Symptoms That Your Cat Might Have Cushings Disease

An Introduction to Cushing's Disease



Cushing's disease is also known as hyperadrenocorticism or hypercortisolemi. It is caused by your cat's body tissues being exposed for prolonged periods to excessive levels of a hormone known as Cortisol. Cortisol is a steroid produced by the adrenal glands, and is mainly produced when the body is under stress. The levels of Cortisol produced are usually carefully regulated by other hormones produced by the pituitary gland, but if your cat develops Cushing's disease then too much Cortisol is produced.



Cushing's is most often caused by a tumor in either the pituitary gland or the adrenal gland. Although these tumors are usually benign, the glands are stimulated to produce more Cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormones (ACTH) which then causes the symptoms of the disease. Corticosteroid drugs used long term for conditions such as arthritis can also cause the disease.
Cushing's is a disease which generally affects older cats, although younger cats have also been diagnosed with the disease.



Symptoms of Cushing's Disease
Symptoms can vary a great deal and are very slight in the early stages. Cushing's progresses slowly so some of the early warning signs may be missed. Your cat may show signs of increased thirst and urination, which are also the signs of diabetes. Diabetes is often a complication of Cushing's disease as one of the functions of Cortisol is to regulate insulin production; when this becomes impaired then diabetes is often the result. The diabetes caused by the disease is generally resistant to insulin so a high dose of insulin is often required to regulate blood sugar levels.



Another sign of Cushing's disease is an increased appetite. Your cat may also become lethargic, weak and listless. The excessive amount of steroids produced by the body can cause a breakdown of muscle tissue, and the abdomen may become enlarged, leading to a pot-bellied appearance. Your cat's coat may also be affected, becoming thin and patchy with slow re-growth when fur is lost. The skin may also become thin, leading to skin conditions or tears. As the steroid hormones suppress the healing process and impair the immune system, wounds and infections may be slow to heal. Some cats develop small, hard calcified lumps under their skin, and may suffer from frequent urinary tract infections.



Because the symptoms develop slowly and can indicate other diseases, it can be very difficult to diagnose. If you suspect that there is a possibility that your cat may have Cushing's disease then you should take him to the vet for diagnosis. If your cat develops diabetes then your vet should also check for signs of Cushing's.

What is Cushing's Disease in Cats?

It is a disease named after a neurosurgeon who first described this disease in humans about 100 years ago. Cushing's disease is a disorder of the adrenal glands, a pair of bean shaped structures sitting just above the kidneys.



These glands like other glands in the feline endocrine system manufacture and secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream that facilitate and regulate a bunch of bodily processes.



Of the many hormones that are secreted, one of the most important ones is a hormone called "cortisol" - a hormone that is involved with the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It also helps maintain normal blood sugar levels, muscle development and many of the other things related to tissue growth and repair.



And if that is not enough cortisol also is essential in an animal's "fight-or-flight" response. In stressful situations, the adrenal glands bring additional cortisol into the bloodstream, which in turn releases stored energy, that is in the body to help a cat cope with the situation it is in. It can also help fight infection in the case of sickness or surgery.



Since this hormone is of such importance to a cat's system, it needs to be controlled in a proper manner as is flows through the cat's system. An excess of this hormone can be very dangerous for a cat. An excess can cause the cat's body not to metabolize nutrients properly, diminish cardiovascular efficiency, reduces muscle strength, interferes with normal blood-clotting functions and hurts the body's ability to ward off infection.



What are the symptoms of Cushing's disease? A cat with Cushing's disease may show an increase in thirst, increased appetite, excessive urination, a potbelly and its skin may bruise or rupture during routine handling.



You may realize from reading the above that some of the symptoms sound like diabetes and that is true, due to the excess cortisol on the blood-sugar metabolism, up to 90 percent of cats with this disease become diabetic.



Cat's with advanced cases of Cushing's disease may also develop hair loss that tends to show up on both sides of the body or on the inside of the thighs. The areas will not itch (unless there is a skin infection, too) it is just a response to too much cortisol in the body.



This disease usually occurs when cats are middle-aged or older and is usually found more in females than males.



