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Cushing's syndrome in dogs

Cortisol is the hormone that the body produces to deal with stress and regulate many balances in the body. It is produced by two small glands located near the kidneys, the adrenals. In Cushing's syndrome, the body is constantly bathed in ex...

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Definition Signs Causes Diagnosis Treatment Prevention Complications When to see a vet Prognosis FAQ Sources Affected species

What is it?

Cortisol is the hormone that the body produces to deal with stress and regulate many balances in the body. It is produced by two small glands located near the kidneys, the adrenals.

In Cushing's syndrome, the body is constantly bathed in excess cortisol. The dog drinks and urinates a lot, is constantly hungry, his belly becomes rounder and his coat becomes poorer.

It is a disease of older dogs. It sets in so gradually that most owners only seek help when the thirst becomes impossible to ignore.

Key point

The treatment of this disease is never carried out without scheduled blood checks: excessive correction exposes the dog to a dangerous drop in cortisol.

Commonly observed signs

These signs are neither exhaustive nor specific. Only a veterinarian can establish a diagnosis.

Related signs — each one links to its page:

Drinks a lot Urine a lot Hair loss Dull coat Fatigue Rapid breathing Scabs and skin lesions

Very increased thirst and large volume of urine: the dog empties its bowl several times a day, asks to go out at night, may start urinating in the house again.

Very increased appetite, dog who constantly begs, searches trash cans, steals food.

Distended, drooping stomach, which gives a pear-shaped silhouette while the limbs become slimmer.

Wasting of muscles, weakness, refusal to jump or climb stairs.

Frequent panting, including at rest and without heat.

Loss of hair on the sides and trunk, generally without itching, with thin skin, which reveals the vessels and marks easily.

Slow healing, repeated skin infections and urinary infections, sometimes without the dog showing any discomfort.

In non-sterilized female dogs, disappearance of heat; in males, testes reduced in volume.

When to consult without delay

This list does not replace veterinary advice. It gathers situations that justify a prompt consultation.

Causes and risk factors

In most cases, a small benign tumor in the pituitary gland — the conductor gland at the base of the brain — constantly signals the adrenal glands to produce cortisol.

In a minority of cases, it is a tumor of one of the two adrenal glands which itself produces excess cortisol.

Finally, there is a form caused by treatments: a dog who receives cortisone for a long time, in any form (tablets, injections, ointments, eye or ear drops), can develop the same signs. This form regresses when treatment is gradually reduced, always under veterinary supervision and never by stopping it suddenly.

Age: the disease mainly affects dogs over six to eight years old.

Frequently mentioned small to medium breeds: poodle, dachshund, Yorkshire, Boston terrier, beagle, boxer. The adrenal form more often affects large dogs.

Prolonged treatment with cortisone, regardless of the route of administration.

Diagnosis and care

Diagnosis is the veterinarian's responsibility, based on clinical examination and laboratory tests. Care is decided case by case.

There is no single test that alone gives the answer: the diagnosis is constructed.

The veterinarian starts from the clinical examination and history, in particular of all treatments received, including ointments and drops.

A general blood test and urine analysis are carried out: they often show elevated liver enzymes, very dilute urine, sometimes a silent urinary infection.

Specific hormonal tests are then performed. They ask that the dog stay several hours in the clinic, with blood tests spaced before and after the administration of a product.

An ultrasound of the abdomen makes it possible to look at both adrenals and to direct towards a cerebral form or an adrenal form, which completely changes the treatment.

These tests are disrupted by any other ongoing illness: they are carried out on an otherwise stable dog.

Treatment

Management depends on the origin of the excess cortisol.

For the most common form, oral treatment slows down the production of cortisol by the adrenals. It is given for life and requires regular blood checks, first closer together then spaced apart.

These checks are not optional: too little cortisol is dangerous, and the dosage must be adjusted by the veterinarian over time.

When only one adrenal gland is involved, surgical removal of the affected gland can provide lasting correction. It is a major surgery, reserved for dogs capable of supporting it and carried out in equipped structures.

In the form linked to cortisone treatment, this treatment is gradually reduced according to a plan established by the veterinarian.

Associated urinary and skin infections are treated in parallel with the appropriate drug families.

Treatment depends on the cause and the animal's condition: it must be determined by a veterinarian. No self-medication.

Prevention

We cannot prevent the appearance of the spontaneous form.

The drug-related form is avoided by using cortisone only on prescription, for the intended duration, and by never improvising treatment with the remains of a previous prescription or with a human drug.

Ointments, drops and sprays containing cortisone also count: always report them to the veterinarian.

An annual blood test in older dogs helps identify abnormalities before visible signs.

Possible complications

Recurrent urinary infections, often without apparent pain, and urinary stones.

Diabetes mellitus, excess cortisol opposing the action of insulin.

High blood pressure, with its consequences on the eyes and kidneys.

Formation of clots in the vessels, particularly towards the lungs, which causes sudden respiratory distress: this is an emergency.

Pancreatitis, marked muscle wasting, very slow healing after a wound or surgery.

In the form of cerebral origin, a large tumor can eventually cause nervous signs: disorientation, dizziness, visual disturbances.

When to see a veterinarian

Your dog is drinking and urinating a lot more than before, or starts urinating around the house again.

He is constantly hungry and his belly gets rounder while his legs get thinner.

Its hair falls out on both sides of the body and its skin becomes thin, marks or heals poorly.

He pants at rest, without heat or effort.

He suddenly begins to breathe with difficulty, or becomes very depressed: consult urgently.

He has been receiving cortisone for a long time and is showing these signs: talk to the vet without stopping the treatment yourself.

Prognosis

Cushing's syndrome is more often controlled than cured: with continued treatment and regular check-ups, many dogs live comfortably for years.

The prognosis depends on the origin of the disease, the complications already present at the time of diagnosis and the regularity of follow-up.

Forms linked to a tumor of a successfully operated adrenal gland offer the most favorable outlook; aggressive cancer forms are more reserved.

Frequently asked questions

My dog drinks a lot, is it necessarily Cushing's?

No. Severely increased thirst also indicates diabetes, kidney disease, uterine infection in unspayed female dogs, or other causes. This is a sign that always warrants a consultation and a blood test.

Why do you need multiple tests to make the diagnosis?

Because no test alone gives a reliable answer, and because another ongoing illness can skew the results. The veterinarian cross-references the clinical signs, basic analyses, hormonal tests and ultrasound.

Can cortisone given to my dog cause this condition?

Prolonged treatment with cortisone can actually reproduce all the signs. It should never be stopped suddenly: the reduction is done in stages decided by the veterinarian.

Is it contagious to other animals or to me?

No. It is an individual hormonal imbalance, which is not transmitted to other animals or to humans.