SUBCUTANEOUS ADMINISTRATION OF DEOXYCORTICOSTERONE PIVALATE FOR THE TREATMENT OF CANINE HYPOADRENOCORTICISM

Twelve dogs with hypoadrenocorticism were treated with subcutaneous de soxycorticosterone pivalate (DOCP). Eight of these dogs were recently diagnosed and had not yet been treated. Four dogs previously had been diagnosed and treated (three with intramuscular DOCP, one with oral fl udrocortisone acetate). History, physical examination, serum electroly tes, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were evaluated. Desoxycorticosteron e pivalate (2.2 mg/kg body weight) was administered every 25 days. On day 0, recently diagnosed dogs had a median serum sodium concentration of 131.5 mEq/L, median serum potassium concentration of 6.6 mEq/L, an d median BUN of 41.5 mg/dl. All subsequent median serum electrolyte an d BUN concentrations were normal. All previously treated dogs had norm al blood values which were maintained throughout the study.