My 12 year old beagle was recently diagnosed to have Kushing’s Syndrome. I know very little about the disease/disorder in humans and I will look it up. However, has anybody come across this in their pets. I wish to prepare myself.
Anything regarding treatment, or coping or ways to make him more comfortable would be greatly appreciated.
The diagnoses is not conclusive but greatly points towards Kushings. He has elevated cortisol levels, very dilute urine, probably an indication of mineralocorticoid hormone problems (as per vet). He has been urinating blood for a last several days. The blood comes at the end of stream so there’s probably bladder impairment as well.
A tumour is suspected as cause of liver hormone production irregularities.
Anything at all would be appreciated.
Well, Cushing’s Syndrome is a disorder where excessive amounts of cortisol (and sometimes other hormones) are produced.
The major symptoms and problems in people with Cushing’s syndrome are weakness, personality changes, easy bruising, an abnormal change in the fat distribution in the body, softening of bones (leading to fractures), high blood pressure, certain infections, and diabetes. Obviously a serious condition.
Sometimes the Syndrome arises because of a benign tumor in the adrenal gland where cortisol is normally produced. Sometimes it occurs because of a tumor in the pituitary gland (at the bottom of the brain)(the pituitary normally is responsible for signalling the adrenal gland to make cortisol.
A major cause of Cushing’s Syndrome is from taking cortisol medicine (or related substances such as predisone).
I am not familiar with veterinary Cushing’s but I am sure a web search would be useful. Try using the following two terms (with no “ands”): Cushing’s dog.
Horses also can get Cushing’s, you might find some more good info during your search if you look for Cushing’s + horses.
I don’t have any experience with it, but a girl I know has a horse with Cushing’s and while he is on medication and will be for the rest of his life, he is doing really good.
Hmm… I once went into a doctor’s office for a minor complaint (a cyst on my butt, if you must know) and the doctor had a medical book on his desk, he had been studying something or other when I came in. He examined me, and said that due to my profuse body hair, he suspected I had Cushing’s syndrome. He talked about the symptoms and I said I didn’t have any of them except for the profuse body hair growth. He said he wanted to do tests, and the eventual treatment could be brain surgery to remove my pituitary gland. As I glanced across his desk, I noticed his book was open to an article entitled “Cushing’s Syndrome.”
Yes, doctors can be hypocondriacs too, except they project the illness onto patients who don’t have it. I decided the doctor was a quack and left his office, never to return. I’m not going to be made into a guinea pig just because some doctor was anxious to diagnose some disease he’d just been reading about in some book.
Peppy, I’m very sorry to hear your dog’s been diagnosed with Cushing’s. I lost my Boston Terrier to this disease late last year. I found this site in looking up sources on the disease; I hope it’s of some use.