Cushings Disease in Dogs – Facts You Need to Know

Cushings disease in dogs is a condition that, if left untreated, can evolve into a life-threatening condition for your pooch.  Canine Cushings disease can lead to worse conditions like kidney, liver or heart failure.  Diabetes and a variety of neurological disorders are likely to occur from untreated Cushings disease in dogs as well.  Infections on your dog’s skin, in his mouth and in his urinary tract are common results of untreated Cushings syndrome in dogs as well.  Cushings disease in dogs occurs due to an overproduction of cortisol for a long period of time.  While cortisol is essential to your canine’s proper health, too much of the hormone leads to Cushings disease in dogs.

If your furry friend contracts canine Cushings disease, you will note several symptoms.  The most noticeable outward change in appearance of your pooch will be the development of a pot belly.  This is due to a relaxation of the ligaments in the abdomen caused by Cushings disease in dogs.  An enlargement of the liver adds to this pot belly affect as well, but obviously you will not be able to tell if your dog has an enlarged liver, one of the symptoms of Cushings disease in dogs, simply by looking at him.  Other symptoms of Cushings disease in dogs include hair loss and thinning of the skin, making it feel papery and loose to the touch.  With Cushings disease in dogs, you may also notice an increase in thirst and appetite in your dog as another of the canine Cushings disease symptoms.  The extra eating and drinking leads to weight gain, another factor in the pot belly appearance of animals with canine Cushings disease. 

Cushings disease in dogs is usually a condition that middle-aged canines contract.  While Cushings disease in dogs is the most common form of this disease, cats can suffer the same symptoms of Cushings disease in dogs, though it occurs much less frequently in felines.  Also, if you have a female canine, she will actually be more likely to contract Cushings disease in dogs because adrenal gland tumors are more common in female animals.  Certain breeds are more prone to Cushings disease in dogs as well.  Terriers are most likely to contract Cushings syndrome in dogs, including Silky, Bull, Boston, Yorkshire Dachshunds and other Terrier breeds.

Diagnosing Cushings disease in dogs is a tricky thing for veterinarians.  This is because Cushings syndrome in dogs resembles that of many other similar kinds of diseases.  A thorough blood test is important to be able to successfully and accurately diagnose Cushings disease in dogs.  Urinalysis is important to pinpoint the canine Cushings disease symptoms as those of actual Cushings disease in dogs.  In other words, do not attempt to diagnose your canine with Cushings disease in dogs simply because yours has a pot belly.

Canine Cushings disease treatment is important to implement once you have a proper diagnosis that your canine is suffering from Cushings disease in dogs.  Depending on the situation, your pooch may be required to undergo surgery, particularly if the tumor from the Cushings disease in dogs has affected the adrenal gland.  The highly specialized procedure is often not an option for many owners.  Because of this, surgery as a canine Cushings disease treatment is not the most likely course of action.  To treat Cushings disease in dogs, most owners decide to pursue an oral treatment.  There are several leading forms of canine Cushings disease oral treatments, all of which are showing promising results.

Until recently, though, the only canine Cushings disease treatment options produced unpleasant and serious side effects.  Even though the products are inexpensive and effective at treating the source of the problem, the side effects of interfering with the synthesis of steroid hormones prevents them from being the most desirable way to tackle Cushings disease in dogs.  What you need as a solution to the Cushings disease in dogs problem is an herbal, holistic approach that will treat the disease without unpleasant side effects.