Have you noticed your dog constantly drinking from his water dish? Frequent urination? What about his appetite? Is he eating more and more, but getting weaker and weaker?
These are just a few of the symptoms of Cushing’s Disease in dogs, also called hyperadrenocorticism. Dogs with Cushings Disease produce too much cortisol. Left untreated, dogs with Cushings can develop calcified skin bumps, obesity, severe muscle weakness and be subject to excessive infections.
Symptoms of Cushing's Disease In Dogs
In addition to excessive drinking, excessive eating, excessive urination and obesity, Canine Cushings Disease can also be recognized by the following symptoms:
- An enlarged abdomen
- Thinning hair
- Muscle weakness
- A “skull-like” appearance of the head
- Hyperpigmentation of the skin
Behaviorally, Cushings Disease may be indicated if your dog:
- Is lethargic all the time
- Pants incessantly
- Decreased interest in spending time with owner
Conventional Medicine
If your dog is diagnosed with Cushing’s Disease, veterinarians often prescribe Trilostane or Lysodren. Lysodren is a chemotherapy drug that works by destroying the outer layer of the adrenal glands. This limits the glands ability to produce cortisol. Unfortunately, both drugs often have side effects such as vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea and weight loss.
Natural Treatments for Dogs with Cushing's Disease
There are natural remedies on the market specifically designed to help normalize the adrenal glands’ output of cortisol. Other herbs are helpful at detoxification.
- Dandelion is well-known as a tonic for the liver, kidneys and adrenal glands and will help to normalize adrenal functioning.
- Burdock is a cleansing and eliminating herb and is excellent at detoxifying the tissues and removing unwanted substances from the body.
- Arsenicum helps treat excessive thirst.
- Hepar Sulph works to heal irritated skin and Sulphur improves the overall condition of the skin.
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