Cushings Disease and Thyroid

I took spot to the vet today for hes check up on hes heart and theres no change im pleased to say which is very good as he is 10 and a half now.But the vet done a blood test to check for under active Thyroid and also Cushings Disease i have heard of cushings but not sure what it is does anyone on here know i would be gratefull for your help.

Leo knows all about this.

She'll be on sometime today to help.

Hi Jean, good news about Spots heart check, I have no experience of either but hope the link was of help x

My old dog had Cushings Disease - he gained weight and developed a pot belly, excessive thirst, excessive urination, he started urinating in the house (losing control) and suffered hair loss; mainly along his back and his tail.

Cushings Disease is also known as hyperadrenocorticism. Simplistically - there is an excess of cortisol in the blood due to the body's inability to control it. This might be caused by an adrenal tumour or a pituitary tumour, both of which could be benign.

Normally the hypothalmus in the brain 'tells' the pituitary gland to secrete the hormone ACTH. This hormone then stimulates the adrenal glands to secrete glucocorticoid (cortisol) hormones into the blood. When there is enough the hormone ACTH 'tells' the adrenal gland to stop secreting. In Cushings Disease this mechanism doesn't work properly so there is an excess of cortisol.

Cortisol is involvedin all sorts of things such as fat metabolism, skeletal muscles, nervous system, immune system, cardiovascular system ...

Cortisol is naturally secreted by the adrenal glands but normally the body has a mechanism whereby it can increase or decrease the amounts.

This disease can also be bought about if the body has been given too many steroids.

My dog was prescribed Lysodren, but he didn't do very well on it. However, I understand many do.

There is lots on the web but here are a couple of links:


http://www.canine-cushings.co.uk/diagnosis.htm
http://www.1fleacontrol.co.uk/acatal...e-in-dogs.html
http://www.kateconnick.com/library/cushingsdisease.html

[QUOTE=hectorsmum;1140941]Leo knows all about this.

She'll be on sometime today to help.[/QUOTE

Thanks for that will look out for her

Yer it was really good news about hes heart im so pleased just the other two things worrying me at the moment will let you know what the vet says and yer thanks for the link have been reading it.

Awwww thank you for getting back to me and i have been looking on the links you sent me thats kind of you i keep waiting for the phone to ring its driveing me mad waiting will let you all know what the vet says.

Good News everyone spot has,nt got Cushings Disease but the vet is sending a blood test away just to check he has,nt got an over active Thyroid should know tomorow some time thanks to everyone for your help will let you know what the vet says tomorow.

Aw great news; I'm dead happy for you!

Awwww thank you so much i am so pleased.