Canine Cushing's disease (hyperadrenocorticism) is a common endocrine disorder in older dogs causing chronic cortisol excess that impairs quality of life, with effective medical and surgical management options available.
Cushing's disease causes insidious welfare deterioration that owners often attribute to normal ageing. Chronic cortisol excess causes muscle weakness, skin fragility, immune suppression, and the behavioural changes associated with persistent stress physiology. Dogs with untreated or poorly managed Cushing's are uncomfortable — the polydipsia and polyuria, persistent hunger, and physical weakness all impair quality of life. Well-managed Cushing's with appropriate trilostane dosing and regular ACTH stimulation monitoring can restore good quality of life in many dogs. The monitoring requirements are demanding but essential — undertreated disease maintains suffering while overtreated disease causes potentially fatal adrenocortical insufficiency.