Anyone know anything about Cushing Disease in Dogs?

J

JimO

Member
My 11 year old Lab was just diagnosed with Cushing's Disease. The vet wants to do some final testing but is fairly confident with the diagnosis. I did a little reading on the disease and is not curable but some treatment is available. Seems like the treatment is with some heavy duty drugs that have some side effects that seem worse than the disease..

If anyone has been through this and has some advise it would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you

Jim O'Brien
 
I had a close friend who's dog I hunted over for years. Loki was diagnosed with Cushing's Disease at the age of 8 and was treated but died before his turning 10 from a ruptured bowel. This may or may not have been related. Loki's quality of life was good right up to the end.
 
Hey Jim. We see it fairly common in our practice. Most are PDH, pituitary dependent hyperadrenocorticism. We use trilostane medication for it the most. Doesn't cure but usually reduces the side effects of the PDH without totally wipening out the adrenal glands ability to produce cortisol. Older med was lysodren and it would take all the adrenal gland out and make them addisonian, another big problem. Signs of cushings can vary but most drink more,pee more, ravenous appetite, thin skin, ect. I'll also see more cruciate tears in working dogs with cushings. I've had dogs on the meds for years and I've also seen them go diabetic, pancreatitis, or other lifethreatening issues quickly. Good luck and keep us updated!

Brian
 
My buddy had a Chesapeake Bay Ret that Came down with Meningitis as a pup. He had that dog on Steroids for a very very long time (Years) and It got Cushings. I am not certain why he kept the dog on the steroids for so long (He was a Physician, so he probably knew more about it than most.) I think every time he tried to take the dog off the meds, things cropped up again....

I do recall that the dog porked up it looked bloated (not fat like a couch potato, but swollen.) I also remember Ol' Alex bit him on the nose when he tried to take a duck that wasn't his.
 
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Thank you for the information. She is going in for more testing on Wed and I will get the final diagnosis, but I am fairly certain that it is Cushings Disease, since she has ALL the symptoms.

Will keep you posted.

Thank you

Jim
 
Well the results are in and yes in fact Holly has Cushings disease. I am meeting with her Vet this afternoon to discuss possible treatments. She is quite bloated and starting to pant constantly. She does not seem to be in any pain, and is still moving well, but seems uncomfortable. I am hoping that with some medication any discomfort will go away, at least for a bit.

I HATE (do not use that word often) to see my dogs in any discomfort, for all the reasons you guys already know. Holly is 11 and has lead a VERY good life.

My three young adult children all went away to college in the past 5 days.. All of them had tears (my daughter was a mess), not saying goodbye to mom and dad... but to Holly... PAINFUL..

Hope some medication does the trick..

Jim O
 
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