My dog with Cushing's is panting heavily. Is this normal? What to do?

No, this alone wouldn't indicate Cushing's, and would be odd for a puppy of this age. That said, exercise intolerance, fear/panic, stress, or underlying health issues can all cause what you are describing. I'd take Ann to your vet for a full workup just to rule out any serious health issues, and then from there see if you can find a behavioral trigger that may be causing stress or panic. Working on socialization and calming behaviors (focusing on a treat or toy, distracting with a game, moving to a quiet area to relax, etc) may help with stress triggers or panic triggers.

Cushing’s syndrome (if that is indeed what she has), is rarely an emergency. Many dogs have had the disorder for months (or years) prior to diagnosis. However, diabetes can have very similar signs and that is more of a concern. If she has lost weight, or if she is not eating then I would recommend an emergency veterinarian to make sure she is not diabetic and starting to Decompensate. I also notice that she is not spayed. Pyometra is a uterine infection that usually starts with increased water intake, But they usually progress to not feeling well soon. Some of these dogs also have vaginal discharge and typically occurs 6 weeks or so after last heat cycle. If she is eating well and seem fine otherwise then waiting until Monday seems appropriate to me. If possible try to take a urine sample with you to your veterinarian appointment. Best of luck and I hope she does well. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

The doctor wants to test Jazzy for a disease called Cushings Disease which can cause these symptoms. Cushings is not an easy disease to diagnose. This diagnosis usually requires a few blood tests and an abdominal ultrasound. This disease is treatable so you should pursue the tests as you can. Cushings disease is generally slowly progressive so you likely have time to work through things as you can.

Thank you for submitting Buddy. I hope that he is feeling better now. If not, I recommend that he sees a veterinarian right away. Cushing's can make dogs more prone to blood clots. A clot in the lungs can cause increased respiratory effort. This can usually be diagnosed with x-rays of his chest. Sometimes a specific urine test is used to look for certain factors. I hope this information helps!

Hi there, and good question about panting. Panting can be a sign of discomfort, anxiety, and occasionally a sign of an endocrine disorder called Cushing’s syndrome. Along with panting dogs with Cushings are usually drinking a lot of water, urinating frequently, and have an increased appetite. I would encourage you to have them evaluated by your veterinarian soon. They may be showing more signs of discomfort then is realized and they may benefit from medication and or supplements for arthritis. Best of luck and I hope they improve soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

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!

Excessive panting can be a sign of overheating, but also a sign of pain, or an endocrine disease such as Cushing's disease, especially in an old dog like yours, Arthritis is high on the list, as at that age your dog will definitely have arthritic changes that can be highly painful. Cushing;s disease is also on the list, especially if your dog developed a pot belly, drinks and urinates more than usual, pants heavily even when it is not hot, and maybe loses some hair. Both of these conditions need to be checked out by your veterinarian, in order to ensure a good quality of life for your dog. Arthritis pain can be treated well with a medication called Carprofen and/or other pain medications. Cushings symptoms can be treated with special medication that reduces the production of cortisone. A blood test can rule out Cushing's disease. I suggest you schedule an exam with your vet.