My dog has Cushing's. Why are her eyes twitching and she's wobbly?

These do not sound like typical symptoms of Cushing’s disease which would cause increased thirst and urination, increased hunger, and characteristic changes to the appearance. If Cinnamon has started medication for Cushing’s I would be concerned her dose would potentially be too high and you should contact your veterinarian right away. It’s possible that she has something going on with her brain that is causing these behavior changes. In some rare situations Cushing’s is caused by a tumor of the pituitary gland so if she has a tumor that is pressing in her brain it is possible that she could have these symptoms related to Cushing’s. Regardless I would recommend having her examined by your veterinarian.

I am very sorry that Yager is so ill. Unfortunately Cushing's disease is a progressive disease and cannot be healed. There are two possible causes for Cushing's: 1) a pituitary tumor (a tumor in the brain) that is telling the adrenal glands to make more cortisone that the body needs and 2) a possible adrenal tumor that is overproducing cortisone. Most of the time the cause is a pituitary tumor. Unfortunately the medicine your dog is taking is only affecting the adrenal glands, ie basically reducing cortisone production. In the meantime the tumor in the brain keeps growing slowly, Sometimes the medicine works too well and the body is not getting enough cortisone because the adrenal glands are not producing enough anymore (the medicine destroyed too much tissue). This can cause the signs you describe and therefore your vet recommends that you halve the dose. The other problem is that your dog's tumor is growing and may be pressing on vital structures in the brain now, which can cause seizures, wobbly gait, fainting spells. So I suggest that you trust your vet and follow his recommendations. Unfortunately the day will come that you need to say good bye to Yager when the tumor is causing too many problems. Listen to your dog: he will tell you when it is time.

The random yelping isn't really typical for Cushing's Disease. These symptoms are usually weight gain or pot-bellied appearance, thinning hair, increased hunger, increased thirst, increased urination, and occasionally increased respiratory rate/panting and restlessness. I would recommend that you have Miley examined by a vet. The symptoms you describe sound like pain, which could be coming from multiple places, such as joints, the back, inside the abdomen, or chest, or could be caused by neurologic or other musculoskeletal issues. If the vet is also concerned about Cushing's Disease, then bloodwork can be obtained and tests scheduled to look into this possibility.

Some common symptoms of Cushings's are panting, increased thirst/urination, but these are also common symptoms of many diseases. Bloodwork and endocrine testing can help to ferret that out. Neurologic symptoms can sometimes be present with Cushing's if there is a larger tumor in the pituitary gland but seizures can also be caused by other things as well so an MRI is typically required. CT can sometimes be used if a pituitary mass is strongly suspected. Itchy feet is typically caused by allergies which may also be associated with secondary infection. Next steps are to see your vet for an exam, bloodwork, and endocrine testing. Abdominal ultrasound and blood pressure measurement are also typical next steps. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Darla. Is she taking new medication to help manage her disease? If so, you will need to contact her veterinarian to discuss her dosing and if any laboratory work needs to be rechecked. Medication typically works by suppressing adrenal gland function. The symptoms you have described can be the result of over suppression. If she is not on medication for her disease, her symptoms are still worrisome. You will need to contact her veterinarian today. I hope this information helps!

Poor girl. If there is no obvious external injury, then I would be concerned that either the bone or the joint is affected. Some possibilities are: bone cancer, bone cyst, bone abscess, subluxation and a bone infection or even hairline fracture. If the pain has been persistent for more than 24 hrs, then I would highly consider having her examined by your vet to have radiograph imaging done to determine the underlying cause of her pain. I hope that Susie is able to get some relief soon. Until she is able to be seen you can try doing a cold compress followed by a warm compress on the painful areas. Also soaking her in a warm water Epsom salt bath for 5-10 minutes can help alleviate some of her discomfort. Best wishes and take care.

The concern is often more linked to a tumour of the pituitary gland, which is located at the base of the brain. The tumour can be benign or malignant and what it does it is stimulating the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. If the pituitary tumour grows, it can cause neurological signs and therefore seizures too. The masses can be quite large , over 1 cm , and cause symptoms related to pressure to the brain structures nearby. If the seizures are not very frequent, it means the tumour rate of growth is not that fast, and this is a good sign in itself. However an MRI would be able to provide more information and allow monitoring, if possible.