Addison’s disease is a disorder of the adrenal
glands in which adrenal hormone production is insufficient. The condition
may result from damage to the glands by infection, cancer, or drugs, or
the cause may not be known. Pituitary gland disease may also cause
adrenal insufficiency.
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Insufficient adrenal hormones can upset
the body’s conservation of sodium (salt), reduce circulating blood volume,
impair heart and kidney function, damage the heart muscle, and cause faulty
sugar and fat metabolism. Decreased tolerance of stress is the primary
characteristic of Addison’s disease, and affected pets are often presented
in a shock-like state of collapse called an Addisonian crisis.
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Extensive blood and adrenal function tests
are necessary to properly diagnose and plan treatment for Addison’s disease.
Initial treatment of adrenal insufficiency usually is done in the hospital,
due to the need for intravenous fluids and medications and frequent laboratory
tests. Lifetime treatment is usually needed.
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Notify your veterinarian if any
of the following occur:
Your pet vomits or has diarrhea.
Your pet seems overly thirsty and urinates
frequently or has "accidents."
Your pet has periods of well-being interrupted
by brief episodes of illness, weakness or depression.
Your pet is depressed.
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Cushing’s
Disease
General Information:
Cushing’s disease is a disorder of the adrenal
glands in which excessive adrenal hormones are produced. The cause
of hyperadrenalism may be abnormal pituitary gland function, tumors of
the adrenal gland, "cortisone" therapy or unexplained overactivity of the
adrenal gland.
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Hyperadrenalism is a slowly progressing
disease, and the early signs are often not noticed. These include
increased appetite, increased drinking and urination, reduced activity
and enlargement of the abdomen. As the disease progresses, these
signs intensify, and the pet may become fat, pant heavily and lose hair
evenly over each side of the body. In some cases, hair loss may be
the only apparent change.
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Extensive laboratory tests and radiographs
(x-rays) are needed to diagnose the condition, find its cause and plan
treatment. Some animals respond to medical treatment alone, while
others need both surgical and medical treatment. Unfortunately, some
patients grow worse despite treatment.
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Control, rather than cure, is the outcome
of treatment in most cases of hyperadrenalism. Treatment must be
carefully monitored, since the drugs used in therapy may cause underproduction
of adrenal hormones and a shock-like state known as Addisonian crisis.
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Notify your veterinarian if any
of the following occur:
Your pet drinks excessively or cannot hold
its urine.
Your pet vomits or has diarrhea.
Your pet becomes depressed or weak or behaves
oddly.
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Diabetes
Insipidus
General Information:
Diabetes insipidus is characterized by increased
thirst and increased urination. These can result from deficiency
of a body chemical ( antidiuretic hormone) normally produced by the pituitary
gland, or they may be due to the kidney'’ inability to respond properly
to the hoemone.
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Your pet may require hospitalization to
confirm the diagnosis, since there several other possible causes of increased
thirst and urination. With diabetes insipidus, treatment is usually
necessary for the remainder of your pet’s life.
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Notify your veterinarian if any
of the following occur:
Your pet begins to lose weight.
Your pet’s abdomen seems to enlarge.
Your pet vomits repeatedly.
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Diabetes
Mellitus
General Information:
Diabetes is a disease caused by a deficiency
of insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas and is
necessary for body tissues to use blood sugar. Without insulin, sugar
remains in the blood and eventually passes into the urine. This causes
increased urine production and thirst. Hunger increases because the
body cannot use the sugar in the blood. As the disease progresses
chemicals called ketones accumulate, resulting in vomiting and dehydration.
Eventually coma and then death occur in untreated animals.
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Diabetes is not a curable disease, but
with proper insulin administration, the disease can be controlled.
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Blood and urine sugar must be monitored
very carefully until your pet’s condition is stabilized. Once your
pet’s insulin requirements are determined and blood-sugar levels are stabilized,
only the urine sugar needs to be monitored.
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Low blood sugar reactions: Occasionally
insulin treatment may result in blood sugar levels that are too low.
This is most likely to happen 3-7 hours after insulin treatment, especially
with strenuous exercise. Your pet may seem weak, tired, or uncoordinated,
or may have a seizure. Always keep a sugar containing syrup (for
example, Karo) handy to treat low sugar levels. If your pet has a
seizure, rub the syrup on the gums and inside the lips. Do not try
to force a convulsing animal to swallow the syrup. Call the doctor
if your pet does not improve within a few minutes.
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Hormones present during "heat" and pregnancy
antagonize the effects of insulin. Diabetic females should be spayed
as soon as their insulin levels are regulated.
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Notify your veterinarian if any
of the following occur:
Your pet’s thirst and urination increase.
Your pet has diarrhea or vomits.
Your pet acts weak or depressed.
Your pet has trouble breathing.
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Hypothyroidism
General Information:
Hypothyroidism is a disease caused by insufficient
levels or the body’s abnormal use of thyroid hormone. In some pets,
the pituitary gland is involved, but most cases are due to inadequate production
of hormones by the thyroid.
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The condition rarely appears in pets under
2 years of age; middle-aged or older pets are usually affected. Signs
include some or all of the following: reduced stamina, increased sleeping,
reduced tolerance to cold, dry coat and skin, premature graying of the
muzzle, hair loss, slow hair growth, recurrent skin infections, and the
appearance of dark pigment in the skin. The face may appear puffy,
and females may have irregular cycles and/or reduced fertility. Males
may have shrinkage of the testes and show less interest in females.
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Blood tests are necessary to diagnose
the condition and monitor treatment. Hypothyroidism is controlled
rather than cured, and lifetime therapy is necessary.
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Notify your veterinarian if any
of the following occur:
