Canine hypoadrenocorticism: Insights into the Addisonian crisis

Primary objectives of this study were to determine presenting complaints, physical examination, clinicopathologic findings, and hospitalization time of dogs with spontaneous hypoadrenocorticism presenting with critical disease; and to compare those end points to dogs with a more stable presentation. Secondary objectives were to evaluate the shock index and to identify precipitating stressors.

Eighty-four dogs at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine between 1998 and 2018 were included.

Data were retrieved from the medical records.

Collapse and depression were more common among critically ill dogs. Hyperlactatemia was rare despite a diagnosis of hypovolemic shock, and a shock index was ineffective in this patient subset. Isosthenuria, total hypocalcemia, and more severe acidosis were more common (P < 0.05) in critical dogs. Owner separation was the most common precipitating stressor.

We concluded that the critical Addisonian dog has unique characteristics that may aid in early disease identification.