What Cushing's Disease
Means for Your Dog

A stress hormone that never switches off

Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands, near the kidneys. Under normal conditions it is released in times of stress to prepare the body for strenuous activity: it alters the metabolism so the body can draw energy from stored fat and sugar, and makes it retain sodium and water. It puts the body in a temporary state of breakdown so it can use those reserves quickly. Think of it like an adrenaline rush.

With Cushing's, instead of short-term exposure, the body is exposed to cortisol constantly, which leads to a persistent state of breakdown and debilitation.¹

What causes the overproduction

The pituitary gland, at the base of the brain, tells the adrenals when to release cortisol. It watches cortisol levels in the blood and sends a signal when they drop. By far the majority of Cushing's cases in dogs come from a tumor on the pituitary, most often benign and often tiny, which presses on the gland and increases that signal, so the adrenals release more cortisol.¹

Steroid medication can do the same thing. Long-term use of cortisone, prednisone and similar drugs produces the same effect as the natural hormone; that form is called iatrogenic Cushing's. The pituitary senses the high levels and shuts down its signal, and the adrenals can shrink. This form is reversible if the drug can be tapered over months and, ideally, discontinued.² Cushing's also predisposes a dog to diabetes.

The signs to look for

• Hair loss, on both sidesBilaterally symmetrical: the same pattern left and right.
• Pot-bellied abdomenA distended belly, with loss of muscle mass and weakness.
• Eating, drinking, urinating moreExcessive thirst and frequent urination are classic.
• Lethargy and skin changesReduced activity, thin or abnormal skin, and recurring urinary tract infections.

Other complications include susceptibility to infection, blood clots, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and nervous-system signs including behaviour changes and seizures. Diagnosis rests on blood tests that measure cortisol before and after an injection of ACTH or dexamethasone; CT and MRI can now show small pituitary and adrenal tumors.²

How it is usually treated

Spontaneous Cushing's is most often treated with a prescription drug that suppresses the adrenal cortex, such as mitotane or, today more commonly, trilostane.² The protocol is complex and needs close veterinary monitoring, because the challenge is medicating precisely enough to hold a very delicate balance: tip it too far and the result is Addison's disease, the opposite problem and a more dangerous one. The prognosis is guarded.

Pituitary tumors often respond to radiation, though equipment is scarce and the cost is high. Benign and malignant adrenal tumors can sometimes be removed surgically. Some veterinarians also use melatonin and flaxseed lignans, particularly for atypical Cushing's.³ Ask your vet whether that fits your dog's case.

Where Nzymes can and cannot help

Nzymes cannot help the Cushing's imbalance itself. That is entirely up to the prescribed medical treatment, whose whole job is to create and hold that delicate balance. Where key Nzymes products may help is around it: improving or stabilizing certain bodily functions, especially immune-wise, for a dog going through a long and challenging process. Energy, stamina, digestion, hair loss, and possibly immune capability.

The Core FoundationSee the Core Foundation →Sprouted Granules in the bowl and Antioxidant Treats by hand: the live-food enzymes and antioxidants that support energy, coat and digestion while the vet manages the cortisol.

Not sure where a food-based approach fits beside your dog's prescription? Book a free consultation and tell us what the vet found. Diet is the first thing we'll go over; our recommended foods guide shows what to look for.