Has anyone had to deal with Cushing's Disease in canines (dogs)?

Question

My dog had her teeth cleaned today and the vet said her bloodwork was high in a couple of areas. These high 'marks' may indicate Cushing's Disease. She is on antibiotics and he's hoping the antibiotics will bring these numbers down and the high numbers were just a result of too much bacteria in the liver. She'll be tested again next Tuesday and if the numbers are still high, he'll do the specific test for Cushings. Basically, if you have had experience with this whether it was your own dog or you work for a vet, what did you do? What steps did you take to help the dog? I know medication may be involved. I would like to know if you chose medicine, herbal remedies or decided your dog had a good life and let the dog go (euthanasia). I don't think the last option is an option at all, not at this point. Thanks for any advice!

My dog happens to be a mixed breed, Jack Russell and Sheltie. But she's older and it happens to dogs around the age of 10 or so. I have questions for the vet, no problem. I want someone who had experience and want their opinions.

Answer 1

My dog had Cushings disease starting in 2003. The vet was very good and gave me lots of information and web sites to check. Buddy was a mix border collie and black lab, He did take medication and it helped very much. We pretty much let him live a normal life, but had to put him to sleep 2/19/2007, not because of the Cushings, but because he had a tumor on his left leg that was eating away the bone. He was 15 years old by then and that;s actually a long time for a large dog to live. He was in such pain for his leg and got to the point where he could not get up on his own, didn;t want to eat, but still chased the geese from our backyard, even the morning we took him to the vet for the last time. He had a good life. I did a quick web search for "Cushing's Disease in dogs" and came up with some very worthwhile topics. Check it out. Un fortunately I threw away all the information my vet gave us when Buddy passed away or I could refer you to more specific sites. Our dog lived for 5 additional years due to the extremely competent vet we had and the information she gave us. He developed many lumps, presumably cancer on many parts of his body, but that was five full years after his Cushing's diagnosis. He had a quality life until approximately 3 weeks before he passed away. He did rebound and chase geese from the yard the day we had him put to sleep, so I figure he knew...I talked to him and told him what was going to happen and why, so now he's in doggie heaven looking after all of us and probably met up with some of his friends and my dad who loved dogs and dogs loved him. That's what our 3 1/2 year old came up with,..."well, now he's with Gizmo, Rocky, and Pap Pap." Certainly made me feel better. Do what you can..the meds are expensive, but were effective for Buddy, and your dog will probably have at least several more quality years. Good luck and hamg in there!

Answer 2

We had a little dog family of Jentoy (mom) and Playtoy and Mingtoy...Playtoy died suddenly without warning. Years later Mingtoy who was always fine suddenly got strange...we ran to one of those emergency vets who found a huge infection in her and she would need intensive treatment....he told us she had this cushings too and that she would always have infection problems...she was very bad and almost dying .... she was old and the cost was out of sight...and she was not good at being not home...and too tiny and we put her down...she was already unconscious and in deep trauma...
but your dog sounds okay so just find out first...then do the meds and see how it all goes...i would look up the disease and find out what its all about and what is the best way to help....also the vet is the best source for some of those answers....for Mingtoy this was best...but it doesn't sound the same for you...so wait and try things first...if the dog can get on with meds....no pain and just tlc then that is how id go...id also keep her where other dogs dont go so she doesn't pick up illnesses or viruses and such...

Answer 3

If it does turn out to be cushings, it's not a death sentence. Cushings can be controlled by medication, albeit very expensive medication, and live a long and full life.

Some dogs cushings can affect more strongly. We had at thhe last clinic I worked at a great pyrenees with cushings. He had gone completely bald from the disease and lost a lot of weight. The medication, Lysodren, helped him at first but he continued to deteriorate despite what we did. I suspect there may not have been full compliance on meds from the owner side however. This was the most extreme case I have seen.

Most dogs get a poor haircoat and a "pot belly."

Hopefully your dog is one of the milder cases. He will be on medications for the rest of his life and will need periodic ACTH Stim tests (cushings test) to see where his adrenal hormone levels are.

Good Luck!

Answer 4

haven't delt with it but talk with your vet about all the pros and cons of each treatment if it comes to having to test. But hope that it is just an infection and nothing more as cushing is rare in dogs but is hareditary so if you go tthe pup from a breeder contact them and let them know of the possibility and see if they have had cushings in their breeding program. if they are honest, as they should be, they will share this with you and be concerned and glad you contacted them. Best wishes

Answer 5

Only with my horses, there quite is not so much you'll do for it I use to supply them a every day dose of Pergonal, however I had heard that they took it clear of the vets to regard persons alternatively.

Answer 6

pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ CanineCushings-AutoimmuneCare
take the spaces out

a support group for owners of cushings dogs.
sometimes these groups can be a godsend