Cushings Disease, also called hyperadrenocorticism, is relatively common in older dogs. Dogs with Cushings Disease produce too much of a natural hormone called cortisol, producing symptoms such as excessive drinking and urinating, a distended, swaying belly, hair loss and a sparse hair coat, possibly an increased appetite, and frequent panting.
Dogs with Cushings Disease may have been tested for other causes of increased drinking, including diabetes, kidney and liver disease, where all tests have come back negative. This is another sign of Cushings Disease.
The disease is an overproduction of a hormone (cortisol) which produces the signs of excessive drinking and urinating. The most common cause is due to a tumor on the pituitary gland (a gland at the base of the brain). A small percentage of cases are caused by a tumor on the adrenal gland (a gland in the kidneys). In some cases, dogs can show all these signs by being on steroids, such as prednisone. In this case, the treatment is to wean your dog off the drug.
To begin with, as always, have your dog correctly diagnosed ? take him to your Vet. If he has some of the signs of Cushings (excessive drinking and urination) then it is first important to rule out other diseases. Your Vet will check for diabetes, kidney disease, and liver disease. A general blood screen will be suggestive of Cushings Disease. At this time they may recommend further screening tests and discuss treatment.
Treatments that your Vet may suggest might include drug therapy with trilostane or mitotane. Other conventional treatment might include radiation therapy or in some cases, adrenalectomy.
There are natural alternatives that can be used in conjunction with the conventional options. In this article, I offer several that you can try that may help.
A possibly effective natural solution is to try antioxidants. In Cushings Disease, the cells are more prone to injury from the high cortisol levels. The three most effective antioxidants are Vitamin E, Vitamin C and Selenium. These are best given in combination: give 100IU of Vitamin E, 100mg of Vitamin C and 20 ug if Selenium per 10 lbs of body weight daily.
Another natural solution is to try the herb Ginkgo Biloba. It has been shown to reduce cortisol production, similar to anipryl (see below).
High cortisol levels will make your pet feel anxious. A herbal solution to reduce anxiety is to try Valerian. The dog dose is 1 drop per lb of body weight twice daily.
When it comes to conventional solutions, try Anipryl. This is a newer, safe medication to treat the disease, available from your Veterinarian. It must be given daily, and can be quite costly to treat a large dog. It works directly on the pituitary gland helping to decrease cortisol production.
If you find these remedies useful, I guarantee that you will find the other remedies in my book and home study course, Veterinary Secrets Revealed, just as practical. If you use only a few of the remedies I offer, you will see how easy it is to save money at your Vet.
These remedies work - I use them every day in practice.
Best wishes...
When unexplainable lumps and bumps, increased appetite, bulging stomach, and loss of hair strike your canine, the cause of concern may lead to a diagnosis of Cushing's disease. The condition that seems to develop in middle age to older dogs is characterized by malfunctioning pituitary or adrenal glands or the overproduction of corticosteroids. The disease is also triggered by tumors in the adrenal or pituitary glands. Overall, Cushing's disease is a complex condition that brings about a wide-range of symptoms and isn't easily detected by the average pet owner.
Signs and Symptoms
Unlike typical dog ailments, Cushing's disease is quite tricky, as a pet owner is most often unaware of the onset of this condition. The common signs that alert an owner that something is wrong with a dog do not take place, such as visible pain, diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, or bleeding. Usually, a pet owner simply writes off the common symptoms of Cushing's disease as the normal course of getting older.
For example, the muscle weakness connected to Cushing's disease causes a dog to exercise less and become sluggish. These are typical signs of an aging dog; therefore owners usually dismiss these symptoms. A visit to a veterinarian often doesn't come until the signs become too unbearable. For instance, a dog may act completely out of character, such as displaying an uncharacteristic lapse in housetraining. The typical pooch suffering the effects of Cushing's disease showcases a saggy belly, which is caused by dwindling muscle strength. As the condition worsens, a dog may lose hair. Additionally, the skin starts to thin and becomes less resistant to infection.
When it comes to Cushing's disease, there are certain dogs that fall under a high-risk category. Bull Terriers, Silky Terriers, Yorkshire Terriers, Dachshunds, Poodles (toy, miniature, and standard) and Boston Terriers are all considered a high-risk breed for the disease. When it comes to adrenal gland tumors, female dogs are more vulnerable. The disease is also common in dogs that are older than five years old.
Getting to the Bottom of Cushing's Disease
Once a pet owner suspects Cushing's disease, a veterinarian can diagnose the problem with a blood test. Later, they can pinpoint the cause of the condition (pituitary or adrenal gland issues). Nearly 85% of all Cushing's disease cases are caused by tumors in the pituitary glands, which are treatable with drugs. There is no cure for this instance of the disease, while adrenal gland tumors are surgically removable.
Cushing's Disease Treatment
The main drugs used to treat Cushing's disease are called Lysodren, Ketoconazole, and Anipryl. Lysodren combats the outer layer of the adrenal gland to regulate the amount of corticosteroids that the body produces. Ketoconazole suppresses cortisol secretions within the adrenal glands, but can only treat about 75 to 80% of all cases. Anipryl rejuvenates the natural balance of chemicals in the brain to decrease Cushing's disease symptoms and often delivers a high success rate.
Long Term Effects
If the disease is left untreated, the condition will worsen and eventually threaten the life of the dog with the development of additional disorders, including diabetes, kidney failure, congestive heart failure, and infections that attack the ears, eyes, bladder, or skin. Whenever it becomes apparent that your dog is suffering from Cushing's disease, immediate medical attention is a must.
Both Dr. Andrew Jones & Joann Henry are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Dr. Andrew Jones has sinced written about articles on various topics from Dogs, Pets and Dog Care. Dr. Andrew Jones, a practicing Veterinarian, has a special interest in alternative, natural remedies for pets. His holistic pet health manual is at: