Canine Cushing's disease is caused by the hormone ATCH, which is produced by the pituitary gland, signaling the adrenal glands to produce too much of the hormone glucocorticoid. Treatment depends on what is causing your dog's Cushing's disease. Your dog may have a tumor in his pituitary or adrenal glands, or cortisone treatments for another disease may cause Cushing's disease.
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Iatrogenic Cushing's Disease
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If your dog has iatrogenic Cushing's disease, which is the one caused by cortisone treatments, then your veterinarian will gradually wean your dog off of the cortisone treatment that caused the disease.
Surgery
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Adrenal tumors may be removed with surgery. Pituitary tumors are not treated with surgery; they are often too small.
Radiation
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Pituitary tumors may be treated with radiation therapy, which is used to make the tumors smaller.
Lysodren
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Lysodren, which is similar to chemotherapy, is the most common drug for both pituitary- and adrenal-gland tumors. It destroys adrenal gland cells that produce glucocorticoid but does not fix the amount of ATCH the pituitary gland is making.
Other drugs
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Trilostane and Anipryl are two other drugs that are used to treat canine Cushing's disease. Trilostane is newer, and the dog must be monitored throughout its use. Anipryl has been used for pituitary gland tumors.
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