Calling COTH vets/vet techs - treating Addison's in a dog NEW UPDATE - not Addison's

[Mara]

Posting this for a friend whose rat terrier has just been diagnosed with Addison’s disease. It’s a young dog, only two, so they are thinking long and hard about paying long-term for the Percorten-V, which is about $200/month. They’re aware of the side effects of the daily corticosteroid treatment (lots of drinking and peeing) and are prepared to deal with that.

They’re not wealthy people but are devoted to their pets - spent several thousand on back surgery and rehab for a large breed dog many years ago. They can pay. . . .but it does add up and would require some tinkering with the budget; $200/month is a car payment for a lot of people.

I’m just looking for info that might help them make their decision. Do most dogs respond well to treatment - can this little gal live a pretty much normal life? I have a feeling they’re going to go ahead and commit to the treatment, because that’s just how they are. But any additional information will be welcome!

[Ibex]

I have a friend with an older Weimeraner with Addison’s. With the right care he’s had a pretty happy healthy life!

[Horsegal984]

Once you learn to manage your Addisonain do they typically do pretty well. However that price estimate seems VERY high, since a vial of Percorten is about $200 for a 4mL vial and a rat terrier will be getting less than a mL each dose. Initially the cost may be higher with associated bloodwork while they get the dose dialed in but it should not be $200/month for the rest of the dogs life.

The biggest issues we see with Addisonians is not remembering to increase the Pred dosing during times of stress and the dog relapsing.

[Belmont]

Our Addison’s dog at the clinic is doing wonderfully. She responds very well to the Percorten-V. The owners are very happy. The dog is active and healthy, otherwise. The treatments generally work! She gets 0.84 mL and it runs about $51.00ish per month. They might have just gave her an estimate of the whole bottle instead of the dose. That seems very high.

[Marshfield]

Once the dosing is stable, most Addisonian dogs can lead very normal lives. There is more bloodwork done initially while getting the dose dialed in. The Westie patient I have on Percorten costs her owner about $50 per month of medication.

[Mara]

Well, now they don’t think it’s Addison’s. X-rays show a mass in the abdomen. Actually when the dog first presented with symptoms, the mass was there, then disappeared. Now it’s back. Tests are “not definitive for Addison’s”.

They are taking dog for an MRI and possible exploratory surgery this afternoon. Darn. Addison’s sounds like a walk in the park compared to what the feared outcome is.

[Horsegal984]

Well darn! Hoping for good results.

Are they by chance doing an ultrasound and not an MRI? Abdominal masses are often well visualized on US (by a specialist!) and then no anesthesia is needed. I’ve seen too many owners feel rushed into making a decision on surgery/no surgery after an MRI since the animal is already under. Starting with a good ultrasound would be less risk and lower cost and may give them the info they need re: surgery or not.

[Mara]

Husband said MRI - but he might have meant US.

[SquishTheBunny]

I would assume they mean ultrasound too. Jingles!!!

[IFG]

For anyone who does need info on Addison’s, there is a new low-dose protocol for percorten. I am one of a number of moderators on a Yahoo and FB group. Links below. Just as an example, my 65 lb dog gets 0.75 ml percorten every 28 days and 0.625-1 mg pred dails (depending on the season). My dog has pet insurance, so I did not reduce his doses for financial reasons, but because he feels his best on the lower doses. The cost is about $35 a month. Links:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2347518387/

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/AddisonDogs_/info

[Mara]

Well, Sophie (the rat terrier) had her ultrasound and this time (they’d done one before, which I didn’t know) there was definitely some sort of solid object in her intestinal tract. The vet now thinks it was shifting from time to time so that’s why it showed on the x-ray and they were able to feel it, and then later it seemed to vanish. Also explains the symptoms coming and going.

So in they went.

Yep, she ate part of a tennis ball. She didn’t chew it - their Weimaraner is fond of chasing them, the GSD rescue dog chews them up, and, well, Sophie decided one of the pieces was too tempting. So no more tennis balls for anyone.

She was a pretty sick girl - a small section of gut had abscessed and had to be resected. But everyone is optimistic for recovery.

This is still a good informational thread to have in the event someone does have questions about an Addisonian dog. I know I’ve learned a lot!

[SquishTheBunny]

Excellent! Foreign bodies are much better than an abdominal mass! Glad to hear its removed, and jingles for a speedy and uncomplicated recovery!