Natural Pet Health

The symptoms of Cushings disease in dogs are often mistaken for normal signs of canine aging. But in fact, such symptoms may surface due to a hyperactive adrenal gland.

Although this disease cannot be cured completely, timely and adequate treatment can result in a longer and higher quality of life for the suffering dog.

The medical term used for Cushings disease is hyperadrenocorticism. Since the symptoms of the disease mimic the symptoms of other common diseases, the condition is often misdiagnosed or ignored.

Symptoms -like an increase in urination with pale, diluted urine, obesity with a pot belly, lethargy and intolerance to exercise, excessive thirst, a thin skin or alopecia (hair loss) – need to be taken seriously and warrant a visit to the veterinarian.

A mammal’s body is very complex. It involves a series of preset and complicated actions, reactions and reciprocal actions. These processes are carried out between the various body systems that work together to keep the body functioning properly.

Overall health can be maintained only by ensuring a fine balance between the enzymes, hormones, and various other chemical compounds that are responsible for metabolic activity. Though the mammalian body has been designed to maintain this fine balance, some external or internal factors can disturb the balance causing ailments, diseases, and other conditions. These factors include trauma, disease, age, diet, or a change in the internal chemical environment.

It is often easy to miss out on some of the symptoms that surface in your dog. Since dog has given companionship, loyalty and affection to humans, the least that man can do is to ensure that their pets are healthy and well taken care of.

Sometimes symptoms like excessive urination, hair loss and too much of huffing and puffing can be the first warning signs of endocrinal diseases like Cushing

s disease or hypothyroidism.

Disturbances in the required levels of thyroid hormones cause hypothyroidism (less secretion of hormone) or hyperthyroidism (increased secretion).

Most cases of hypothyroidism in dogs results from an autoimmune system dysfunction. This affects the lymphocytes causing them to decreases in size in some cases.

The lymphoid system helps in the body’s defenses against viruses and bacteria. The lymphatic tissue is spread out in the body and is concentrated in the lymph nodes, GI tract, skin, liver and spleen. Lymphoma or cancer of the lymphoid system is one of the common types of cancers that can affect dogs.

Lymphoma is a malignant tumor of the cells and can occur practically anywhere in the body. It usually occurs in multiple sites in the body. The chest cavity, nose, kidney, gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system and lymph nodes that are spread all across the body are the locations that are attacked in most cases where lymphoma occurs in a dog.

Cushings disease is a glandular disorder caused by excessive corticosteroids. The process of the production of these corticosteroids is such that:

* The pituitary gland produces a hormone called ACTH
* The ACTH stimulates the adrenalin glands
* The adrenalin gland produces corticosteroids
* A more than required amount of corticosteroid can cause Cushings disease, so it is also called hyperadrenocorticism (hyper-adreno-corticism).

The overproduction of corticosteroids which causes Cushings disease in dogs can occur due to two types of conditions. In 85% of the cases, the excessive production of ACTH is caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland that produces high levels of ACTH.

This causes the adrenalin glands to make more than required levels of corticosteroids. Hyperadrenocorticism in a dog can also be caused by a corticosteroid-producing tumor in one or both of the adrenalin glands.

Hyperadrenocorticism in dogs, commonly known as Cushings disease, is an endocrinal disorder caused by the malfunctioning of either the adrenal glands and/or the pituitary glands. There are natural as well as drug induced causes behind the occurrence of this disease in your pet.

Apart from the harrowing symptoms, there are numerous medical ramifications of Cushings disease in dogs that can potentially affect how long your dog lives

* High blood pressure and heart problems due to a weakening of muscles.
* Pancreas’ problems that are rare but can be fatal.
* Kidney problems that arise due to protein loss due to damage in the filtering system.
* Formation of clots in blood vessels due to malfunctioning kidneys.
* Infections caused due to suppression of autoimmune system by excess cortisol.
* Delayed healing of wounds due to excessive cortisol.