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Addison's disease in dogs: a practical owner's guide

5 min read

Awaiting vet review

If your dog has just been diagnosed with Addison's disease, it can feel like a lot at once. This guide is here to help you understand the basics, build calm everyday routines, and know when to call your vet. It isn't a substitute for your vet's advice, and it doesn't tell you what to give your dog or how much.

What is Addison's disease in dogs?

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Addison's disease, which vets also call hypoadrenocorticism, is a condition where a dog's adrenal glands don't make enough of the hormones the body relies on. It can be hard to spot, because the early signs are often vague and can come and go. The PDSA's overview and the MSD Veterinary Manual's owner page explain the condition in more detail, and are good places to start reading. The Vets Now guide is another helpful read.

According to the MSD Veterinary Manual, treatment is lifelong, and an Addisonian crisis is an emergency. The sources above agree that your vet is the person who confirms the condition and plans the treatment.

Signs owners notice

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Owners often describe a dog who is "just not right": off their food, flat or tired, or with an upset tummy that keeps returning. These signs are common in many conditions, so they can't tell you what is wrong. If you notice changes in your dog, raise them with your vet. Don't try to work out the cause yourself. The linked sources list the signs vets look for in more detail.

How vets manage it

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Your vet will diagnose Addison's with tests, set up the treatment and plan regular check-ups. The sources linked in this guide give a general overview of how treatment works. For your own dog, only your vet can say what is right. Ask them to put the plan in writing, and keep that note with your dog's records.

AddiPaws never suggests medication amounts or schedules. You enter what your vet prescribed, and the app helps you keep track of it.

Everyday routines that help

These are practical habits, not medical advice. They are the kind of thing many owners find useful:

• Keep one record of the plan. Write down what your vet has told you: medicines, injection dates, and when the next check-up is due.
• Make injection dates impossible to miss. Set reminders in good time, with a countdown you can see at a glance. AddiPaws has injection countdowns for this.
• Log every tablet and who gave it. In a household, it's easy for two people to assume the other one did it. A shared dose log means no one doubles up or misses one.
• Do a quick daily check-in. Noting appetite, energy, thirst and tummy for 30 seconds each day gives you a record of how your dog is over time, and something concrete to show your vet.
• Keep blood results in one place. Your vet will explain what the numbers mean for your dog. Having them side by side makes it easier to follow the changes between visits.
• Track supplies. Check what you have left and reorder before you run low.

Stress days and emergencies

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Many owners find it helpful to plan ahead for things that can unsettle a dog: vet visits, fireworks, kennels, travel and house guests. Ask your vet what they want you to do on days like these, and write it down in advance, so you aren't searching for it in the moment.

The MSD Veterinary Manual and the PDSA both describe an Addisonian crisis as an emergency. If your dog seems seriously unwell, call your vet or your nearest emergency vet straight away. Keep their phone numbers somewhere easy to find. An emergency card on your phone, with your dog's details and your vet's number, helps anyone caring for your dog act quickly. AddiPaws has one with a QR code.

Questions to ask your vet

• What are we treating, and how will we know it's working?
• When are the next check-ups and blood tests?
• What should I do if my dog misses a tablet or an injection is late?
• What does my dog's plan look like on stress days, such as travel, boarding, a vet visit or fireworks?
• Which signs mean I should call you, and which mean I should go to the emergency vet?
• Who can I contact out of hours?
• Can you give me a written summary of the plan that I can share with family, sitters and kennels?

Looking after yourself

Caring for a dog with a long-term condition takes energy. Share the load with family or friends where you can, and let carers see the plan and the log. Talking to other owners can help, but remember that every dog is different, and advice from other owners isn't a replacement for your vet.

How AddiPaws can help

AddiPaws is a calm care companion for owners of dogs with Addison's disease. It keeps injection countdowns, daily tablets, check-ins, blood results and an emergency card in one place, and lets you share access with family, carers and your vet. It's free for one dog. Try AddiPaws at addipaws.app.

Sources

• PDSA: Addison's disease in dogs
• MSD Veterinary Manual (owner version): Disorders of the Adrenal Glands in Dogs
• Vets Now: What is Addison's disease in dogs?