Cushing disease causes chronic excess cortisol in dogs, producing a cluster of welfare-affecting signs that significantly impair quality of life when undiagnosed or undertreated.
Cushing disease imposes chronic multi-system welfare harm. Affected dogs drink and urinate excessively — often waking at night and losing bladder control — feel weak and fatigued from muscle wasting, are prone to skin infections from immune suppression, and experience the discomfort of an enlarged, pendulous abdomen. The condition is frequently mistaken for normal aging, delaying diagnosis. Owners who attribute signs to old age may not recognize that their dog is living with a treatable hormonal disorder. Effective treatment with trilostane significantly improves quality of life within weeks: increased energy, reduced water intake, improved skin health, and restoration of more normal body composition. Monitoring during treatment requires regular ACTH stimulation testing to ensure adequate but not excessive adrenal suppression.