The adrenal glands sit at the top of the kidneys. Cushing’s Disease is a condition in which the adrenal glands overproduce certain hormones. This is also called hyperadrenocorticism. The adrenal glands produce many substances that are important for several different body functions and are needed to sustain life. Excess or decreased production of these substances can be life-threatening, particularly cortisol (cortisone). There are three ways this disease can occur, but they all have the same clinical signs. The treatment may vary depending on the form, as well as the prognosis (the course and/or outcome). 85% of cases are the result of a tumor of the pituitary gland. This a small endocrine gland located at the base of the brain. These tumors can be benign or malignant, microscopic or big. The tumor causes the pituitary gland to overproduce a hormone that stimulates the adrenal gland to produce more cortisol. Cushing’s disease may also be the result of a benign or malignant tumor of the adrenal gland. Lastly, this condition can be iatrogenic. This means that the excess cortisol occurred from an excess of steroid administration- oral or injectable. Steroids are given to treat other medical issues, but frequent or consistent use can have negative side effects. The most common symptoms seen with Cushing’s Disease are eating, drinking, and urinating more. Pets may also become less active and have a poor, thinning hair coat. Many dogs develop a distended abdomen or “pot-bellied” appearance. This is secondary to an increase of fat in the abdominal organs (liver, spleen, etc). This forces the abdominal wall to stretch. The muscles of the abdominal wall also because weaker with this disease. Panting is a commonly observed sign as well. There is blood testing available to determine whether a dog has Cushing’s disease. It can be expensive, and sometimes more than one test is needed to confirm diagnosis. Ideally, a pet would be sent for referral to a specialist to have an abdominal ultrasound done if their regular vet has determined he/she has hyperadrenocorticism. This would rule out an adrenal tumor as the cause, which would require removal to treat. However, this is not a feasible option for many owners due to financial constraints. Because of this, treatment is usually begun with a medication that limits cortisol production from the adrenal gland, with the knowledge that the majority of cases are caused by a pituitary tumor. Pets on this medication need to be monitored closely with regular testing. This is done to make sure we are not under or overcorrecting their condition. Again, the testing is costly, as is the medication, so treatment may not be an option for everyone. While Cushing’s disease cannot be cured, it is possible to control it for many years if the tumor is small. Size and malignancy can be limiting factors for survival. We hope this post was interesting and informative. Please visit this article for further information. If you have any questions about your pet, please visit our contact page for the best ways to reach us.
