Successful treatment of a cat with primary hypoadrenocorticism and severe hyponatremia with desoxycorticosterone pivalate (DOCP)
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 30, 2026

A Novel Method: Super-selective Adrenal Venous Sampling
Published on: September 15, 2017
Andrew D Woolcock1, Cynthia Ward1
1Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
Abstract:
A 6-year-old, castrated male Siamese cat was diagnosed with primary hypoadrenocorticism, confirmed by an adrenocorticotopic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test documenting both hypocortisolism and hypoaldosteronism. The cat was successfully treated using a combination of prednisolone and desoxycorticosterone pivalate (DOCP). This case demonstrates that DOCP can be used successfully as mineralocorticoid supplementation in cats with hypoadrenocorticism and may have a longer therapeutic duration than that in dogs.
Related Concept Videos
Adrenal Gland Disorders
Adrenal insufficiency, characterized by insufficient cortisol and aldosterone production, leads to conditions like Addison's disease. This disorder, affecting the adrenal cortex, exhibits symptoms such as skin bronzing, dehydration, low blood pressure, fatigue, and weight loss. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a genetic ailment causing...
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Glucocorticoids
Antihypertensive Drugs: Potassium-Sparing Diuretics
Adrenergic Agonists: Therapeutic Uses
Emergency and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) applications: Pressor agents increase blood pressure, heart rate, and contractility in shock and organ failure situations. Dopamine can induce vasodilation and stimulate adrenoceptors. Endogenous catecholamines are effective in treating cardiogenic shock. α2-agonists like clonidine can reverse anesthesia-induced hypertension.
Allergies and...
COPD: Management Using Bronchodilators and Corticosteroids
Hormones of the Adrenal Glands
The adrenal cortex, a powerhouse of hormone synthesis, generates over two dozen corticosteroid hormones. The zona glomerulosa produces mineralocorticoids, exemplified by aldosterone, influencing the electrolyte composition of body fluids. The synthesis of glucocorticoids such as cortisol and...

