Cushing's syndrome, or hyperadrenocorticism, is a hormonal disease in which the body is exposed to too much cortisol. Common signs are that the dog drinks and pees more, becomes hungrier, pants more, loses muscle mass and gets thinner skin or coat. The belly can look rounder and more pendulous. Because the changes often come slowly, they may at first be taken for normal ageing.
The diagnosis is not made with a single perfect test. The vet weighs together symptoms, clinical findings, blood and urine tests and specific hormone tests. Imaging may also be needed to tell disease that starts in the pituitary gland apart from a change in the adrenal gland. International consensus recommendations stress that hormone testing should mainly be done when the clinical picture actually fits the disease.
Treatment depends on the cause. Medicines that reduce cortisol production are often used and require regular follow-up. Some dogs may be candidates for surgical treatment, depending on which form of the disease they have.