Cushing's Dieseas in Dogs - New Therapy Coming?

Cushing's disease affects approximately 100K dogs in the US each year. With Cushing's, a dog's body will produce too much cortisol. Symptoms include increased appetite and thirst, along with skin and muscle problems. The disease is more common in older dogs, and 85% of cases are caused by pituitary (usually benign) tumors. Most dogs will die in less than 3 years using current therapies that rely on medications. Death usually occurs from complications that include neurological and pulmonary problems, as well as infections and diabetes.

A new surgical therapy pioneered in humans is now making its way into Veterinary care. The use of a special surgical device called a VITOM has been used to treat a handful of dogs and cats with large pituitary tumors. Although one dog died during the procedure, overall results are very promising. Currently the cost of such surgery is approximately 8-10K, a good reason to consider insurance as Vet care becomes more specialized. Also, the large tumors that can be removed with this device only account for 10% of pituitary tumors.

Studies and research on this and other therapies are ongoing. I thought this information could prove helpful to some.