Dog Cushings Disease

Today, I am going to answer some questions about Cushings Disease.  This is a disease we see pretty commonly in dogs, and occasionally in cats.  Dog cushings disease is a hormonal imbalance wherein the body produces too much cortisol for a few different reasons and because cortisol affects so many different body systems, we see a lot of different problems in the body when a dog has this disease.

The most common signs we see are either urinary tract or skin signs.  As far as the urinary tract goes, these patients will drink and urinate more frequently.  They have frequent urinary tract infections and can even have stones in the bladder.  Often, we will also see hair loss, increased pigment in the skin, thinning or bruising of the skin and even demodectic mange.

Some other severe signs that we will sometimes see are deposition of fat in the abdomen.  They have big bloated abdomens and enlarged livers.  Sometimes, these patients can even develop diabetes from the excess cortisol in the blood stream, so this can potentially be a very serious disease, although we see a lot of different levels of severity.  If you think that your pet might be exhibiting some of these signs, we can get some clues based on physical exam and routine blood work that will point us to more specific testing to help us diagnose the problems specifically.

There is treatment available for Dog Cushings Disease and the treatment depends on the severity of the disease.  Everything from surgery to mediation to control the condition is available for treatment options, we can talk to you about how your pet feels at home and decide what is the best course.

If you have any other questions, feel free to let us know.  We would love to talk to you.  Thank you.

Dr. Kris Kane

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