| Cushing's disease is relatively common in dogs but | | | | for the functioning of every tissue, organ, and gland |
| rare in felines. Perhaps a distinction your Beagle would | | | | in the body. So as you can see your dogs system |
| like to give up. Like so many hormonal disorders the | | | | was not designed to be exposed to large amounts |
| condition tends to affects certain breads more than | | | | of corticosteroid hormones and thus we have |
| others. Leading the pack in this category are | | | | Cushing's disease. |
| Miniature Poodles, closely followed by Dachshunds, | | | | The condition tends to occur in middle aged to older |
| Boxers, Boston Terriers, and of course, beagles. | | | | dogs with symptoms including heat intolerance, |
| Cushing's disease occurs when excessive levels of | | | | excessive urination, increased thirst, lethargy, panting, |
| cortisol in the bloodstream expose tissues to | | | | obesity, thin skin, hair loss, and bruising. |
| abnormal amounts of this hormone for extended | | | | The most common treatment |
| periods of time. In eight out of ten cases the cause | | | | Currently a side effect laden drug called mitotane is |
| is a small benign pituitary tumor. Most of the other | | | | the most often prescribed medication. It works by |
| twenty percent is due to a small benign adrenal | | | | limiting the amount of cortisol produced by the |
| tumor. But to fully understand why this happens one | | | | adrenal glands. The dosage requirements are tricky |
| must first gain a better understanding of how the | | | | and overshooting cortisol production on the low side |
| adrenal and pituitary glands work. | | | | will produce side effects such as appetite loss, |
| The adrenal glands are positioned just above the | | | | vomiting, and diarrhea. The general side effects of |
| kidneys and are triangular in shape. These glands are | | | | the drug itself include loss of appetite, loss of |
| comprised of two parts; the adrenal cortex (outside) | | | | coordination, low blood sugar levels, weakness, and |
| and the adrenal medulla (inside). The adrenal glands | | | | seizures. Sometimes these side effects can be |
| work hand in hand with the pituitary gland and | | | | mediated by dividing daily dosing into two equal parts |
| hypothalamus in the brain to produce a number of | | | | spaced eight to twelve hours apart. |
| very important hormones vital to overall health and | | | | In summary, while there are treatments for Cushing's |
| wellbeing. The process gets underway when the | | | | in dogs the side effects have driven many dog |
| hypothalamus produces corticotrophin hormones | | | | owners to adopt a more natural holistic approach. |
| which stimulate the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland | | | | This all natural approach for Cushing's works with |
| then proceeds in producing ACTH | | | | your dog's body to create adrenal health and balance |
| (Adrenocortico-trophic hormone) which then | | | | though the use of natural ingredients such as |
| stimulates the adrenal glands to produce | | | | Dandelion. If you have been searching for an |
| corticosteroid hormones. These hormones are most | | | | affordable side effect free way to support adrenal |
| recognized for producing the fight or flight response | | | | and pituitary health this is an option worth considering. |
| but they do much more. In fact they are responsible | | | | |