What started as one thing, turned into something else.

Meet Belle, she was my parents/brothers chihuahua.  I say was because this past Saturday, 1/21/2012, she passed away in my daddy's arms.  She was only a few years old, but unfortunately she had Addison's Disease and by the time they found out, it was too late.  The emergency vet was able to give her some fluids and send her home with instructions to try to reduce her potassium levels and increase her glucose.  The only thing that seemed to do was give them the rest of the day to spend with her.  The vet recommended that they euthanize her, but my dad said no.  Did she suffer? There is no way to tell.  She was where she wanted to be, doing one of the few things she loved doing, sitting in bed with him.  It's hard to watch something you love go through that, and it's even harder to watch them go to sleep and never wake up. 







Addison's disease is hard to diagnose since the symptoms can be mistaken for other common illnesses.  The symptoms can also come and go over a period of a few months, to years.  Normally, the disease is not caught until the dog is in crisis.  For Belle, she was already in renal failure.  The disease can be treated if caught early enough.  If your dog has been having bouts of vomiting and diarrhea, or even if you think your dog seems off, talk to your vet about your concerns. 

To find out more about the disease, you can visit:

AddisonDogs| What is Addison's Disease
Addion's Disease

You can also contact your local vet.