My senior Shih Tzu has panting, thirst, hunger, seizures. Is it Cushing's?

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.

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.

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.

Hi there! You are correct that Cushing's disease would be a common cause of the symptoms you are describing in an older dog (excessive panting, weight gain, and drinking/urinating more than normal) - however, there are also other illnesses that could cause this, so diagnostic testing would be needed as a first step to find out if Cushing's disease is even the problem or not. It would be EXTREMELY unsafe to start Vetoryl or any other medication for this condition without even knowing for sure if Tily has it, since these meds would be very dangerous for a dog to take if they weren't needed, and close monitoring of cortisol levels is needed for dogs who are on medication for Cushing's disease because if the dosing isn't right they can get very sick or even die. So this would be a problem that you would need to work closely with your veterinarian to diagnose and treat safely - it's not something you can do yourself at home, just based on guessing. If taking Tily to the vet is difficult for you, I would suggest calling around to some local clinics to see if there is anyone in your area who does house call visits. A mobile veterinarian could examine Tily and take the required lab samples (usually blood and urine testing, as a starting point), and then go from there depending on what is found.

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Shivering and panting can have many medical reasons behind these symptoms. It is hard to say what the cause is without examining Abby first and running some blood work on her at the very least. Cushing's disease can present with similar symptoms but so can pain, lung disease, heart diseases, organ dysfunction, and other medical causes. Sometimes endocrine disorders such as Cushing's disease can have a genetic component to them. My recommendation would be to schedule Abby for a veterinary exam, blood work, and perhaps an x-ray to help determine a diagnosis. Best wishes to you and Abby and best of luck! Thanks again for posting.

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.

Although it is more rare to see Cushing's disease in a younger dog it is definitely still possible. I have definitely diagnosed Cushing's in a dog at this age, however it is still pretty uncommon. There are other possible causes of increased drinking and the other signs you've described so I think a veterinary visit is the best place to start. Instead of jumping right into a Cushing's work up I'd suggest starting with some baseline blood work, a thyroid level and a urine check. This will rule out some other potential causes and make it more clear if Lola should be checked for Cushing's disease. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and good luck to you and Lola!