Cushing’s disease in dogs is synonymous with hyperadrenocorticism and is the most common endocrine disorder in aging domestic dogs. It gets its familiar name from Dr. Harvey Cushing, who first described the disease in humans with pituitary gland tumors. There are several forms of the syndrome commonly referred to as canine Cushing’s disease: pituitary-based, adrenal-based and iatrogenic. All forms are chronic and slowly progressive. They cause the same clinical signs, and each requires treatment. The
Because hyperadrenocorticism most often afflicts middle-aged to older dogs, the symptoms of the disease can fool owners who think that they are simply seeing the natural effects of aging in their canine companions. Cushing’s disease is caused by an excess of circulating cortisol hormone, which can result from functional tumors of the adrenal and/or pituitary glands. The disorder can also be caused by drugs administered for other ailments that stimulate excessive adrenal hormone production; this
Because the symptoms of Cushing’s disease in dogs often mimic those of other diseases, an accurate diagnosis involves quite a bit of detective work on the part of the veterinary team. Routine blood and urine tests will help to increase or decrease the index of suspicion of Cushing’s, but other tests are necessary to make a conclusive diagnosis. Fortunately, the diagnosis of hyperadrenocorticism is not particularly difficult for a veterinarian to make.Any dog suspected
Hyperadrenocorticism, commonly called Cushing’s disease or Cushing’s syndrome, is a chronic and slowly progressive disease that can eventually become severely debilitating for affected domestic dogs. Most cases of canine Cushing’s cannot be cured. However, there are several readily available medical treatments for dogs with Cushing’s disease to temper the symptoms of the disease. The goal of treating Cushing’s is to reduce or eliminate the symptoms of the condition and thereby provide the dog with the