Signs and Symptoms of Cushing’s Disease

Unlike typical dog ailments, Cushing’s disease is quite tricky, as a pet owner is most often unaware of the onset of this condition. The common signs that alert an owner that something is wrong with a dog do not take place, such as visible pain, diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, or bleeding. Usually, a pet owner simply writes off the common symptoms of Cushing’s disease as the normal course of getting older.

For example, the muscle weakness connected to Cushing’s disease causes a dog to exercise less and become sluggish. These are typical signs of an aging dog; therefore owners usually dismiss these symptoms. A visit to a veterinarian often does not come until the signs become too unbearable. For instance, a dog may act completely out of character, such as displaying an uncharacteristic lapse in house training. The typical pooch suffering the effects of Cushing’s disease showcases a saggy belly, which is caused by dwindling muscle strength. As the condition worsens, a dog may lose hair. Additionally, the skin starts to thin and becomes less resistant to infection.

When it comes to Cushing’s disease, there are certain dogs that fall under a high-risk category. Bull Terriers, Silky Terriers, Yorkshire Terriers, Dachshunds, Poodles (toy, miniature, and standard) and Boston Terriers are all considered a high-risk breed for the disease. When it comes to adrenal gland tumors, female dogs are more vulnerable. The disease is also common in dogs that are older than five years old.

Getting to the Bottom of Cushing’s Disease

Once a pet owner suspects Cushing’s disease, a veterinarian can diagnose the problem with a blood test. Later, they can pinpoint the cause of the condition (pituitary or adrenal gland issues). Nearly 85% of all Cushing’s disease cases are caused by tumors in the pituitary glands, which are treatable with drugs. There is no cure for this instance of the disease, while adrenal gland tumors are surgically removable.

Cushing’s Disease Treatment

The main drugs used to treat Cushing’s disease are called Lysodren, Ketoconazole, and Anipryl. Lysodren combats the outer layer of the adrenal gland to regulate the amount of corticosteroids that the body produces. Ketoconazole suppresses cortisol secretions within the adrenal glands, but can only treat about 75 to 80% of all cases. Anipryl rejuvenates the natural balance of chemicals in the brain to decrease Cushing’s disease symptoms and often delivers a high success rate.

Long Term Effects

If the disease is left untreated, the condition will worsen and eventually threaten the life of the dog with the development of additional disorders, including diabetes, kidney failure, congestive heart failure, and infections that attack the ears, eyes, bladder, or skin. Whenever it becomes apparent that your dog is suffering from Cushing’s disease, immediate medical attention is a must.

Joann Henry operates “Doggie Health Care” http://www.DoggieHealthCare.com a blog all about our beloved four legged family member’s health. She loves to give away free stuff! If you sign up to receive her newsletter, not only will you get some free tips to keep your dog healthier, but FOR A LIMITED TIME, she’ll give you a FREE ebook. For more information, please visit: http://www.DoggieHealthCare.com

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Humans, dogs and cats have a lot of features in common. We share many of the same reactions to stress and pain, but there is one thing that cats, canines and most other animals have that we don’t, and that is the third eyelid.

What is the third eyelid?

Well, medically it is known as the “nictitating membrane.” In English it is an eyelid that provides extra protection for the eye. Rather like the wiper on our windshield. Our windshield wipers are usually connected to a container of water to clean our windshield, the third eyelid contains a gland that provides tears to keep the eye moist, among other things. It also provides antibodies and an enzyme that can inactivate bacteria.

What is Cherry eye?

Cherry eye is a condition that affects dogs usually during their first year.

There are some breeds, more than others that are effected by this condition: Cocker Spaniels, English Bulldogs, Mastiffs, Basset Hounds, Beagles, Boston Terriers, Lhasa Apso, Pekingese and Pugs are the most affected breeds. However, it can happen to any dog.

In my opinion it is ugly and scary, though it looks worse than it is. It is a red looking bump that seems to be growing out of the corner of the dog’s eye and you feel like it is going to “pop out” at any moment. Of course, it is not..

Most doctors say it is a congenital defect in the ligament that holds the gland of the third eyelid in place. It can be surgically repaired, however sometimes the surgery doesn’t hold the gland in place and it comes back up for all to see. Seeing it does not mean that it is not functioning, it just means it is not pretty to look at. Removing the gland if surgery can’t hold it in place is not recommended as this gland produces tears necessary for your dog’s eye. Without it your dog can suffer from “dry eyes” and that can be very painful.

The interesting thing is, if surgery does not hold the gland back in place and it pops up, time can work on your side as the “cherry eye” may decrease in size.

Even though this gland only supplies about 30 percent of the eye’s tear production, keeping it, no matter how bad it may look, is insurance for your dog’s eyes. It is tears that help keep the cornea of the eye healthy. The cornea has no blood vessels of its own, so the oxygen and nutrients that are supplied to it come through the tears.

Cherry eye is not known to be painful, but it can be irritating to the dog and what do dogs do when something irritates them. They scratch and it is the scratching that can cause problems that lead to eye injuries.

Today with the advent of many new techniques in veterinary surgery most of the time, positioning of the gland is successful. When a problem arises, there are other “tricks” a surgeon can perform that will remedy the problem.

