Is my dog's Addison's medication causing organ failure and belly fluid?

Question

Hi, my dog has Addison's disease she is almost 7 and has been on medication most of her life. Today we found out she has organ failure and fluid is filling up her belly and she has about a month to live if not less. If we try to drain the fluid it will keep filling up. Do you know if this happened because of her medication or something else? Pet's info: Dog | Saint Bernard | Female | spayed | 6 years and 10 months old | 98 lbs

Dr Stafford, BVetMed, MRCVS · Accepted Answer

Addison's is a very strange and difficult disease to fully comprehend in terms of its cause and effects on the body. I dont know exactly what your dog is being treated with, but the mainstay of treatment is replacement of steroids, both mineralcorticoid and glucocortocoid. Certainly with steroids there can be negative effects on the body such as weight gain, polyuria and sometimes med induced cushing's disease. However, steroid level is usually we regulated and momitored at check ups. I dont think that the levels of medication used could lead to such a sudden onset of organ failure. The bad effects of steroids are usually gradual and cause the cushings disease as opposed to organ failure. If Sadie is in orhan failure it is unlikely due to her meds. Cushing's can cause massive elevations in liver enzymes and a pot belly but not so much fluid build up. The other thing to consider is that she may have had an issue from birth effecting her in more ways than just an adrenal problem. And finally, without the medication for addison's it is unlikely that she would have made it to the age she has. Many dogs go into addisonian crises and die. It is unfortunate and sad that this is happening to Sadie, but you have done all you can for her, and likely given her much more life than she would have had otherwise.

Is my dog's Addison's medication causing organ failure and belly fluid?

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