Canine Cushings

Canine Cushing's Disease - Common Symptoms And Treatments

Canine Cushing's Disease or better yet known as hyperadrenocorticism is the result of the chronic overproduction of glucocorticoid in the body. This disease is believed to be an illness that is common to middle-aged and older dogs and cats but mostly widespread among dogs.

For us to have a better comprehension of the said disease we must first have to understand the basics of the negative loop that functions in a normal and healthy dog. The pituitary gland generates a hormone which is referred to as ACTH which fuels the adrenal gland to generate the glucocorticoid hormones needed for the operation of many systems in the body. Once something goes wrong with the pituitary or adrenal gland processes leading to an overproduction of the glucocorticoid Cushing's disease then develops.

Symptoms of Cushing's disease may be indistinguishable and varied and may even appear slowly and progressively thus making it most easy to regard such as just part for a canine's normal aging. Here are the most common symptoms that may be present to dogs who are suffering from this disease:

Amplified water consumption and urination. With this your dog may drink double the amount of its water consumption thus resulting as well into increased urination. This symptom is true to over 85% of all animals that are suffering of Cushing's disease.

Polyphagia or increase in appetite. Your well-behaved pet may start delving into the trash, steal and become domineering of their food. This may be considered as normal despite having experiencing some other symptoms because to the ham-fisted this may even be a sign of good appetite.

Abdominal swelling. The potbellied form is a product of the altering of fat to the abdominal area plus the deteriorating and slaying of muscle mass in the abdomen.

Thin skin and hair loss. Estimated to affect about 50%-90% of the animals which are already suffering of Cushing's disease - hair loss is the frequently one of the reasons why owners take their dogs to a vet for evaluation. The skin may also become thin and be effortlessly injured and dawdling to mend. The hair loss mostly begins at the elbows progressing onwards to abdomen until only the head and extremeties will be the only ones left with hair.

Some ways in determining that your dog is positively suffering with Cushing's Disease is for you to take it to the vet for appropriate diagnoses. Your vet will surely recommend your pet to undergo laboratory tests such as complete blood count or CBC, urinalysis and even a blood chemistry panel to mention a few.

Canine Cushing's disease is a usual condition in older dogs and is therefore habitually regarded to as merely parts of the dog's normal aging process. Although most animals with this disease cannot be completely cured, their quality of life can certainly be improved and their lives may even be extended with a sooner intervention. It is truly possible to successfully manage this disease for years by having enough knowledge or familiarizing yourself with the distinctive signs and symptoms of Cushing's disease and the cures that are available.

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