According to the reports that I have read, there are two types of cancers that can cause this disease, one is a small, benign, slow growing tumor in the pituitary gland. It is very small and does not cause any type of neurologic problems for the cat, the only thing it does is create an over abundance of adrenocorticotropic hormone, (ACHT) which in turn tells the adrenal glands to produce more cortisol. As a result the adrenal gland will get bigger because of all the exercise (just like a muscle will.)



This condition is called pituitary-Cushing's disease and is believed to be the cause of 80 percent of the cases of this disease.



The other 20 percent of cases are caused by cancerous growths on one or both of the adrenal glands, which causes the gland to become enlarged and thus produces excess cortisol. This type of cancer has a 50-50 chance of being benign or malignant. If it is malignant chances, are it will spread to the lymph nodes or the liver and other vital organs.



What are the treatment options? First of all the disease has to be diagnosed. This is done by having a complete blood count, a blood chemistry panel, urinalysis and a few other tests done.



If Cushing's disease is diagnosed, treatment may involve drugs that will selectively destroy part of the adrenal gland that is producing too much cortisol. Drugs seem to work much better on dogs with this condition than on cats. Unfortunately surgery is usually the answer for cats.



Since the pituitary tumors are too difficult to remove, the alternative is to remove one or both of the adrenal glands. This surgery requires extensive postoperative care. The surgery will only work if the cancer has not spread to any other parts of the body.



The prognosis for survival is quite good, although cats having this surgery will have to be on medication for the rest of their lives and must have tests several times a year to evaluate their condition. Diabetic cats must have their blood chemistry, water consumption and urine output monitored frequently.

Herbal Treatment for Canine Cushing's Disease

If your dog's blood has too much cortisol in it, it's called canine Cushings disease. While having cortisol in your dog's blood is normal, the adrenal glands will produce cortisol when it becomes stressed, and having too much produced all the time is a health risk for your beloved pet.



While there are multiple symptoms that can occur with your dog having Cushings disease, the most commonly known symptoms is unusual fur loss. Some of the other symptoms include lethargy, excessive urination, and over drinking.



The main cause of Cushings in dogs is from tumors growing on the adrenal glands. These tumors will force the adrenal glands to overproduce too much cortisol for its system to handle. Your dog can be treated with surgery or medications for this, but these usually leave unwanted after affects and can actually cause a slew of other problems as well.



For some people, they want their dog's quality of life to be higher than it would be if it was to go through surgery or taking medications on a daily basis. Because of this, these pet owners choose to go an all-natural route with herbal treatments. When it comes to herbal treatments for Cushings, the herbs are given in combinations to help treat all the symptoms and not just one.



For example, you might give your dog an herb that helps with liver function as Cushings can cause liver issues as well. This will also help boost your dog's immune system to help fight off the cortisol attack as well.



Although you should consult with your vet about your dog's particular case of Cushings, you can complement its treatment with things such as burdock, licorice, and wild rose. You can also give it Dandelion, scleranthus, and Borage to help with its persistent cortisol affliction. Make sure that your dog doesn't have an adverse reaction by giving it small amounts to start out with.

Cushings Disease in Dogs - Herbal Treatment

If your dog has hypercortisolism, or hyperadrenocorticism, it may sound scary. So, you should learn all you can about it, in order to understand it better. For a start, you should know that it's commonly called Cushings Disease and that Cushings Disease in dogs can present itself in lots of different ways.



On a physical level, Cushings Disease could cause your dog to urinate frequently or seem extremely thirsty, for example. He or she might also pant more than a normal dog would and could even lose patches of fur for no apparent reason.



Cushings can also affect your pet's mood. Since they don't feel well they could become very lethargic and low-energy. They might not seem to care at all that you are even there, when they used to jump at the chance to do things with you.



What is Cushings Disease Exactly?



Well, Cushings Disease in dogs is a disease that affects the dog's adrenal glands. It's an endocrine disease, which affects the levels of cortisol and cortisone that your dog's body produces. Cortisol and cortisone are steroids that your dog's body produces naturally but, when over-produced, they can lead to some major health problems for your pet.



Tumors in the pituitary gland or adrenal glands are the main causes of Cushings Disease in dogs. Modern medical intervention can also cause it, though. For example, if your dog has a different health condition and is taking prednisone, it can cause them to develop Cushings, as can other medications.



