Leonberger Club of America Health, Research, and Education Committee

Addison's Disease (Hypoadenocorticism)

What is it?	Addison's Disease is a hormonal disorder that results in a decreased production of glucocorticoids and mineral corticoids by the adrenal gland. These substances are responsible for a host of functions including metabolism, electrolyte and water balance, and the ability of the body to deal with stress. There is evidence that this disease runs in families in a number of breeds including Leonbergers. Preliminary studies at UC Davis have shown that Addison's Disease in the Leonberger is heritable and suggests that genes from both parents may be required.
Symptoms:	The onset of vague signs such as poor appetite with weight loss, vomiting and lethargy, chronic or recurrent diarrhea in adult dogs varying from age 2 to 6. These symptoms may not lead to an immediate diagnosis, which, in turn, can lead to an acute crisis and shock. This usually occurs after a stressful episode (such as anesthesia), and can be very severe and possibly fatal if not identified and treated immediately.
Diagnosis:	Is not always easy since Addison's Disease symptoms can mimic many other much less severe and more common diseases. A presumptive diagnosis can often be made by running standard blood tests and can be confirmed by hormone testing of the adenal gland.
Treatment:	If this disease is diagnosed early, it can be treated successfully by replacing the missing hormones, either as daily pills or intermittent injections. Many dogs have done well with long-term treatment. There have been very few additional cases of Addison's Disease diagnosed since the 1995 HREC Survey. Though we expected a large increase in the number of new cases, the rate at which they are appearing has slowed. We are pleased because this is an indication that careful breeding programs have been effective.
Links:	Listing of Leonbergers affected with Addison's Disease