On the positive side, this condition is not a “life or death” type of a situation. It can go unattended for a while, though cosmetically it bothers you more than the dog, it really needs to be attended to.

There is nothing you can do to prevent this from happening, but there are safe and effective ways to fix the problem.

Now what has this to do with cats?

Cats have a third eyelid, too. It sits for the most part on the inside corner of the eye. You might even see a bit of it peeking through.

Cats do not get “cherry eye.” However, if they are really ill or under a stressful situation the eyelid will start to cover the eye.

I have 10 year old feral cat, Mr. Boots, that did not have a chance to have a life as a treasured kitten. He came into our lives as a 10 week old kitten (more or less) and whatever conditioning had been in his past life had already made a mark on him forever.

Several years ago our “grandfather cat” died. Mr. Whiskers ruled the household and the other cats with a gentle but stern hand. His death then allowed our second in command cat, Isaac to be in control of the rest of the cats. Isaac became a tyrant and poor Boots shivered in his boots. The stress caused the third eyelid of his left eye to cover his eye and I became panic stricken.

The cat was scared to death of Isaac (and so was everyone else) so to make a long story short, Mr. Isaac packed his bags and went on to become a “nursery mouser” at a friend’s plant nursery.

Peace was restored and within a few weeks the third eyelid retracted back into its normal shape and life went on (well, sort of.)

The third eyelid in a cat functions the same as in a dog, keeping the “windshield clean. However, it only appears in time of serious stress or illness. If the third eyelid appears and stays around for a few days, please take your cat to the vet even, if the cat does not appear to be ill.

The Burmese cat is the breed most often affected by this condition.

As always, if your pet has any sign of not feeling well or is acting out of character, please call or see your vet. An ounce of prevention can save many veterinary dollars.

Motherhood not only brought me a boundless supply of children, it also filled my life with many animal critters that gave me an opportunity to learn much. Sharing some of this knowledge that I have learned through the years has become part of the “fun” I call my life. For other interesting stuff come and visit me at http://www.cats-and-dogs-on-the-web.com

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Anytime temperatures turn extreme, pet owners should take extra precautions to ensure that their companions are comfortable and safe. Pets are living beings and should be treated as such. Keeping this in mind, here are some tips to keep your pet healthy and a happy during the hot months.

Dogs can suffer from sunburn, overheating and dehydration just as humans can. Be sure that your dog has plenty of water, shade and proper protection from the sun.

Never, ever leave your pet in a vehicle! The temperature inside a car heats up very rapidly and parking in the shade is no help. Your dog could suffer from heatstroke in minutes. In additions to this, when traveling, make sure to keep plenty of fresh, cool water handy.

Dogs love to play. In summer months, when allowing them to play outdoors, let them out in the cool morning hours or late in the evening. Do not let them out right after a meal or in humid weather.

Do not let your dog stand on hot asphalt or concrete. Their body heat can increase quickly and their paws can be burned.

If your dog is an outdoor dog, it is extremely important to provide plenty of fresh water and ample shade, possibly a good dog house. Let them into a cool room of the house during the hottest hours of the day.

When walking your pet, stay away from insecticide treated areas. Also keep them from underneath vehicles, which may be leaking toxic or lethal fluids!

Most pet owners cut or shave the hair off of long-haired breeds when it gets hot. If you do this, be sure to leave at least one inch of hair. Never shave it to the skin. Dogs are prone to sunburn too.

Use sunscreen or insect repellant labeled only for use on dogs. There are ingredients in these products made for humans, which can induce drooling, diarrhea, thirst and lethargy in pets.

When cooking out, if your dog is loose, keep matches, lighter fluids, citronella candles and insect coils out of reach. Scan the yard afterwards for any of these, or other, items that might have found their way into your dog’s reach.

Even though all of these precautions apply to all dogs, there are some who require extra attention. Older or overweight dogs should be watched more closely as they can be more prone to heat related problems. Also “snub-nosed” dogs such as Boston terriers, boxers, bulldogs and shih tzus. Pets with heart or lung diseases also need close supervision. Any pet falling in any of these categories should be kept in cool, air conditioned rooms as much as possible.

Keeping your dog healthy in hot weather is mostly common sense. If you would not allow your child to be put in a situation, don’t allow your dog either. Precautions you would take with a child, do so with pets as well. Listen to common sense and your pet will love you for it

Nikola lives and writes in Oklahoma. She enjoys reading, scrapbooking and interior decorating. She currently shares her home with a Boston terrier and a chihuahua. Nikola is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers.

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A big no-no is keeping your Boston Terrier waiting in a parked car, or confined in a crate placed in direct sunlight. This can be a deadly mistake, as cars etc. heat up very quickly in the summer sun, which will ultimately lead to a heat stroke. Due to their short snouts the Boston Terrier’s respiratory system’s built-in air conditioning is not as effective as it could be. Make sure that your Boston does not overheat and that they have access to fresh water and shade at all times.

Also, don’t let your Boston Terrier put on too much weight. Obesity will greatly reduce your Boston Terrier’s quality of life and is likely to reduce your dog’s life span.

If you are afraid of overfeeding your Boston Terrier with rewards, take those from his/her daily rations. Your Boston Terrier will not notice the difference, and you are taking the first step towards getting your Boston Terrier into shape. By keeping your dog from becoming overweight, you are preventing severe health problems down the line.