Treatment of Cushings:



Since your dog's liver is very susceptible to damage from over production of cortisol and cortisone, untreated Cushings Disease really puts their liver at risk for disease and, possibly, total shut down. Cushings can affect your dog in other ways, too, though. For example, it can cause heart trouble for your pet, as well as an increased risk of diabetes.



Luckily, there are treatments for Cushings Disease in dogs. Before you consider traditional medication as a treatment, though, remember that many of them have harsh side-effects. In fact, your dog's Cushings might have been caused by medication that he or she was taking in the first place, as mentioned earlier.



Instead, you might want to consider some natural alternatives. First, you should talk to your vet about changing your dog's diet. A lot of processed foods are not good for your pet. So, you may need to take a natural approach to feeding, as well as Cushings treatment. You could also discuss herbal remedies and supplements. There are lots of supplements and herbs that are designed to support a dog's adrenal glands.



When it comes to herbal treatments, you have a lot of options. Some, such as hepar or arsenicum, are designed to treat certain symptoms of your dog's cusings. Some, though, are designed for more of an over all effect. burdock, dandelion and astragalus are among some ofthe most common homeopathic options for treating Cushings Disease in dogs, but be sure to talk to your dog's vet about the best treatment for your furry friend's individual case.

Canine Cushings Disease in Dogs Syndrome - Homeopathic Treatment

Cushings syndrome and cushings disease in dogs are very similar, but they're actually two different things. They both involve high amounts of cortisol in the dog's body. The difference is, though, that cushings disease is the name for the problem when it originates in the dog's pituitary gland. Cushings syndrome, on the other hand, is the name that is given to any increased cortisol problem in a dog, no matter how it occurs. Discover



As you are probably aware, dogs tend to develop a lot of health problems as they age. That could mean anything from arthritis to diabetes to cushings disease in any of its forms. Of course, pituitary-related cushings disease in dogs, as well as other forms of cushings can occur in a dog of any age. It's much better to catch it early or take measures to prevent it, though, since it can be harder to treat any form of cushings when it's complicated by other medical conditions.



Common Causes of Cushings Syndrome:



Some of the common causes of cushings syndrome are adrenal hyperplasia and adrenal tumors, as well as pituitary tumors. Since the pituitary gland controls the dog's adrenal glands, both gland types can be affected, not to mention other systems in your dog's body. For example, cushings can cause heart and liver problems for your dog, if it is left untreated.



Another common cause is drugs (iatrogenic causes). Essentially, if your dog is taking any steroid medications for unrelated medical problems, it can cause the hormonal balance in their body to be thrown off, creating a case of cushings. So, if your dog is showing signs of cushings, you may want to examine any medications that they are on, such as prednisone.



Homeopathic Treatment:



You may want to consider homeopathic treatment for cushings disease in dogs as an option for your pet. After all, a lot of traditional medications for cushings have harsh side-effects. Herbal remedies and supplements do not.



The practice of homeopathy is over two-hundred years old. One of the interesting things about it is that it often uses a diluted version of a substance to create a cure for that substance. Also, homeopathic remedies are always all natural. That means they're made of things that are commonly found in nature, like herbs, minerals and plants.



The thing that you need to remember about your dog is that, originally, dogs roamed wild and free. They fended for themselves and they ate whatever they found out in the wild. Now that they've been domesticated, though, they are often exposed to environmental toxins, processed foods and other things that are just not good for them at all.



As an owner, it's your responsibility to pick up the slack and compensate for the domestication of your dog. He or she can't fend for themselves like their wild ancestors. So, talk to your dog's vet about the best all natural ways to prevent or cure cushings disease in dogs, as well as other diseases and disorders that your dog may be prone to.

The Therapeutic Management of Insulin and an Overview of Cushing's Syndrome

The management program for any child with diabetes mellitus should involve flexibility and 24 hour insulin coverage and should be able to fit into the child's life-style. The insulin treatment should be determined by the recognition that the effective duration of action of insulin in children may be somewhat different from that in adults. The effective action of insulin is described as the effect of a certain amount of insulin in lowering the blood glucose level over a period of time. Ideally the blood glucose level is maintained at less than 140mg.dL and n lower than 60mg/dL during the time of specific action of the insulin, based on past information regarding the duration of action of the intermediate-acting insulin is 24 hours or more, but in insulin-dependent children it does not appear to be the case. The duration of effective action for intermediate-acting insulin has been found to be 12 to 14 hours. Lente insulin is the longest acting of the intermediate-acting insulin, but it even lasts only for 14 to 16 hours.



