportive care until they recover. If you are concerned that your pet may be experiencing an Addisonian crisis, it's important to have them seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible as this can become rapidly life threatening.

Stable patients can simply begin with medical management. Medical treatment essentially consists of hormone replacement therapy. This is most often done through daily administration of an oral steroid medication and periodic injections of a medication called DOCP (Desoxycorticosterone pivalate), a synthetic form of one of the hormones dogs with Addison's disease are unable to produce themselves. DOCP injections are often needed monthly, but this length of time can vary some from dog to dog. Once you start treatment, it will be important to return to your vet for periodic checkups so they can run bloodwork that helps dictate necessary adjustments in your dog's medications. While most dogs with Addison's disease need both oral steroids and DOCP injections, some dogs may only need one or the other depending on which hormones they are capable of producing themselves. Your vet will decide what medications are appropriate based on the diagnostic test results and any concurrent health concerns.

Stress management is also extremely important in these dogs. Remember that if your dog has Addison's disease, their body doesn't mount a normal stress response. Severe stressors could even result in an Addisonian crisis. Common stressors can include things such as travel, boarding, thunderstorms, fireworks, and social events or other disruptions/alterations of your daily routine at home. However, remember that stress is relative to your pet's personality. Something that may seem relatively normal to you, could be a significant stressor for your pet. A classic example would be a sudden change in your work schedule. Thus, it's important to understand your dog's unique personality quirks to help identify potential triggers. Although it's nice to try and avoid stressors altogether, the reality is that this may not always be possible. Make sure you talk with your veterinarian about how to handle stressful events to keep your dog happy and relaxed at home.

Close communication between you and your veterinary team is essential. Most dogs treated for Addison's disease respond extremely well, despite the fact that treatment generally continues for the rest of the dog's life. Despite the perplexing presentation, this disease tends to be very manageable once diagnosed and under control.