Cushing's disease and Addison's disease are two opposite diseases involving hormones produced by the adrenal gland. It is important to know the differences between the two diseases and to get your dog the help he needs. The symptoms can sometimes be quite mild for either disease, and a veterinarian is required to make a diagnosis.
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Cushing's disease
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Cushing's disease is also known as hyperadrenocorticism and is caused by excess hormones produced by the adrenal gland. The hormones regulate the mineral balance in the body, white blood cells, structure of tissue and a healthy body weight.
Symptoms of Cushing's disease
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Symptoms of Cushing's disease include increase in appetite, increase in drinking, increase in urination, hair loss, thinning of the skin, weakening of the heart and muscles. Most dogs suffering from Cushing's disease also have a bulging hanging stomach due to the decrease in muscle strength and fat cells being redistributed. Hair loss is the most common symptom that alerts the owner that something is wrong.
Dogs Susceptible To Cushing's disease
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Older dogs are most susceptible to Cushing;s because when a dog ages their body changes and their organs can sometimes malfunction. The disease usually appears around the age of 6 or 7 years old and the distribution of the disease is equal between males and females.
Addison's Disease
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Addison's disease is known as hypoadrenocorticism and is the opposite of Cushing's disease. This disease is when the adrenal glands do not produce enough of the cortisol and aldosterone hormones that the body uses to maintain the immune system, blood pressure and deal with stress.
Symptoms of Addison's Disease
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Symptoms of Addison's disease can include muscle pain, diarrhea, lethargy, sweating and fatigue. It can often times easily be misdiagnosed due to these somewhat common symptoms. In rare cases, the dog can also go into Addisonian crisis which is when the dog collapses due to an imbalance of electrolytes and metabolism. An Addisonian crisis can be deadly if not treated properly and promptly.
Dogs Prone to Addison's disease
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Certain breeds of dogs are more prone to Addison's disease than other breeds. The breeds that are more prone include bearded collies, standard poodles, Portuguese water dogs, great Danes and soft coated Wheaten terrier.
Dogs that have had surgery close to the pituitary gland can be more susceptible to the disease.
Dogs can sometimes develop Addison's disease due to being treated for Cushing's disease. The treatment for Cushing's disease can cause the opposite effect of the disease and manifest into Addison's.
Primary and Secondary Addison's disease
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Addison's disease has two separate classifications. Primary Addison's disease is when the adrenal insufficiency is caused by direct damage to the adrenal gland.
Secondary Addison's disease is the improper transmission of the ACTH hormone from the pituitary gland while the adrenal gland functions normally.
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