• About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Contact Us
Monday, July 7, 2025
Pet Rescue Blog
  • Pets
  • Breeds
    • Dog Breed
    • Mixed Dog Breeds
    • Cat Breeds
  • Food
  • Adopt a pet
    • Adopt a Pet in Houston
    • Rescue Dogs in New York City
  • Fitness
  • Pet Care
    • Training
    • Health
  • Reviews
    • List
  • Shop
  • More
    • Pet Names
      • Boy Cat Names
      • Female Cat Names
      • Horse Names
      • Bird Names
    • Coupons
    • Infographics
    • Video
No Result
View All Result
  • Pets
  • Breeds
    • Dog Breed
    • Mixed Dog Breeds
    • Cat Breeds
  • Food
  • Adopt a pet
    • Adopt a Pet in Houston
    • Rescue Dogs in New York City
  • Fitness
  • Pet Care
    • Training
    • Health
  • Reviews
    • List
  • Shop
  • More
    • Pet Names
      • Boy Cat Names
      • Female Cat Names
      • Horse Names
      • Bird Names
    • Coupons
    • Infographics
    • Video
No Result
View All Result
Pet Rescue Blog
No Result
View All Result
Cushing's Disease In Dogs

What is Canine Cushing’s Disease?

Sara Ochoa by Sara Ochoa
December 6, 2022 - Updated on November 17, 2023
in Health
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Share on PinterestShare on Twitter

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • How To Identify Cushing?
  • Main Types Of Cushing’s
    • Some Of The Known Clinical Symptoms of Cushing’s Disease In Dogs
    • A Diagnosis
  • Treatment Options In Dogs

Cushing’s disease is when there is an overproduction secretion of the stress hormone in the body. It’s a condition that typically starts to impact older dogs around age 6. Various breeds are more prone to suffering from this condition. Some of the more susceptible breeds include golden retrievers, germen shepherds, and terriers.

How To Identify Cushing?

There are a couple of things that you want to look for. If you notice that your dog is developing an excessively rounded belly, your dog might have Cushing’s. Another thing to look for would be losing fur for seemingly no reason. There are other signs too.

One would be that your dog is frequently drinking fluids and having to go to the bathroom more often. However, these are common symptoms of other things too. Therefore, it’s tough to figure out if your dog has Cushing’s from these symptoms alone.

YouTube player

Main Types Of Cushing’s

There are several types of Cushing’s disease that you should be fully aware of when it comes to dogs. One of them is known specifically as “Cushing’s disease.” This is caused by problems with the pituitary glands. Cushing’s syndrome is the all-encompassing name that describes any Cushing type of issue. This includes those that stem from pituitary glands, adrenal glands, and even drug-induced.

Both the adrenal and the pituitary glands are effectively responsible for the natural production and release of stress hormones in the body. When there is a malfunction with the glands, that’s when it can start to produce and release too many of them. This can result in the dog developing both liver and heart issues along with many other problems.

One of the 3rd forms of this type of disease in dogs is the direct result of drugs given to them. If your dog is taking various medications, it could be causing it. This is true even if it’s a basic skin problem. If your dog has skin inflammation, it may be prescribed medication. The medication could be a steroid.

A common steroid prescribed for inflammatory skin conditions includes prednisone. Unfortunately, when your dog’s body has outside steroid sources invading it, the adrenal glands can start to overproduce the stress hormones to compensate for it. This can result in them developing Cushing’s.

Some Of The Known Clinical Symptoms of Cushing’s Disease In Dogs

  1. Losing hair
  2. Increase in thirst, hunger, and urination
  3. Having a rounded belly
  4. Having thinner skin
  5. Excessively panting
  6. Getting easily bruised
  7. Being lethargic
  8. Sustaining a bladder infection

A Diagnosis

Your dog can be diagnosed by getting a physical examination done. They will look for clinical symptoms and they will take blood work, urine tests, x-rays, and even an ultrasound. These things can help a professional figure out if your dog has it.

Treatment Options In Dogs

If the disease is the direct result of the dog having a tumor in the pituitary gland, it’s usually treated with medication. The most common medication is Mitotane. This is a drug that effectively destroys some of the adrenal cortex which is responsible for producing stress hormones (cortisol).

There would need to be careful monitoring of your dog afterward to ensure it doesn’t have negative long-term effects and that proper cortisol production is restored afterward.

If it’s the adrenal gland causing the issues, surgical removal will be necessary. The tumor would be removed. If the tumor is benign, a full recovery is expected. However, it’s not going to be a good prognosis if the tumor is malignant and it has spread to various other areas in the body.

