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The immune system is a fantastic defense network of antibodies, white blood cells, and other substances used to fight off infection and reject foreign proteins. similar to a police force walking around and patrolling the body recognizing what is “self” from what is “non-self.” sometimes however the immune system can unfortunately fail. sometimes it fails by not doing its job well enough and sometimes it fails by doing its job too well. What results in autoimmune disease is when the immune system is unable to tell the difference between its own tissues and the foreign ones. “Auto” meaning “self;” therefore, autoimmune disease describes an immune system that is destroying parts of its own body: it perceives its own normal tissues as foreign and attempts to destroy them.
Animals, like humans, are susceptible to developing many different autoimmune diseases. Dogs, cats, horses, and other animals can all potentially develop autoimmune disease. Today’s topic will strictly focus on autoimmune diseases in dogs. similar to autoimmune disease development in humans, autoimmune diseases in canines are attributed to both genetic and environmental factors. certain canine breeds have an increased risk for certain autoimmune disease. In both humans and canines, dietary interventions including the addition of antioxidant vitamins such as VitaChews, hormone therapy, corticosteroids such as prednisone and dexamethasone to reduce inflammation, regular exercise and periods of rest, and a combination approach to treatment usually offers the best benefits. The following are some of the more common autoimmune diseases:
Autoimmune adrenalitis (Addison’s disease): Addison’s disease primarily affects young to middle-aged female dogs; however, a dog of any age and either sex can develop the disease. This disease does not appear to be more common in any particular breed. In Addison’s disease the adrenal glands are slowly destroyed, leading to adrenal insufficiency. Symptoms of Addison’s disease include weakness, anorexia, vomiting, and muscle weakness. If the imbalance of electrolytes and metabolism during this period gets really out of range then the animal might go into shock and collapse.
The veterinarian will usually confirm if your dog has this disease by a blood test called the ACTH stimulation test. To perform the ACTH stimulation test, the dog is given an injection of the adrenal stimulating hormone ACTH. A normal dog will respond by having an increase in blood cortisol. If a dog that has Addison’s is given ACTH, the dog will not have an increase in blood cortisol.
The only treatment for many years used to involve replacing the mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids typically with a drug called fludrocortisone; however, the newer option that has become available and is usually given by injection every 25 days is Percorten-V (DOCP). Percorten-V (desoxycorticosteone pivalate) is the only medication approved by the FDA for treating Canine Addison’s Disease. This medication is usually administered intramuscularly using a 3cc (3ml) syringe with ¾ inch 25g needle. Percorten-V has a low incidence of side effects and is generally well tolerated. It is now the standard treatment for dogs with this type of autoimmune disease. Percoten-V should not be given to dogs that may be pregnant, dogs with kidney disease, and certain heart diseases. This medication does require a prescription and should only be recommended and prescribed by a veterinarian who diagnosed and is familiar with the dog’s condition.
Rheumatoid arthritis: Canine rheumatoid arthritis usually shows up as swelling around the involved joints and lameness. The cartilage begins to get damaged until it is no longer effective and the joint space collapses. Canine rheumatoid arthritis does not usually respond well to orally given or injected glucocorticoids alone. Cyclophosphamide and azathioprine frequently are used along with the glucocorticoids to treat this disorder and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as carprofen or deracoxib may be prescribed by the veterinarian to provide proper relief and prevent further joint damage.
Other autoimmune diseases include thyroiditis , polymyositis , systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE), myasthenia gravis, and pemphigus. The total list of autoimmune disease is long and can affect any part of the body including the skin, coat, muscles, joints and bones, organs or blood.
In future articles I hope to describe each one of these diseases in more detail. It is very important that a dog with an autoimmune disease get diagnosed early and treatment started early. Your pet’s veterinarian is in the best position to diagnose and treat these conditions which may be varied and very complex. having a good relationship with your pet’s veterinarian is very important for ensuring your pet gets the best possible chance at remaining healthy. Your 1800PetMeds pharmacist is also available to answer any questions relating to your pet’s medication.