Diet for Addison's

[Lucy's Mom from GA]

My Lucy has just been diagnosed with Addison's today and would like some suggestions for commercial or home-cooked diet suggestions.  She has been on a grain free diet (mostly).  

[Becky and Bella]

just remembered, our dog also had to have 1-2 L IV fluids daily (sub-cu or right underneath the skin)

[Rae]

I would stay away from SD!  Our Bella has Addison's and is eating Orejin Senior.  She's a young dog but the pred did assist her in gaining a few pounds.  This food is grain-free, has all the great stuff and fewer calories.  Check out the web site www.addisondog.com.  It has all the info you'll ever need concerning Addison's.  Bella get's her Percorten-V injection every 28 days and pred daily and has been doing great for years.  Once you get her meds leveled out these dogs are are like any other dog.  Remember that stress is the only thing you need to kind of keep an eye on...then just a tad more pred might be needed.  Once you get her pred level down (and since you're just starting on this journey, it may be a little while before you get there) she'll stop eating and drinking like a crazy dog.  Make sure she has plenty of water available to her.  Hope this helps.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I would also check the Addison Dogs on-line resource and support group. I'm sure they have some helpful information on diet. It's a wonderful resource for owners of dogs with Addison's Disease.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I am so sorry that Lucy is going through this. Our Bearded Collie had Addisons, diagnosed at 11 months, back in 1986ish. I know the treatment is different today so I can't help you in that but I can tell you that she lived a long, happy and healthy life for 13 years!

In all that time she had only a handful of Addisonian episodes that required her vets intervention. I found the root cause of hers - stress - a trip to the groomer made me find a groomer to come to our home in his van; she would get so stressed running around my in-laws pool when my girls were swimming, so she stayed in the house turning their swim time; but what is interesting that one memorial Day weekend she decided to jump the fence to go visit friends. The problem was that she made a wrong turn and was missing for the 3 day weekend. THAT didn't put her into an Addisonian episode - go figure. You just have to find Lucy's stressor and try to avoid them.

Paws crossed that Lucy's Addison stays stable!!!

[Jennifer and Jack]

The same thing for me. I never needed additional steroids when I worked trauma in the emergency room you would think for sure that I would with all that stress, but if I didn't get enough sleep, blam, I would go into crisis. I also being my lungs are so bad, have to be mindful and take extra steroids when I have a fever. Even the stress of getting ready to go to CO and what I am going to do with Jack is causing me to need extra steroids.. It is so weird what our bodies can and can not handle..

 

Same thing in the hot summer, I need extra salt pills and lots and lots of water and I can't get overheated or I crumble fast.. Otherwise, you will find a balance.. Honestly, my friends are now more in tune with my steroid needs then I am.

You will get the hang of it, I am sorry.

[Christine Koutsky]

I was interested in your post because my boy Ryley was just diagnosed with Addison's about 8 months ago.  I was wondering how Lucy is doing?  Have you had many issues with her getting too stressed and going into a crisis?  Ryley has been doing okay so far but I'm a little nervous that any little thing might send him into a crisis. 

[Lucy's Mom from GA]

Your Ryley looks so much like my Lucy.  Lucy is doing fine.  She has had a few stressed moments, our fault, guests, I fostered a 10 mo lab for 2 months and as much as Lucy's loved it, I could tell it was wearing her down.  He has been adopted and she is enjoying her quiet time and back to her daily exercising program.  Things that I have found is- she still loves to play, play, play and it just takes a toll on her.  Like someone posted earlier, you just have to find a balance and a routine helps.  We did go almost a week before getting her pecortin inj and that slowed her down a good bit.  We now have adjusted her prednisone to 1/2 a tablet a day and if we see she is stressed after a full house or busy weekend we give 1/2 am and 1/2 pm (12 hrs)  Just seems to work for her.  My best to you and Ryley.