Cushings in Dogs

[jerseygirl]

Anyone here have or had a dog with the pituitary form of Cushings before?

I have a 14 yr old small breed dog that’s just been diagnosed. His main symptom is incontinence while sleeping. He is drinking more and dripping a little while awake also. The test results showed he is not concentrating urine either.  But generally he is getting along pretty well at his age.

 I wouldn’t mind chatting with anyone that has had some experience. 

[LittlePuffyTail]

Sorry to hear that, Jersey. Wish I could offer some help or advice.

One of the ponies at my stable has Cushings. He’s one of those ponies who is so ancient nobody knows his real age. He’s had it for quite a few years. Poor guy, he has grown a long curly coat and doesn’t shed in the summer. Curious if dog’s get that fur change as well.

[jerseygirl]

Interesting! With dogs, it’s the opposite. There is often fur loss, particularly around the mid section. Do they have to shave down the pony’s coat for summer time?
I did know Cushings was something seen in dogs and horses. Since his diagnosis, Ive learnt a little more about it.

[jerseygirl]

Just thinking about that pony, Im reminded about how some women have changes with their hair when pregnant. It might go curly or dying it fails. So I suppose the hormones come in to play.

When Rumball (bunny) became more hormonal as he got older, I had some blood tests done and vet had said “doesn’t look like he has Cushings”. But they cant really do the test with the steroids for rabbits like they do with dogs. It would be too risky, I think. So I always wondered if he had changes in pituitary or a even adrenal glands. Lots of theories, nothing confirmed.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’ve never heard of Cushings in a bunny! Interesting.  And very strange it affects horses and dogs so differently. 

Itchy (pony) looks pretty much like this, although I’d say his coat is even longer. In spring, some of the remaining short hair does shed a bit and gets matted with the long hair and it ends up in dread locks all over his belly and matted to his legs. In the Spring, I brought him in and took the scissors to him. If here were mine, I would def shave him for summer, but his owner doesn’t. 

Had my horse, Winnie, lived into old age, she most likely would have developed Cushings as well. For horses, it usually starts as insulin resistance and she basically had horse diabetes for the second half of her life. That usually progresses into Cushings later in life. 

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