Last Updated: 28/03/2025
Cushing's Disease in Dogs
Has your dog been diagnosed with Cushings disease? Find out all about it here.
Author: Dr Carla Paszkowski BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 19 minutes - medium read
Further Reading
Last Updated: 28/03/2025
Has your dog been diagnosed with Cushings disease? Find out all about it here.
Author: Dr Carla Paszkowski BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 19 minutes - medium read
Does your furry friend have a secret superpower? Perhaps it's the ability to turn a simple walk into an epic adventure. Or maybe it's their knack for finding the perfect spot for a nap. But if your pup's superpowers include excessive drinking, frequent urination, or a potbelly, it might be time to investigate Cushing's Disease.
Whether you're a concerned dog owner or a future pet parent, this guide will help you understand the ins and outs of Cushing's Disease, so you can keep your canine companion happy and healthy.
Cushing's Disease is the common name for Hyperadrenocorticism - a condition in which the adrenal glands (small glands that sit on top of the kidneys) overproduce cortisol in the dog's body. Excess cortisol causes a number of symptoms and affects almost every body system from the kidneys, to the immune system, the skin, and the liver.
There are three main forms of Cushing's Disease, correlating purely to where the cause of the disease sits anatomically:
Did you know? Cortisol is normally used by the body to respond to stress, keep bodyweight in check, fight infections, and maintain blood sugar levels. However, like many hormones, too much or too little Cortisol can cause problems.
Small breed dogs are particularly prone to Cushing's Disease, however some large breed dogs are affected more than others too. Certain breeds that are prone to developing Cushing's include:
Cushing's Disease usually occurs in middle aged and senior dogs. Symptoms typically appear gradually over an extended period of time and may include:
Diagnosis of Cushing's Disease requires a veterinary examination and blood tests. Your veterinarian will be able to inspect your dog's appearance, feel their abdomen, listen to their heart, and perform blood and urine tests.
While there is no single test that can diagnose 100% of cases, your vet will likely recommend a combination of the following tests:
The good news is that Cushing's in dogs can be easily treated. However, the type of treatment your dog needs depends on the type of Cushing's Disease your dog has.
As discussed earlier, a pituitary tumour is the most common cause. A dog with pituitary dependent Cushing's can live a normal active life with medication, which moderates steroid production. It is important not to give too much of your dog's Cushing's medication because if steroid levels drop too low, you may push your dog into Addison's Disease (hypoadrenocorticism).
Ongoing care with regular vet check ups will be necessary to monitor your dog's progress and response to medication.
In addition to giving your dog their medication daily, you will need to monitor your dog's drinking and urination. It's important never to restrict your dog's access to water, and your vet may recommend keeping a water diary to note how much your dog is drinking. It's also important to feed your dog an appropriate food and limit treats and table scraps - read more
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Veterinarian
Dr. Carla graduated from the University of Queensland in 2013 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and worked for a number of years in small animal clinics across South East Queensland. While Carla enjoys most facets of clinical veterinary work, she holds a special passion for feline medicine, pocket pets, and nutrition.
