Greetings, all! I hope this message finds you well and enjoying the spring. Thanks to starting my day with an excellent breakfast, I’m feeling fantastic today. This morning, I ate green beans, baby carrots (all chopped up into bite-size pieces), six blueberries, two strawberries, and about 3 tablespoons of pumpkin mixed in with my regular dog food. This combination gives me plenty of energy and keeps me happy and healthy. Like a lot of humans in the United States, many dogs are overweight. Being overweight can lead both species to experience arthritis, heart disease, cancers, and other severe conditions. Unfortunately, most dogs’ diets are full of dry, processed foods, which aren’t the best for us nutritionally. Eating this way gives us a high carbohydrate load we don’t need, and it may contribute to us getting chunky and lazy. If you want to help your dog keep their weight down and feel better throughout the day, replace as little as 10% of their daily dry kibble with fresh food. That small percentage can be fruits and vegetables — but hold the onions and grapes, which aren’t good for us. Given twice a day, this minor addition alone is a potent way to improve your dog’s health and create positive changes in their body. It even works better than giving us a multivitamin! Dog Diet Do’s and Don’ts Sam’s Corner
Dexter’s Successful Adrenal Journey FROM LETHARGIC TO LIVELY
Dexter is a handsome German shorthaired pointer mix who came in to see Dr. Green after about a week of not eating, acting lethargic, vomiting, diarrhea, and generally not being himself. On examination, he was dehydrated with a low temperature and a tense abdomen. Abdominal X-rays were performed to ensure he hadn’t eaten something he shouldn’t have. Thankfully, there was no evidence of a foreign body present.
Dr. Green’s team collected a blood sample to check his kidney and liver function and his white and red blood cells. They also performed a test called a PLI to help determine whether he had pancreatitis caused by a high-fat meal. His PLI test returned normal, but his other bloodwork revealed elevated kidney values
and red blood cell counts, low sodium, and elevated potassium. Kidney values commonly elevate from dehydration, toxins, infections, primary kidney disease, metabolic issues such as Addison’s disease (hypoadrenocorticism), or medications.
His X-rays showed no concerning findings, and he also tested negative for heartworm and a few tick-borne diseases. At the time, Dexter’s guardians decided to try medical management at home with canned food and anti-vomiting medications. Unfortunately, he didn’t improve, which ultimately led to his hospitalization for aggressive supportive care and IV fluids to help with hydration. Reevaluated bloodwork revealed he was still experiencing elevated kidney values and electrolyte abnormalities. His blood pressure was also low. This bloodwork, along with low blood pressure and his GI symptoms, pointed toward potential Addison’s disease. Dr. Green’s team performed an ACTH stimulation test to check how well Dexter’s adrenal glands responded. His values returned below normal, confirming his Addison’s diagnosis. This disease occurs when specific hormones are not released from the adrenal glands. When the adrenal glands aren’t functioning appropriately, patients commonly experience lethargy, weakness, vomiting, decreased appetite, and/or diarrhea. In severe cases, such as Dexter’s, they can experience shock.
Dexter continued his supportive care in the hospital, which included some steroid injections, and began to feel much better. He was started on two steroid medications — both of which he will need to be on for the rest of his life — to help supplement his body’s lack of steroid production. He improved almost immediately after receiving these steroids and has been doing amazing ever since!
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