In working with these insulin, it is wise to remember that lente insulin is 30% semilente and 70% ultralente. Lente insulin that mix with no other insulin other than regular derive their action from the size and number of crystals-small and numerous crystals= ultralente insulin. Pretamine zinc insulin (PZI) is seldom used today because of its very long duration of action and its very low tissue insulin levels, which may not saturate receptor sites on the cell membrane sufficiently well to effectively help the body utilize the glucose that may be present. The potential overlap of insulin action is unsuited for children, who are active one minute and very inactive the next. The balance that needs to be achieved between insulin, diet, and activity is most difficult when using this type of insulin. The intermediate-acting insulin (other than lente insulin) derive their delayed action from a protein tag. The most commonly used insulin are the intermediate-acting insulin, principally isophane, which are usually given in a single early morning dose combined with a small amount of short- acting insulin (usually regular).



Other types
This category includes secondary diabetes such as steroid-induced diabetes as well as primary diabetes associated with genetic syndromes, drugs or chemical-induced diabetes, and diabetes resulting from pancreatoctomy for hypoglycemia. Syndromes with insulin receptor abnormality are classified in this group.



Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT)
Formely called "asymptomatic diabetes" "subclinical diabetes", "borderline diabetes", or "latent diabetes". Biochemically intermediate between normal and diabetic glucose intolerance, it probably represents a stage in the development of insulin-dependent of noninsulin dependent. Because few of these individuals develop the full-blown disease, this classification tends to remove the stigma attached to the previous designations which affected the child's self concept as well as insurance and vocational efforts.



Stastistical risk classes
Individuals who do not have demonstrable impairment of glucose tolerance but who:
1. Had previous abnormality of glucose tolerance (formerly labeled "latent chemical diabetes" or "prediabetes") or spontaneous hyper-glycemia but who have normal glucose tolerance at the time of classification.
2. Have potential abnormality of glucose tolerance (previously termed "prediabetes" or "potential diabetes") and includes individuals presumed to be at risk for diabetes on genetic grounds and individuals who have circulating islet cell antibodies.



The most common endocrine disturbance in childhood, diabetes mellitus, caused by defective pancreatic hormone (insulin) secretion.



CUSHING'S SYNDROME



Classic clinical manifestation in children include progressive central obesity, marked failure of longitudinal growth, hirsutism, weakness, a nuchal fat pad (buffalo hump), acne, striae, hypertension and often hyperpigmentation (if ACTH is elevated). The etiology can be exogenous glucocorticoid administration or endogenous causes including adrenal adenoma, carcinoma, nodular adrenal hyperplasia, an ACTH-secreting pituitary microadenoma, resulting in bilateral adrenal hyperplasia, or a very rare ACTH-secreting tumor.



Spontaneous Cushing's Syndrome is rare in childhood. Latrogenic Cushing's syndrome is more common, produces similar clinical manifestations, and may be induced by the use of potent glucocorticoids for chronic inflammatory, neoplastic and collagen-vascular disorders and for suppression of the immune response.



Diabetes Insipidus
The cardiaral signs of this disease ate polyuria and polydipsia. Some patient may seek medical attention for nocturnal enuresis. Polyurea disturbs rest, sleep, play and even schooling, Appetite may be poor. Infants with diabetes insipidus may show hyperthermia, dehydration, electrolyte inbalance, asotemia, dehydration and potentially circulatory collapse. Other signs depend on the causative lesion and may include retardation, cachexia, obesity, sleep disturbance, precocious puberty, visual disturbances and emotional disorders.



Syndromes of endocrine system disorders
1. Syndrome of growth inhibition
2. syndrome of gigantism
3. syndrome of hyperfunction of endocrine gland
4. syndrome of hypofunction of endocrine gland
5. syndrome of hyperglycemia
6. syndrome of hypoglycemia
7. syndrome of mental retardation