When an Addison dog is vomiting there is a need to determine the cause. However, a simple first-aid procedure may be used to ease the animal`s discomfort.

You give SODA WATER - carbonic acid - FIZZY water. If the animal accepts it, you have done well.

There are two main causes of nausea and vomiting. The first is a TOP LAYER CRISIS - a glomerulosa crisis - a lack of aldosterone. This can be due to insufficient medication with fludrocortisone (Florinef).

Sodium is lost into the digestive system. The strong alkalinity threatens to create superficial ulcers. They are not as serious as ACID ulcers, but they are unpleasant.

What does it feel like? There is a hideous ice-cold feeling in the stomach, much as if one had been munching on a bag of washing-soda. Dogs cannot tell you that, but a human with Addison`s disease can. That is why I am doing so.

Dr. Bouvier in the hôpital Beaujon in Paris routinely gave eau de Seltz for vomiting, such as in cases of cholera. Dr. Frémy had a patient, Gaget, with Addison`s disease. He prescribed it. Martineau put it into his thesis.

Dr. Samuel Wilks - who later became Sir Samuel Wilks - put the use of soda-water in his 1862 report. Also, on page 53 he states that.."The vomiting ceased during the use of effervescing medicine".

Edward Headlam Greenhow stressed the importance of its use, in his book of 1866 on page 23 and on page 37 he did so twice. Even in 1881 he was still advocating its use.

I am passing on the advice because it is such a MILD treatment with such POWERFUL benefits in aldosterone crisis. It is also completely without side-effects.

A top-layer crisis will be characterised by low blood-pressure, and a tendency to pee frequently.

The other major cause of nausea is DIABETES caused by over-dosing on the glucocorticoids (Prednisone, prednisolone, betamethasone or dexamethasone). Here, the nausea is of quite a different quality - it is nature`s way of ensuring that when the blood is full of sugar, there is no more sugar in the digestive system to make matters worse.

Diabetes is characterised by THIRST. This is another natural thing. Very few animals in the wild get permanent diabetes - because the thirst forces them to drink, they drink rain-water (not beer), and they urinate most surplus sugar away. So a diabetic dog will be grateful for water - fizzy or not.

REMEMBER THAT DIABETES CAUSED BY GLUCOCORTICOID OVERDOSE IS TEMPORARY. NO HARM IS DONE IF THE SUGAR - AND THEN THE GLUCOCORTICOID - IS BROUGHT DOWN. DO NOT "LABEL" A DOG AS DIABETIC JUST BECAUSE OF AN INCIDENT CAUSED BY MEDICATION.

If the animal has high blood pressure, you should consult the vet. Excess glucocorticoids can cause serious trouble if sustained for long. If the blood sugar of a dog is sustained above 200 milligrams per 100 millilitres (11 millimols per litre) for a week, the diabetes becomes permanent.

Diabetes is classified as being sugar levels above 160 milligrams per hundred millilitres (8.8 millimols per litre). The RENAL THRESHOLD is about 120 milligrams per 100 millilitres (6.6 millimols per litre) - so by giving water you have saved the dog. The fizz is irrelevant in such cases.

Either way, the prescription is a good one!