Iatrogenic Cushings can be treated by reducing corticosteroid intake slowly. These medications need to be stopped in a controlled manner to safely wean off them. This will allow the adrenal glands to get back to producing proper levels of cortisol.

Any treatment for dogs with Cushing’s disease can cause side effects but in general, you can look for natural treatment options available that are both effective and safe while also having fewer side effects. One such proven canine Cushing’s remedy come from Prana Pets and includes Lignans with melatonin for treating adrenal gland Cushing’s. Taking a natural approach is a good way to ensure that your pet heals safely.

Sara Ochoa

Sara Ochoa

Experienced Veterinarian with a demonstrated history of working in the veterinary industry. Skilled in Veterinary Medicine, Client Education, Dogs, Pet Care, and Surgery. Strong healthcare services professional graduated from St. George's University.

Related Posts

Pet Poisoning
Health

Pet Poisoning: What to Do in an Emergency and How to Prevent It

14
Veterinary Care for Dog Anxiety and Stress
Health

Understanding and Managing Dog Anxiety and Stress

16
Rescuing Or Fostering An Overweight Dog
Health

Rescuing Or Fostering An Overweight Dog: How To Help Them Drop Pounds Quickly

29
Next Post
Brush a Dog

How to Groom and Brush a Dog?

Pet Photography

9 Ways To Make Money With Pet Photography

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Follow Us on Google News

Pet Rescue Blog on Google News

Categories

  • Behavior (18)
  • Birds (32)
  • Cat Breeds (18)
  • Cat Names (2)
  • Cats (118)
  • CBD (22)
  • Chicken (24)
  • Dog Breed (55)
  • Dog Names (5)
  • Dog Park (4)
  • Dogs (337)
  • Events (3)
  • Facts (5)
  • Featured (59)
  • Fish (25)
  • Fitness (6)
  • Food (56)
  • Goat (3)
  • Grooming (16)
  • Hamster (3)
  • Health (107)
  • Horse (46)
  • Infographics (2)
  • Insects (10)
  • Insurance (13)
  • List (3)
  • Mixed Dog Breeds (14)
  • NEWS (6)
  • Our Pet (5)
  • Pet Accessories (10)
  • Pet Care (2)
  • Pet Names (4)
  • Pets (234)
  • Rabbits (22)
  • Reptile (9)
  • Reviews (22)
  • Rodents (9)
  • Senior Dog (1)
  • Training (36)
  • Travel (8)
  • Vets (9)
  • Video (9)
  • Wild (5)
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram Youtube
Pet Rescue Blog Logo

Pet Rescue Blog is a pet blog dedicated to educating and inspiring readers about pet adoption and rescue. It features a variety of content, including heartwarming adoption stories, expert advice on pet care, and news about animal welfare issues.

Follow Us on Social Media

Categories

  • Behavior
  • Birds
  • Cat Breeds
  • Cat Names
  • Cats
  • CBD
  • Chicken
  • Dog Breed
  • Dog Names
  • Dog Park
  • Dogs
  • Events
  • Facts
  • Featured
  • Fish
  • Fitness
  • Food
  • Goat
  • Grooming
  • Hamster
  • Health
  • Horse
  • Infographics
  • Insects
  • Insurance
  • List
  • Mixed Dog Breeds
  • NEWS
  • Our Pet
  • Pet Accessories
  • Pet Care
  • Pet Names
  • Pets
  • Rabbits
  • Reptile
  • Reviews
  • Rodents
  • Senior Dog
  • Training
  • Travel
  • Vets
  • Video
  • Wild

Navigation

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Dog Breeds
  • Adopt a Pet
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • HTML Sitemap

© 2019 - 23 Pet Rescue Blog - Your Source for Pet Rescue Stories and Solutions

No Result
View All Result
  • Pets
  • Breeds
    • Dog Breed
    • Mixed Dog Breeds
    • Cat Breeds
  • Food
  • Adopt a pet
    • Adopt a Pet in Houston
    • Rescue Dogs in New York City
  • Fitness
  • Pet Care
    • Training
    • Health
  • Reviews
    • List
  • Shop
  • More
    • Pet Names
      • Boy Cat Names
      • Female Cat Names
      • Horse Names
      • Bird Names
    • Coupons
    • Infographics
    • Video

© 2019 - 23 Pet Rescue Blog - Your Source for Pet Rescue Stories and Solutions

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.