The adrenal glands don't make enough of a hormone called cortisol, or less often, a related hormone called aldosterone. 
In Addison's disease, the adrenal glands don't make enough of a hormone called cortisol, or less often, a related hormone called aldosterone. That's why doctors sometimes call the illness ''chronic adrenal insufficiency,'' or hypocortisolism. Cortisol's most important function is to help the body respond to stress. Addison's is a disease of the adrenal glands and is diagnosed most often in female dogs between the ages of four and seven. Listen as Dr. Becker discusses the causes and treatment of Addison's and offers several tips on how to prevent the condition from developing in your own dog. Overview. Addison's disease is a condition that occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough of their hormones. This condition can be caused by damage to the adrenal glands, autoimmune conditions, and certain genetic conditions. Types of Addison's Disease There are actually three types of Addison's disease – primary, secondary and atypical. Cortisol is a corticosteroid produced by the middle layer of the adrenal gland and it acts on sugar, fat and protein metabolism in a dog's body. Overview. Addison’s disease occurs when the adrenal cortex is damaged and the adrenal glands do not produce enough steroid hormones called cortisol and aldosterone. Cortisol regulates the body’s reaction to stressful situations. Story at-a-glance 1  +. Addison’s disease, also known as hypoadrenocorticism, is a condition in which the adrenal glands don’t produce the amount of hormones a dog’s body requires. 2  The adrenal glands secrete the hormones responsible for the ‘fight-or-flight’ response in animals. 1 Addison’s disease, also known as hypoadrenocorticism, is a condition in which the adrenal glands don’t produce the amount of hormones a dog’s body requires. 2  The adrenal glands secrete the hormones responsible for the ‘fight-or-flight’ response in animals. Addison's disease is a condition in which the adrenal glands produce fewer corticosteroid hormones than the body requires. Your dog's adrenal glands sit on the pole of the kidneys and secrete several different hormones. Addison’s disease represents an insufficiency or dysfunction of the cortex of the adrenal glands, which fails to release adequate amounts of hormones to meet the physiological needs of the body, despite release of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) from the pituitary gland.
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-addisons-disease-basics http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/01/24/how-to-avoid-addisons-disease.aspx#! https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/gard/5740/addisons-disease/resources/1 http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/01/24/how-to-avoid-addisons-disease.aspx#! http://www.healthline.com/health/addisons-disease http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/01/24/how-to-avoid-addisons-disease.aspx#! http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/01/24/how-to-avoid-addisons-disease.aspx#! http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/01/24/how-to-avoid-addisons-disease.aspx#! http://www.efpia.eu/diseases/63/59/Addison-39-s-Disease
what are the precipitating factors for addison's disease in dogs