This question was forwarded to me related to the webinar on New Research Insights Into Canine Addison's Disease ...
Is there anything known to be beneficial for dogs with chronic Addison's Disease in addition to medication? (i.e. specific environmental changes, alternative therapies, diet, supplements?)
That's a really good question. I always advise my clients to try to reduce stress in the environment and to double the dose of Pred whenever stressful events are anticipated. Having said that - pet owners should ALWAYS consult with their veterinarian before changing any dosing of medications.
I am not aware of any studies or commonly used alternatives to this recommendation but I think that general alternative therapies that help with anxiety could be used in Addisonians. I personally use a Hemp product containing CBD for my own dog with anxiety, and VetVine has an AKC Canine Health Foundation sponsored webinar by Dr. McGrath about CBD use for Pets. VetVine also has an excellent behavior series presented by Dr. E'Lise Christensen - and one in particular discusses alternative and complimentary options to consider to help dogs with anxiety. Essential oils such as Lavender have scientific evidence for stress reduction in animals - so one simple measure might be to diffuse essential oils while there are visitors in the home. This is another alternative stress-reducing measure that I use commonly for my own dog and it seems to make a big difference in his anxiety.
