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Diet For Cushing’s In Dogs

By Tess Thompson

Though canines and humans are very different in physiology, there are some universal truths that apply to both. And one such universal truth lies in the realm of diet and health.

Centuries ago, humans uprooted dogs from their natural habitat and domesticated them to help them in hunting and guarding. They were removed from the basic source that provided all nutrition that was required in terms of food. Human intervention continues to come in the form of comforts, food and safety. And unfortunately not all of it is actually beneficial for the pet.

There are a fair number of diseases that are unique to domestic dogs. These diseases have not been known to occur in wild dogs and therefore, it can be assumed that these are in some way, caused by human intervention.

Cushing’s disease (hyperadrenocorticism) is one such condition that ails pet dogs.

Cushing’s disease in dogs refers to a disease that is caused by excessive amounts of cortisone due to an over active adrenal gland. Major characteristics of this disease are thinning of skin, hair loss, excess of urination and thirst and obesity (bloated abdomen).

There is not much research done on the most suitable diet for the condition of hyperadrenocorticism in dogs. But generally speaking, a healthy diet for a dog needs to have certain characteristics. The diet should have

* High levels of protein.
* Low levels of fat
* Low amounts of fiber
* Low levels of purine
* Sufficient potassium and sodium content, especially if the dog is on medication for Cushing’s disease.
* An adequate quantity of water

Generally speaking, diet containing high quality proteins is the right choice for any dog. High quality proteins are available in foods like meat, milk and eggs. These also contain the right amount of amino acids that are necessary for a healthy liver and kidney. Some amino acids are sensitive to heat and therefore raw meat is a better choice than cooked meat.

However, if your dog has other ailments, then he may require a different type of diet. For example, a dog suffering from diabetes should be on a diet that has high levels of fat, moderate proteins and low phosphorus content.

Dogs do not have any dietary compulsions for carbohydrates but are normally used only to reduce phosphorus intake. Dogs are carnivores and they derive energy from fats rather than carbohydrates and are not at risk of developing fat related human disorders like high cholesterol.

References:
http://www.burnspethealth.com
http://www.vetinfo4dogs.com