Cushings Disease
Cushings Disease occurs when there is an over-active adrenal gland (known as Hyperadrenocorticism or HAC), which causes chronically increased cortisol to circulate in the blood. Cortisol affects nearly every cell in the body and is a natural blood steroid, responsible for the presence of glucose in the bloodstream; more directly, cortisol creates a balance of glucose in the bloodstream by breaking down muscle (catabolism) and fat (lipoysis) tissue. Insulin’s job is to bring glucose into hungry cells and cortisol pulls glucose out.
Cushing’s disease and Hyperadrenocorticism have 3 types:
Pituitary-dependent, which results from a benign or malignant tumor in the brain and is responsible for 80- 90% of cases of Cushings Disease in dogs.
Adrenal-dependent, caused by a cortisol-secreting tumor involving adrenal glands near kidney, responsible 15- 20% of Cushings Disease diagnoses.
Iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism, which is the result of long term veterinary steroid treatment for problems like skin allergies and causes adrenal gland atrophy.
The classic signs of Cushings, known as the 5 P’s, are:
Polyuria (increased urination)
Polydipsia (increased drinking)
Polyphagia (increased appetite)
Panting
Pot Bellied
Other signs include bilateral weakness, symmetrical hair loss, thin skin and increased blood pressure.
Poor quality, highly processed commercial diets can also play a role in the onset of Canine Cushing’s disease. By metabolizing inferior, heat-processed ingredients, GI tract upsets and other inflammatory conditions such as colitis and skin problems, can occur. The treatment of these inflammatory conditions by conventional veterinarians often involves high-dose steroid treatments (cortisone injections, prednisone, and other derivatives of steroids) all of which are a contributing factor in one of the three types of Cushing’s disease.
For dogs with Cushing’s disease symptoms vary extensively. Some dogs start with just one symptom and end up with to multiple clinical signs as the disease progresses. The symptoms include muscle weakness, or wasting (created by the over production of cortisol breaking down muscles), ravenous appetite, pot belly (large swollen belly), erratic blood glucose levels, depressed immune system (resulting in increase risk of infections), excessive urination and drinking (resulting in imbalances flushing of minerals), heat intolerance, skin sores and arthritis (from improper use of calcium), liver disease, mood changes, abnormal sleep patterns, hair thinning (balding), as you can see quite an array of disturbances to a dog’s whole body. Pets with Cushings disease are more likely to form clots in their blood, which can lodge in the lungs, and be potentially fatal.
Diagnosis of Cushings is made via a general health exam and profile, complete blood count, urinalysis and other specific tests if the signs point to Cushings.
Conventional treatment for Cushings disease involves medication with drugs that suppress adrenal function.
A Holistic approach includes a Healthy, Natural Diet, along with Traditional Chinese Medicine: An herb called Si Miao San as well as the herb Ginko, which helps to lower Cortisol secretion.
In general, the outlook for a pet with Cushings disease is good, there are several conventional and complementary treatment approaches available and most pets who have the disease are able to lead normal lives while receiving treatment.
The book “Dogs, Diet, and Disease” by Caroline Levin has been a great guide for this information and we would recommend for anyone with a dog with Cushing’s or other metabolism disease.
Charlie Suisman’s MUG – Manhattan User’s Guide
Dog Food – Originally featured on February 19, 2003
“Will the dogs eat the dog food?” is the figurative, and sometimes literal, litmus test before a product launches. In this case, it’s a pretty safe bet. That’s because Verve dog food, produced by a six-month-old company called The Honest Kitchen, is human-grade, made with organic grains, beef, fruit, vegetables and eggs. For dogs allergic to grains, they make a grain-free version called Force.
There are other human-grade dog foods out there, but The Honest Kitchen products are different. Usually, dog foods are substantially processed, whereas these are mostly raw food that is dehydrated. (You just add warm water). Typical dog food processing destroys most of the pigments in the food and, along with it, nutrients and anti-oxidants – it’s why most dog food is brown. Verve and Force have color to them, which shows you that dehydration preserves more of the nutritional value.
Honest Kitchen’s products are available in Manhattan only at DogChewz, 1028 Lex [73rd/74th] 646.229.3373. It costs $49 for Verve, which is an eight-pound container that hydrates to 32 pounds of food. You can also order from the company at The Honest Kitchen. After you factor in shipping, it costs roughly the same online as it does at DogChewz.
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