Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with sudden bloody diarrhea later diagnosed with Addison's disease
By Busch, K et al.·Published in Tierarztliche Praxis. Ausgabe K, Kleintiere/Heimtiere·2014·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: [Acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea as a presenting sign in a dog with primary hypoadrenocorticism].
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old male mixed breed dog was brought to the vet because he was vomiting blood and had severe, watery diarrhea. Initially, the vet suspected he had hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) and treated him with fluids, which helped him improve. However, a month later, the dog returned with weakness and abnormal electrolyte levels, leading to a diagnosis of hypoadrenocorticism (a condition where the adrenal glands don't produce enough hormones). This case shows that dogs with hypoadrenocorticism can present with severe diarrhea, and it's important for vets to check cortisol levels in these situations.
People also search for: dog vomiting blood treatment · dog diarrhea causes · mixed breed dog hypoadrenocorticism symptoms
Abstract
A 7-year-old male castrated mixed breed dog was presented because of acute haemorrhagic vomiting and watery haemorrhagic diarrhoea. According to clinical signs, nonspecific clinicopathological abnormalities, normal electrolytes and a rapid improvement with fluid therapy, haemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) was suspected. One month later the dog was represented with weakness and electrolyte changes characteristic for typical hypoadrenocorticism (hyperkalaemia and hyponatraemia) were found. The tentative diagnosis was confirmed using an ACTH stimulation test. This case report highlights that dogs with hypoadrenocorticism may be presented with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea. Electrolyte changes characteristic for hypoadrenocorticism may not be present in case of gastrointestinal potassium loss because of vomiting and diarrhoea. To rule out hypoadrenocorticism, a basal cortisol measurement should be performed in every dog with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea of unknown cause.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25323215/