If their cortisol levels don’t drop, it’s likely that there is a tumor preventing their glands from responding properly to the medication.Ī veterinary professional may also use an ultrasound to determine if there is a tumor present and, if so, where it is located. If the dog’s cortisol goes down, the dog has a normal response. After a few hours, a second blood sample is tested. Similar to the ACTH test, a LDDS test requires a preliminary blood test before the dog receives an injection of the steroid dexamethasone. A slight increase in cortisol is a normal response but a significant and continued increase in cortisol points to CD. A few hours later, a second blood test is taken. The two most common tests to detect Cushing’s disease are the ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) stimulation test and the LDDS (low-dose dexamethasone suppression) test.įor an ACTH test, a blood sample is drawn from the patient and then a dose of ACTH is given. Unfortunately, because these symptoms progress over a long period of time and are often mistaken for common signs of aging, many cases are misdiagnosed, or dogs have an advanced form of CD before the disease is found. Dogs may wake up in the middle of the night to go out or housebroken dogs may start having accidents in the house. Many times, owners note their first cause for concern is increased urination. Regardless of the type of CD, the symptoms and signs are similar. Typically, Cushing’s disease is found in dogs that are seven years or older and there are some breeds that are commonly affected.īreeds that are prone to Cushing’s disease include: Cushing’s disease can also be caused by prolonged steroid use and is referred to as iatrogenic Cushing’s disease. This form makes up about 10-15% of CD cases in dogs. Adrenal dependent occurs when a tumor forms in one of the adrenal glands. This form occurs when a tumor, usually benign, forms on the pituitary gland. Pituitary dependent is the most common form and causes 80-90% of CD cases. Cushing’s disease, or Cushing’s syndrome, is a condition in which one of those two systems essentially malfunctions and produces too much cortisol.Ĭushing disease is more common in dogs than other species.There are two major types of CD that impact dogs. Too much or too little cortisol can be life threatening. This gland releases adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), which tells the adrenal glands to release cortisol. The adrenal glands are controlled by the pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain. This instinct is controlled by cortisol, produced by the adrenal glands in front of the kidneys.

Humans and animals both have a “flight or fight” response to a threat.

Dog adrenal gland disease