A veterinary internal medicine specialist, Joseph Bisignano, DVM, specializes in gastroenterology, inflammatory conditions, and autoimmune conditions. With a career of more than two decades, Joseph Bisignano, DVM, has helped manage numerous diseases, including Addison’s disease in dogs.
Addison’s disease, also known as canine hypoadrenocorticism, occurs when a dog’s adrenal glands fail to produce sufficient amounts of corticosteroid hormones. The adrenal glands, situated next to a dog’s kidneys, produce corticosteroid or “stress” hormones. Glucocorticoids such as cortisol influence sugar, protein, and fat metabolism and are often stored and used to respond to threatening situations. Mineralocorticoids such as aldosterone help control potassium and sodium. When animals are under stress, their adrenal glands become stimulated and produce stress hormones that manifest in ways such as visible anxiety or joy when pet owners return home. Dogs with Addison’s disease cannot generate enough hormones to sustain normal stress levels, which can cause severe behavioral issues or even death. Doctors diagnose Addison’s disease with an ACTH stimulation blood test. Doctors perform the ACTH test by drawing a tiny blood sample to measure baseline cortisol levels. They then inject ACTH, which contains a brain hormone tasked with corticosteroids release during stressful situations. After about an hour, doctors take another blood sample to evaluate how the dog responded to ACTH. If the test reveals a low baseline cortisol level, there is little response to the stress hormone, which confirms Addison’s disease. With proper diagnosis and treatment of Addison’s disease, a dog can live a normal life.
0 Comments
|
AuthorA board-certified veterinary internal medicine specialist, Joseph Bisignano, DVM, recently completed advanced residency training before joining the staff of VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital as a veterinary specialist. Archives
September 2023
Categories
All
|