My dog has Cushing's disease. Can home remedies help my senior dog?

Unfortunately Cushing’s disease usually requires treatment with a medication like trilostane or mitotane to control the clinical signs. For some dogs with ‘atypical’ Cushing’s some veterinarians recommend melatonin and lignan (flaxseed) supplements. If Mia has been diagnosed with Cushing’s you could ask your vet about trying this regimen. The University of Tennessee Veterinary Endocrinology team has information about the diagnosis and treatment of atypical Cushing’s.

My biggest concern is that your vet is talking about hyperadrenocorticism also known as Cushing's disease. This is what I think of when you discuss those symptoms, liver enzyme elevations and adrenal issues. Cushings is where they produce too much cortisol in their system. You can do a test to rule this in or out. You can have your vet do a low dose dexamethasone test OR a ACTH stimulation test. If it comes up positive then you can treat with the disease with a daily medicine called trilostane to help the symptoms. But you cannot cure cushings. I hope this helps and will help guide you in a conversation with your vet if this is actually what your vet thinks is going on.

It is common for people to decide not to treat their dog for Cushing's disease. Unfortunately, the treatment is expensive and has side effects. The biggest concerns with Cushing's disease are the side effects of the disease (drinking more, urinating more, etc) and the potential for the dog to develop other infections from a suppressed immune system. So, I recommend that a dog with Cushing's disease be closely monitored at home for any changes in clinical signs and have them evaluated in case the dog is developing a secondary infection. That will often mean checking urine samples on a regular basis to make sure a urinary tract infection isn't hiding. I have attached more information on Cushing's disease below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=635 At almost 15 years old, if Bullwinkle has other health problems, then Cushing's disease may or may not shorten his life. But the most important thing is to closely monitor him and make sure any infections are treated right away. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

There are a couple of different treatments that can be used to treat Wexford's Cushing's Disease, such as Vetoryl (trilostane) and Anipryl (selegiline) which are both approved by the FDA for use in dogs. Another drug, Lysodren (mitotane), can be used off label to treat Cushing's. Off label means that it's a human drug that can be legally prescribed by vets for uses not listed on the label. Ultimately, however, it will be up to your vet to decide medication is best for Rexford. Cushing's Disease can be pituitary or adrenal-dependent, and the choice of medication will depend on which type he has. Speak with your vet to discuss the best medication for use in him. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Not to my knowledge. However, Molly could have something else going on and it's really important to get bloodwork and urine tests done to figure out exactly what state her health is in. I deal with aggressive dogs all the time in my practice, and if you can't get her in the door and get a muzzle on her, consider using an oral sedative prior to the visit to make the process easier on everyone (mostly her!). I usually just sedate dogs like Molly right away in the clinic and then draw blood once they are sleepy and less dangerous.

Typical signs of Cushing's disease in dogs are as follows: increased thirst and urination, increased appetite, less activity, thin skin, hair loss, excessive panting, possible recurrent skin infections, new pigmentation on the abdomen or comedones (blackheads). If you suspect your dog may have Cushing's disease, you need to make an appointment with your veterinarian for an exam and some blood tests.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I will strongly discourage you from giving Sophia Trilostan without knowing for sure that she has Cushing disease. She may have, for example ascites, diabetes or internal organ enlargement, which makes the belly look potted. In that case, giving Trilostan can lead to a life-threatening hypoadrenal crisis. Please, take your dog to your local vets to confirm the diagnosis and then start the treatment, if necessary.