A dog who drinks more, snacks more and pants more than usual might simply seem to be showing their age. If you have been asking what are the signs of Cushing disease in dogs, learning the pattern can help you decide when it is time to call your veterinarian.
Cushing disease develops slowly in middle aged and older dogs, so it is often mistaken for aging. This guide explains what causes it, which signs to watch for, how it is diagnosed and treated, and what the sources can and cannot tell you.
What Cushing Disease in Dogs Is
Cushing disease is the common name for hyperadrenocorticism, a condition with too much cortisol, a hormone made by the adrenal glands. Merck explains that Cushing syndrome in dogs has two main forms. Pituitary dependent disease, caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland that stimulates the adrenal glands, accounts for 80 to 85 percent of cases. The rest involve a cortisol producing tumor in an adrenal gland. The 2012 ACVIM consensus statement also describes iatrogenic disease, which results from long term use of steroid medicine and is managed by the prescribing veterinarian.
What Are the Signs of Cushing Disease in Dogs
The signs develop gradually. Merck lists increased thirst and urination, increased appetite, a pendulous abdomen, panting, muscle wasting and skin changes. The ACVIM statement notes that having several signs raises suspicion. The table groups them.
Sign | What owners see | Source support |
Increased thirst and urination | Bigger water bowl use, more bathroom trips, indoor accidents | Merck, ACVIM |
Increased appetite | A dog that seems always hungry | Merck |
Weight gain in dogs and a pot belly | A rounded, hanging abdomen with thin limbs | Merck lists a pendulous abdomen and muscle wasting |
Muscle weakness | Tiring easily, trouble rising | Merck |
Skin and coat changes | Thinning hair and hair loss, thin skin, slow healing | Merck, ACVIM list alopecia and skin changes |
Panting | Heavy panting at rest | Merck |
Recurring infections | Repeated skin or urinary infections | A veterinary proceeding lists pyoderma and persistent urinary tract infections |
Increased thirst and urination are often the first sign owners notice, and your veterinarian should hear about them even if nothing else has changed. For help with skin issues, see this article on how to treat and prevent skin conditions in pets.
Weight Gain and Dog Behavior Changes
Weight gain in dogs with Cushing disease comes from a rounded abdomen and weak muscle, so the shape changes more than the scale. For a broader look at healthy weight, see this guide on maintaining a healthy weight for your senior pet. Owners also report dog behavior changes such as restlessness or poor sleep. Merck and the ACVIM statement do not list behavior change as a diagnostic sign, so treat it as a reason to see your veterinarian and not as proof. This resource on how stress affects your pet’s health explains how health and behavior connect.
Neurological Signs
In some dogs a pituitary tumor can grow large enough to press on the brain. Circling, vision changes, disorientation or seizures need immediate veterinary attention, whether or not Cushing disease has been diagnosed.
Who Is at Risk
The sources describe Cushing disease as a common hormonal disease of middle aged and older dogs. I found no high authority source that supports a breed or sex list, so one is not given here. Any older dog with the signs above deserves an exam.
How Veterinarians Diagnose Cushing Disease
The ACVIM statement advises testing dogs that have compatible signs and not testing healthy dogs, because the tests can give false positives. Your veterinarian starts with history, an exam and routine blood and urine tests. Merck names the low dose dexamethasone suppression test as the screening test of choice, with the ACTH stimulation test and the urine cortisol to creatinine ratio as other screening tests. A veterinary proceeding notes the urine cortisol test is sensitive but not specific, so a positive result needs another test.
Other illness can confuse the results. A source summarizing the ACVIM statement lists uncontrolled diabetes as a common cause of false positive suppression tests. Once the disease is confirmed, tests such as abdominal ultrasound help show whether it is pituitary or adrenal in origin, which affects treatment. For why routine testing matters, see this article on why preventive care for pets is crucial for early detection of health issues.
How Cushing Disease Is Managed
The Merck page on pituitary dependent disease states that most cases are treated with trilostane, an FDA approved adrenal enzyme inhibitor, and that treatment options include mitotane, radiation and surgery. Merck notes trilostane and mitotane have both been successful for adrenal dependent disease. A pet endocrinology specialist may help. Dogs need regular monitoring to adjust treatment, and a veterinary proceeding advises believing the owner’s report of signs when test results and signs disagree.
Merck adds that dogs with early disease and no other health problems can live much longer when treated. Many dogs improve in thirst, coat and energy once the disease is controlled, but the sources do not give a survival figure for your dog. For help spotting pain and discomfort, see this article on understanding your pet’s pain and how to spot and manage it, and see why regular vet checkups are the best gift for your pet’s health.
What the Sources Cannot Tell You
The sources describe groups of dogs, not your dog. They do not give a life expectancy, a breed risk list or a firm rule for how many signs confirm the disease. The ACVIM statement is from 2012, and testing details may have been refined since.
Getting Answers Before the Signs Add Up
Cushing syndrome in dogs is slow and easy to mistake for aging, so a dog with more thirst, a pot belly and skin changes deserves a hormone evaluation. Early testing and steady monitoring give your dog the best chance of staying comfortable.
At Kainer Veterinary Hospital, our team provides hormonal evaluations, diagnostic testing and individualized management plans for dogs with Cushing disease. Contact us today to schedule an appointment if your dog shows any of these signs.
Sources
Merck Veterinary Manual, Cushing Syndrome (Hyperadrenocorticism) in Animals (accessed 2026).
Peer reviewed veterinary reference.
Supports the types, the 80 to 85 percent figure, the list of signs, the screening tests and the adrenal treatment statement.
Merck Veterinary Manual, Cushing Disease (Pituitary Dependent Hyperadrenocorticism) in Animals (accessed 2026).
Peer reviewed veterinary reference.
Supports trilostane as treatment, the other treatment options and the statement on early disease.
Behrend et al., ACVIM Consensus Statement, Diagnosis of Spontaneous Canine Hyperadrenocorticism, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine (2013).
Peer reviewed professional consensus statement.
Supports testing only dogs with compatible signs, the screening tests and the iatrogenic form.
Veterinary Information Network, Tips on Diagnosis and Management of Canine Hyperadrenocorticism, WSAVA 2018 Congress (2018).
Veterinary continuing education proceedings.
Supports the infection signs, the urine test limits and believing the owner’s report of signs.
FAQs
Q: Can Cushing disease in dogs be mistaken for normal aging?
A: Yes. Weight change, a thicker middle, less activity and coat changes can all pass for aging. Added thirst and urination, panting or skin problems are reasons to ask about hormone testing. Only testing can tell them apart.
Q: Is Cushing disease painful for dogs?
A: The sources reviewed do not describe the disease itself as painful. Muscle weakness, skin and urinary infections and, in some dogs, pressure from a pituitary tumor can cause discomfort. Treatment and monitoring aim to keep dogs comfortable.
Q: How is Cushing disease different from diabetes in dogs?
A: Both can cause increased thirst and urination, but they have different causes. Cushing disease involves too much cortisol and diabetes involves insulin. Uncontrolled diabetes can also cause false positive Cushing tests, so your veterinarian tests carefully.
Q: How long can a dog live with Cushing disease?
A: The sources reviewed give no survival figure. Merck says dogs with early disease and no other health problems can live much longer when treated. Your veterinarian can discuss what to expect based on the cause and your dog’s health.
Q: What should I do if I suspect my dog has Cushing disease?
A: Make an appointment and describe the changes, including thirst, appetite, panting, weight and coat. Your veterinarian will recommend testing. Do not start or stop any medicine without veterinary advice.
