Dogs have been sharing their lives with us for thousands of years, we increasingly have furry friends at home, or even more than one, with which we want to share everything, however, we must be consistent and aware of responsibility.that comes with the relationship with an animal that, as a living being, has its rights.We must not only give him affection and nourish him, but also meet all his physical and psychological needs, both for puppies and for adults and the elderly.
Certainly, if you are a happy and responsible companion for your dog, you have already learned the most common diseases in dogs. In this new Article of Animal Expert, we will provide you with information about cushing syndrome in dogs – symptoms and causes, in addition to offering more related information.Read on to find out how this syndrome affects our furry friends and how to fix it.
- Cushing syndrome is also known as hyperanoocticism and is an endocrine (hormonal) disease that occurs when the body produces chronic elevated levels of cortisol.
- A hormone that is produced in the adrenal glands near the kidneys.
An adequate level of cortisol helps us get our body to react normally to stress, helps balance body weight, have a good tissue and skin structure, etc.On the other hand, when the body experiences an increase in cortisol and exists It is an overproduction of this hormone, the immune system weakens and the body begins to be exposed to possible infections and diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, this excess hormone can also damage many different organs, greatly reducing the vitality and quality of life of the animal suffering from this syndrome.
In addition, symptoms are easily confused with those caused by normal aging, which is why many dogs are not diagnosed with Cushing syndrome, as symptoms go unnoticed by some older tutors, so it is essential to detect symptoms as soon as possible and perform all possible tests.until the origin of Cushing syndrome is diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.
There are more than one origin or cause of cushing syndrome in dogs, specifically, there are three possible causes that can cause overproduction of cortisol:
As already mentioned, the adrenal glands produce the hormone cortisol, so a problem in these glands can trigger cushing syndrome; However, the adrenal glands are, in turn, controlled by the hormone that secretes the pituitary or pituitary gland, therefore, a problem in the pituitary gland can also cause uncontrolled cortisol levels.Finally, there are glucocorticoids and other medicines used to treat certain diseases in dogs, but if used incorrectly, for example, in contracted states or in very important amounts and periods, they may end up producing cushing syndrome because they alter cortisol production.
It can be said that the most common source of Cushing syndrome, or hyperatrocticism, in 80 to 85% of cases, is usually a tumor or enlarged pituitary gland, which secretes a large amount of the hormone ACTH, responsible for the production of adrenal glands..more cortisol than normal. Another less common form, in 15 to 20% of cases, occurs in the adrenal glands, usually due to a tumor or hyperplasia, being the much less common iatrogenic origin.
It is vitally important that the cause of cushing syndrome in dogs is detected as soon as possible, of course, a specialist veterinarian should do so by performing several tests and prescribing the most appropriate treatment that will depend entirely on the cause or origin of cushing syndrome.dogs.
Many visible symptoms can be confused with typical symptoms of old age in dogs and, as a result, many people do not realize that the signs and symptoms presented by their faithful friend are due to an abnormality in the production of cortisol, or Cushing syndrome.the disease usually develops slowly, symptoms appear gradually, and it can take months or even years for everyone to appear, it is necessary to keep in mind that not all dogs respond in the same way to an increase in cortisol, so it is quite possible that not all dogs have the same symptoms.
Although there are others, the most common symptoms of Cushing syndrome are:
Sometimes the most direct way to understand Cushing syndrome is not the symptoms, but when the veterinarian detects a secondary disease caused by the syndrome, such as diabetes mellitus, secondary hypothyroidism, nerve and behavioral changes, among other possibilities.
This abnormality in the functioning of the adrenal glands, which causes overproduction of cortisol, is more common in adult dogs than in young people, usually presenting from the age of 6 and especially in dogs over 10 years of age.It can also affect dogs experiencing stress episodes due to another type of problem or other related conditions.There seems to be some evidence to suggest that the most common cases of Cushing syndrome from the pituitary gland occur in dogs weighing less than 20 kg, while cases of adrenal origin are more common in dogs over 20 kg, although the adrenal type also occurs.in dogs, small dogs.
Although the sex of the dog does not influence the appearance of this hormonal syndrome, the breed seems to influence to some extent.The following are some of the races most likely to suffer from cushing syndrome, depending on the source of the problem:
It is very important that, if we detect any of the symptoms mentioned in the previous section, even though it may seem like an advanced age, we go to a trusted veterinarian to perform the tests he deems necessary to exclude or diagnose cushing syndrome in our fur and indicate the best solution and treatment.
The veterinarian should perform various tests, such as blood tests, urine tests, skin biopsies in areas with alterations, x-rays, ultrasounds, specific tests to measure the concentration of cortisol in the blood and, if suspected of origin in the pituitary gland, should also do CT and MRI.
The veterinarian should prescribe the most appropriate treatment for cushing syndrome, which will depend entirely on the origin of the syndrome in each dog, treatment can be pharmacological for life or until the dog can undergo surgery to regulate cortisol levels, treatment can also be directly surgical.to remove the tumor or solve the problem at the gland level, either at the adrenal or pituitary level; treatment based on chemotherapy or radiation therapy may also be considered if the tumors are not operable; on the other hand, if the cause of the syndrome is of iatrogenic origin, it is sufficient to stop the medication of the other treatment given and that causes cushing syndrome.
It is necessary to take into account many other parameters of the health of the dog and the possibilities in each case to decide if it is better to follow this or that treatment, in addition, we will make regular visits to the veterinarian to control the levels of cortisol and adjust it.medicines if necessary, as well as to control the postoperative process.
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis, we suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any condition or discomfort.
If you would like to read articles similar to Cushing Syndrome in Dogs: Symptoms and Causes, we recommend that you visit our Other Health Problems section.