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Marie Campbell wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:1332017543.8320.YahooMailNeo@web121206.mail.ne1.yahoo.com"
type="cite">
<pre wrap="">
Paula,
I had a German shepherd/cocker spaniel/ basset mix boy (imagine a German Shepherd with basset legs--shepherd head, hair, and body but basset legs) who lived to be 15 years old. Mom was a cocker/basset mix and just lovely. Her name was Rusty and she had gorgeous copper, silky cocker hair and a cocker head but basset legs and feet. You never met a sweeter, more wonderful dog! Dad was a neighbor's German Shepherd that wandered the neighborhood and hopped my grandparents fence. Any who, Grizzly, my boy, had multiple health problems his whole life-disc disease, allergies both contact and food, dry eyes, arthritis.... Anyway, he was on prednisone allot and one time out of the blue he bit me while I was petting him. It really shocked me. I called my vet and he told me he thought it was a pred reaction and switched him to dexamethasone. He never reacted like that again and we never used pred again.
We always used dex and he was
fine. Can they switch your boy to dex instead?
Marie Campbell
</pre>
</blockquote>
The following info in from the web site <b>CanineAddisonsInfo.com</b>:<br>
<blockquote type="cite"><big
style="font-family: Papyrus; font-weight: bold;">Canine
Addison's Disease - Hypoadrenocorticism</big><span
style="font-family: Papyrus; font-weight: bold;"> </span><br
style="font-weight: bold;">
<br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> Canine
Addison's
Disease is NOT a death sentence *if* your dog receives appropriate
treatment!!Dogs with Addison's
Disease are
unable to produce one or two hormones, so we must replace
those hormones by providing artificial substitutes. </span><br
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times New Roman;">
<br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times New Roman;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">The
first hormone
that's missing
(the ONLY one missing in dogs with primary "Atypical" or secondary
Addison's) is cortisol, which manages metabolism, stress, blood
pressure and the general sense of well being. Cortisol is a
GLUCocorticoid (think glucose, sugar, energy) and is artificially
supplemented with a low DAILY dose of prednisone or some other oral
glucocorticoid (prednisolone, hydrocortisone, etc.) The correct dose of
prednisone cannot be measured with a blood test -it's determined by
your observations: <b>the lowest dose that keeps your dog symptom
free,
happy and eating</b>!</span><br
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times New Roman;">
<br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times New Roman;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">The
second hormone
that's missing
(in dogs with primary "Typical" Addison's only) is aldosterone, which
manages the electrolytes in the body. Aldosterone is a
MINERALocorticoid (think minerals: salt, sodium, potassium) and is
artificially supplemented with either DOCP (Percorten-v) or Florinef,
sufficient to maintain normal levels of these minerals. Although there
are recommended starting doses for DOCP (1.0 ml for 25 pounds of body
weight) and Florinef (one 0.1 mg tablet for every TEN pounds of body
weight) the correct dose must be determined by closely monitoring
electrolyte levels and adjusting the dose accordingly! The goal is to
maintain potassium and sodium values at a "happy medium" of whatever
reference range the testing lab states on your dog's lab report. Lab
values at either extreme end of these ranges are usually not a "comfort
zone" for your Addisonian dog, and can actually be life-threatening! <br>
<br style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Dogs
with Addison's
Disease can
and DO lead full and happy lives once they're provided with artificial
replacements for the hormones their adrenal glands are no longer
producing! </span></blockquote>
Another Addisons site is: <b><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.addisondogs.com/">http://www.addisondogs.com/</a><br>
</b><br>
Kathie G <br>
mom to Gabby (6 years with Addisons) and Misty (who has a fetish for
eating paper)<br>
<br>
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