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My dog was diagnosed with Cushing's. What treatments work?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Jack Russell Terrier | Male | neutered | 23 lbs

my 13 yr. old JRT has been diagnosed with Cushings Disease. What treatment is effective?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on February 4th, 2018

There are a couple of different treatments that can be used to treat Wexford's Cushing's Disease, such as Vetoryl (trilostane) and Anipryl (selegiline) which are both approved by the FDA for use in dogs. Another drug, Lysodren (mitotane), can be used off label to treat Cushing's. Off label means that it's a human drug that can be legally prescribed by vets for uses not listed on the label. Ultimately, however, it will be up to your vet to decide medication is best for Rexford. Cushing's Disease can be pituitary or adrenal-dependent, and the choice of medication will depend on which type he has. Speak with your vet to discuss the best medication for use in him. Good luck, I hope this helps!

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Is there anyone who knows if is a replacement or alternative medicine for vetoryl 30 mg. This medicine is making my dog very sick so I decided to stop it, As soon as I dld that I can tell she has more energy she eats better she is back been herself.
Vetoryl (trilostane) is the best medication for managing Cushing's disease, but I'm sorry to hear that Lacy has not been tolerating it well. I have anecdotally heard of some vets using a variety of supplements for managing Cushing's disease signs, but these supplements will not ultimately decrease the cortisol production by the adrenal glands and generally seem ineffective. I don't know how long Lacy was receiving Vetoryl, but some dogs can initially become lethargic, vomit, have diarrhea, or a decreased appetite. Fortunately, these signs typically resolve after a few days to a few weeks on the medication. It may be worth discussing a temporary dose adjustment with Lacy's vet to see if she tolerates a lower dose better before gradually increasing to her 30mg dose. Some dogs also benefit from supportive measures (anti nausea medications, bland diets, etc.) in the first few days to weeks of treatment. I hope this helps and that all goes well!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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What natural treatment is available for a Yorkie with Cushing's Disease?
Unfortunately Cushing’s disease usually requires treatment with a medication like trilostane or mitotane to control the clinical signs. For some dogs with ‘atypical’ Cushing’s some veterinarians recommend melatonin and lignan (flaxseed) supplements. If Mia has been diagnosed with Cushing’s you could ask your vet about trying this regimen. The University of Tennessee Veterinary Endocrinology team has information about the diagnosis and treatment of atypical Cushing’s.
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My boxer has just been tested for Cushings. Cortisol pre-post ACTH and cortrosyn. He's also had his urine checked to. What should I expect from here on out? And what medication is typically used to treat this? He has gained 45 pounds and his normal w
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11.5 yr-old izzy was recently diagnosed with cushing's (most probably pituitary origin). his only symptoms are mild hair loss and fairly marked polydipsia/polyuria. he has some elevated liver enzymes but they've actually been improving without treatm
Hello. For the most part, Vetoryl is used to control the symptoms of Cushing's by controlling the production of glucocorticoids. Overproduction of glucocorticoids is responsible for the symptoms of excessive drinking & urination but does nothing for the actual tumor growing on his pituitary gland. If Izzy's symptoms are manageable & tolerable then medication is not necessary. This would be your choice. But if his symptoms do get worse, at least consider once a day dosing. Most dogs do very well on twice daily dosing, but once a day can help in many pets. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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I'm 99% positive that my 11 year old Chocolate Lab has Cushing's Disease. Are there any at home remedies that will help him? My parents don't think he should go to the vet, so I need help to help him. Please help and give me any and all information t
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Updated on September 24th, 2025
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Can Vetoryl cause hind leg paralysis? Depression? What is treatment for these side effects? Also what natural treatment can be used.
The most common adverse reactions of Vetoryl reported are poor/reduced appetite, vomiting, lethargy/dullness, diarrhea, and weakness. Occasionally, more serious reactions, including severe depression, hemorrhagic diarrhea, collapse, hypoadrenocortical crisis or adrenal necrosis/rupture may occur, and may result in death. Weakness of the hind limbs, yes but paralysis I would say, no. If he has paralysis he needs to see the vet right away. There is no treatment for those side effects other than adjusting the Vetoryl dosage but I cannot advise you on that. You need to work with your vet regarding this issue. He may need to be switched to a different medication all together (like Lysodren). There is no natural treatment to treat Cushing's disease in dogs but there are a couple products to help support dogs with Cushing's disease. This does not take the place of the actual treatment: Cushex drops: http://petalive.nativeremedies.com/search?w=cushex Energy Tonic: http://www.nativer
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Our soon to be 15 years old , maltese has been recently diagnosed with cushings disease. Being that he also has other health problems we decided not to put him through treatment. The questions I'm almost afraid to ask is will it be painful for him an
It is common for people to decide not to treat their dog for Cushing's disease. Unfortunately, the treatment is expensive and has side effects. The biggest concerns with Cushing's disease are the side effects of the disease (drinking more, urinating more, etc) and the potential for the dog to develop other infections from a suppressed immune system. So, I recommend that a dog with Cushing's disease be closely monitored at home for any changes in clinical signs and have them evaluated in case the dog is developing a secondary infection. That will often mean checking urine samples on a regular basis to make sure a urinary tract infection isn't hiding. I have attached more information on Cushing's disease below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=635 At almost 15 years old, if Bullwinkle has other health problems, then Cushing's disease may or may not shorten his life. But the most important thing is to closely monitor him and make sure any infections are tr
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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My 8 pound Chihuahua has presented all symptoms of Cushing syndrome (potbelly, weight gain, excessive thirst, hunger and peeing, panting, and now very weak legs) and I was considering buying Trilostane. But I don't know if I should give her the 3mg o
Hello and thank you for contacting Boop by Petco. I will strongly discourage you from giving Sophia Trilostan without knowing for sure that she has Cushing disease. She may have, for example ascites, diabetes or internal organ enlargement, which makes the belly look potted. In that case, giving Trilostan can lead to a life-threatening hypoadrenal crisis. Please, take your dog to your local vets to confirm the diagnosis and then start the treatment, if necessary.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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my dog has been diagnosed with cushing disease. she is on trilostane but she is very lethargic. what can i do to give her a little more energy?
Lethargy can be a side effect in the first few days of Trilostane therapy, but typically resolves after a week or so of treatment. In some cases, giving the medication every other day for the first week or two can be beneficial to decrease the incidence of side effects, but you should call Josie's vet to discuss any possible dose changes. Otherwise, there isn't anything else that can be given to put a bit more pep in her step. Give her vet a call to discuss the medication and hopefully she will be more energetic soon!
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If a dog is diagnosed with Cushing's and it was determined via a sonar gram that there is a tumor on the pituitary gland, can that tumor disappear after years on medicine for the Cushings? My son's dog was diagnosed with Cushing's several years ag
Cushing's can be pituitary in origin or adrenal in origin. A sonogram can not be performed on the pituitary as it is in the brain. This would require a CT or MRI. A sonogram can be performed on the adrenal glands but this does not definitely diagnose Cushing's (is just one of the tests to help aide in diagnosis), that would require blood testing. It is not a disease that goes away on its own unless surgery is performed to remove a mass that is oversecreting hormones. It sounds like the diagnosis was never truly confirmed, especially if medications are being stopped. I would recommend getting a little more clarification from your vet as to this. If additional help is needed referral to a veterinary internist would be the next step. I hope this helps and thank you for using Boop by Petco!
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