Does Cushing’s disease cause panting in dogs? The Ultimate Guide

Addressing mobility issues due to Cushing’s disease

If your dog is having mobility issues due to muscle wasting, look for options to minimize discomfort and falling. I recommend the following to many of my clients:

Keep your dog on carpet.

Avoid slick floors.

Learn how to relieve arthritis pain in dogs.

Choose a soft bed for your dog’s comfort. (Consider a memory foam dog bed.)

If possible, avoid stairs.

Consider laser therapy for dogs and physical therapy.

Teach your dog to use ramps.

Additionally, I’ve had many patients with muscle wasting due to Cushing’s syndrome thrive using ToeGrips® dog nail grips. The non-slip grips fit on dogs’ toenails to improve traction on hardwood floors, preventing sliding and falling.

As the founder of Dr. Buzby’s ToeGrips® dog nail grips, I often hear from customers who share success stories and leave positive ToeGrips® reviews. One of our customers wrote to let us know that her dog, Brew, a 14-year-old Bichon and Cavalier Spaniel with Cushing’s syndrome, saw an immediate improvement in his mobility with the addition of ToeGrips® dog nail grips.

How is Cushing’s disease in dogs treated?

Like my client who was concerned for her beloved senior dog, your next question may be, “What happens if my dog is diagnosed with Cushing’s?”

In most cases, Cushing’s is a lifelong disease. Treatment requires careful monitoring by your veterinarian. It is a commitment and it can be daunting. However, the good news is that there are many treatment and management options to help your dog feel better.

Why There’s A Problem

When it comes to misdiagnosing Cushing’s disease in dogs, there are two problems to contend with:

Tests that determine if your dog has Cushing’s disease are expensive and can be unreliable.

One commonly used drug to treat Cushing’s is Lysodren, which will destroy your dog’s adrenal glands. This just compounds the problem created by an incorrect diagnosis.

But why would there be a misdiagnosis?

To answer that, let’s start at the very beginning using a typical experience that might very well happen to you and your dog. Let’s name your imaginary dog Spot.

Spot is over 6 years old. You take him in for his annual examination where he gets his annual blood test.

Spot has no symptoms of Cushing’s disease in dogs. He only has elevated alkaline phosphatase.

This is a liver enzyme … and if it’s 2 to 3 times the normal range, Cushing’s disease is often pegged as the likely problem.

But any disorder causing endogenous stress can cause high alkaline phosphatase in dogs.

(Endogenous means it comes from inside your dog, not external factors.)

Dog Cushings Disease. Dr. Dan covers symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of Cushing’s disease