Addison disease in dogs, as in humans, indicates a problem with the chain of hormone producing glands, particularly the adrenal glands. Typically, the hormones cortisol and aldosterone are not being produced in sufficient quantity for a healthy dog. You can best prevent and treat this condition by using a system of natural dogs health care.
Addison disease in dogs can affect any age or gender. Some breeds of dogs are more prone than others, such as poodles, great danes, some collies, some terriers and the Portuguese water dog. Dogs who have undergone surgery to the pituitary gland or hypothalamus are more likely to develop this condition.
Cortisol helps your dog deal in a healthy way to stress. It is necessary in the conversion of food to energy. It is used to deal effectively with inflammatory processes. It is essential for the proper function of the immune system. Aldosterone helps to maintain normal blood pressure and to keep the kidneys working normally.
All glands, and so their production of hormones, interdepend on each other. The pituitary gland is responsible for producing hormones that affect the rest of the body. If this gland is not working efficiently, addisons disease in dogs can occur.
Common causes can be from prolonged use of steroid hormones, injury (such as surgery) and a malfunctioning immune system.
Common symptoms of this condition is weakness, lethargy, listlessness, depression, spots of darkened skin, tremours in the muscles, pain in the joints making getting around more difficult, abdominal pain, loss of appetite with the resulting weight loss, vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration. These symptoms are common to many other conditions, so diagnosis is difficult. Often veterinary diagnosis comes only after the elimination of many other problems. Most of the diagnosis comes from a blood test, particularly after an ACTH stimulation test.
Canine addisons disease is a serious disease and can be fatal.
Veterinary treatment includes injections and oral medication, including corticosteroids. An IV saline treatment may be used in serious cases. The treatment will normally last the life time of the dog.
These treatments are only addressing the effects of the problem, not the cause. They are all immune suppressive. They are also liver toxic. The additional steroids increase the strain on an already struggling glandular system.
What else can you do? Are there any effective alternatives?
The good news is that there ARE better alternatives that are easy to apply and highly cost effective. The bad news is that you may be reluctant to make a quantum leap in changing your thinking.
By adopting a system of natural dogs health care, which includes a quality, natural diet and natural therapies, especially homeopathy, as the main treatment, you can successfully treat the problem and prevent its recurrence.
