PET OF THE MONTH – September 2026!
Pet of the month for September goes to this handsome boy, Bentley!
Bentley came to visit us after his owners noticed that he just wasn’t himself. He was lethargic and lacking his usual energy, so we ran some blood tests to try and work out what was going on.
Some of Bentley’s blood results came back abnormal, which meant we needed to investigate further. We recommended an abdominal ultrasound as well as an ACTH stimulation test to look more closely at how his adrenal glands were functioning.
So, what is an ACTH test?
The ACTH stimulation test is a special blood test used to assess whether the adrenal glands are producing enough of the hormones the body needs. ACTH is a hormone that normally tells the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. During the test, we take a blood sample, give a small dose of a synthetic form of ACTH, and then take another blood sample afterwards to see how the adrenal glands respond.
Bentley’s ACTH results came back supporting a diagnosis of Addison’s disease, also known as hypoadrenocorticism.
Addison’s occurs when the adrenal glands don’t produce enough important hormones, particularly cortisol and often aldosterone. These hormones help regulate things like the body’s response to stress, blood pressure, hydration and electrolyte balance. The signs can be quite vague and may include lethargy, weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea, poor appetite and weight loss, which can sometimes make Addison’s difficult to diagnose.
The good news for Bentley is that once Addison’s is diagnosed, it can usually be managed with lifelong medication and regular monitoring.
Bentley has now started his treatment and is doing so well! It has been wonderful to see his energy and personality returning, and we couldn’t be happier with how he is going.
We are so proud of this beautiful boy and incredibly grateful to his family for noticing that something wasn’t quite right and getting him checked. Their quick action allowed us to investigate further and get Bentley the treatment he needed.