Cushing's disease in dogs?

Question

What can you tell me about this?

I went to the vet today with my husbands (now ours) dog. She thinks she might have cushing disease. She said we could test, i didn't today. She said the treatment is really expensive....

She has very thin skin, and bad bad hair loss on her sides, which is starting to lose hair on her spine area.

My husband has had her for 3 years before me. Getting her from a pound. He thinks shes around 8 years old. Shes a chocolate Lab.

I need to find out what I can about the disease before telling him.

ANYTHING you know about this disease please tell me.

Thanks

Answer 1

This support and information group may help:

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Canin...

I had a very old dog a few years ago that we suspected of having Cushing's but I refused the diagnostics because I was unwilling to treat her with the conventional, offered treatments (the treatment would have been either surgery - way too risky for her age; or medications that had side effects that would have made her incredibly sick - she was very sensitive to many things). So, she lived about another 18 months and then I had her euthanized when she became very ill at 16.5 years.

Best of luck to all of you.

Answer 2

your dog is not as young as before your dog probably and unfortunatly has the disease ...tell you husband...and get your dog back to the vet to cure him

Answer 3

The only way to know is to get the diagnostic testing done.  What treatment involves will vary depending on what type, primary or secondary.  There again there are different treatment options.  Some are expensive and others aren't  I think I might get a consult with another vet.  She seems to be dissuading you from treatment before you really even know what is going on.

Here is some general information of Canine Cushing's

http://www.kateconnick.com/library/cushi...