There are 3 forms of Cushings Disease. Most dogs have the more common form, Pituitary Dependent PD. With this form the dogs have a slow growing form of cancer that is located in the pituitary gland. This causes the adrenal glands to produce too much cortisol because the tumor triggers too much ACTH to be produced.

The next form is the Non Pituitary. Here there is a tumor in one or both of the adrenal glands. Here also too much cortisol is produced as a result of the tumor. The tumor is often malignant and is called an Adenocarcinoma. It is aggressive and it can spread to other parts of the body and organs. The non-cancerous tumor is called Adenoma.

The last form comes from dogs being on long term use of "Cortisone". This drug comes in many forms and can cause problems with its long term use. This long term usage makes the body think it has more cortisone than it really does leading the body to misread the actual amount it has.

There are many warning signs of Cushings. Some of the more common ones are: excessive appetite, drinking large amounts of water, frequent urination, large pot belly, thin skin, hair loss on the body, thinning of hair and drastic change of texture of hair.

This is usually seen in older dogs, but can begin much earlier in life. It can be very slow in progressing. There are tests to tell you if your dog has Cushings. If you suspect it, call your vet and get proper testing done to get a correct diagnosis.