As your dog gets older, changes in thirst, energy, body shape, and coat can be easy to dismiss. But some “senior dog” changes may point to an endocrine disorder called Cushing’s disease.
Cushing’s disease is treatable, and recognizing a pattern of symptoms early can help your veterinarian investigate the cause before your dog’s quality of life declines.
This guide explains seven common signs, how Cushing’s differs from other conditions: including kidney disease in dogs: and where urine-based veterinary diagnostics may fit into the process.
What is Cushing’s disease in dogs?
Cushing’s disease, also called hyperadrenocorticism, occurs when a dog’s body is exposed to too much cortisol for too long.
Cortisol is a hormone made by the adrenal glands, two small glands located near the kidneys. It helps regulate:
- The stress response
- Blood sugar and metabolism
- Blood pressure
- Immune system activity
- Inflammation
Cortisol is necessary in the right amount. Excess cortisol, however, can affect multiple organs and tissues.
Most naturally occurring cases are caused by a small tumor in the pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain. The pituitary releases too much adrenocorticotropic hormone, or ACTH, which tells the adrenal glands to produce excess cortisol. Less commonly, a tumor develops directly in an adrenal gland.
Long-term use of steroid medications can also create Cushing-like effects. This is called iatrogenic Cushing’s syndrome. Never stop or change a steroid medication without speaking with your veterinarian.
Which seven signs of Cushing’s are mistaken for normal aging?
Cushing’s signs often develop slowly. Your dog may still seem happy and interested in life, which can make the changes harder to recognize. Watch for these seven patterns.
1. Is your dog drinking and urinating more?
Increased thirst is called polydipsia. Increased urination is called polyuria. Together, they are among the most common signs of Cushing’s disease.
You may notice that your dog:
- Empties the water bowl more often
- Wants water during the night
- Needs more frequent bathroom breaks
- Produces larger amounts of urine
- Begins having accidents indoors
- Develops urine leakage after being reliably house-trained
It is tempting to blame this on warm weather or age-related bladder changes. Persistent or noticeable increases deserve veterinary attention.
Increased thirst and urination can also occur with diabetes, urinary tract disease, medication effects, and kidney disease in dogs. Symptoms alone cannot identify the cause.
2. Has your dog developed a rounded or “pot-bellied” abdomen?
A pot-bellied appearance is a classic sign of Cushing’s disease. It is not simply ordinary weight gain.
Excess cortisol can contribute to:
- Weak abdominal muscles
- Redistribution of body fat
- Enlargement of the liver
- Loss of muscle along the back and legs
The result may be a pendulous, rounded abdomen while the rest of the body becomes less muscular. You might notice that your dog’s spine, hips, or limbs appear thinner even as the belly grows.
This combination: abdominal enlargement with muscle loss: is especially important to report.
3. Is your dog suddenly ravenous?
An unusually strong appetite is called polyphagia. Dogs with Cushing’s may act as though they are constantly hungry, even after eating their normal meals.
You may see:
- Persistent begging
- Counter surfing or food stealing
- Scavenging outdoors
- Restlessness around meal times
- Difficulty maintaining a healthy weight despite diet changes
Some senior dogs become less active and gain weight naturally. A dramatic change in appetite, especially when paired with increased thirst or panting, should not be ignored.
4. Is your dog panting more than usual?
Excessive panting can be one of the most noticeable signs of Cushing’s disease.
Your dog may pant:
- While resting
- At night
- In a cool room
- After only mild activity
- Without an obvious source of excitement or heat
Excess cortisol can affect muscle strength and respiratory effort. A pot-bellied abdomen may also make comfortable breathing more difficult.
Panting can have many causes, including pain, anxiety, heart or lung disease, overheating, and medication effects. If panting is sudden, severe, or accompanied by weakness, collapse, pale gums, or breathing difficulty, seek urgent veterinary care.
5. Are your dog’s coat and skin changing?
Cushing’s disease can affect the skin and hair cycle. Hair loss is often symmetrical, meaning it appears in similar areas on both sides of the body rather than in random patches caused by scratching.
Possible changes include:
- Thinning hair along the flanks or trunk
- Hair loss on the tail
- A dull or slow-growing coat
- Thin or fragile skin
- Darkened areas of skin
- Blackheads or scaling
- Easy bruising
- Recurrent skin infections
- Wounds that heal slowly
Normal aging can make a coat less glossy. It does not usually explain progressive, symmetrical hair loss combined with fragile skin and repeated infections.
6. Is your dog slowing down or losing muscle?
Older dogs often move more carefully. But Cushing’s disease can cause more than ordinary senior slowing.
Watch for:
- Reluctance to climb stairs
- Difficulty jumping onto furniture
- Trouble rising from the floor
- Shorter walks
- Less interest in play
- Visible muscle loss along the back or limbs
- Weakness after modest activity
High cortisol can break down muscle tissue and alter the way the body uses energy. Your dog may gain fat while losing strength, creating the impression of weight gain rather than illness.
Changes in mobility can also result from arthritis, neurologic disease, heart disease, or pain. A physical examination helps separate these possibilities.
7. Is your dog experiencing repeated infections or urinary problems?
Excess cortisol suppresses parts of the immune response. As a result, dogs with Cushing’s may be more vulnerable to recurrent infections.
Signs may include:
- Repeated urinary tract infections
- Strong-smelling urine
- Frequent attempts to urinate
- Skin infections
- Ear infections
- Slow-healing wounds
- Unexplained fever or discomfort
Some dogs show few urinary symptoms even when an infection is present. That is one reason a urinalysis for dogs can be useful when your pet has increased thirst, accidents, recurrent infections, or other changes.
A urinalysis evaluates urine characteristics such as concentration, blood, protein, glucose, and sediment. It can provide important clues about urinary and kidney health, but it does not confirm Cushing’s by itself.
How is Cushing’s disease diagnosed?
There is no single symptom or screening result that diagnoses every case. Your veterinarian may begin with:
- A detailed history of changes at home
- A physical examination
- Complete blood count, or CBC, which evaluates blood cells
- Blood chemistry testing, which assesses organs and metabolic markers
- Urinalysis
- Urine culture when infection is suspected
- Specialized hormone testing
- Abdominal ultrasound or other imaging when appropriate
Routine bloodwork may show patterns that increase suspicion, such as elevated liver enzymes, increased cholesterol, or a stress-related change in white blood cells. Dilute urine can also be a clue.
These findings are not specific to Cushing’s. They must be interpreted with your dog’s history and examination.
What is a urine cortisol/creatinine ratio test?
A urine cortisol/creatinine ratio, commonly abbreviated UCCR, measures cortisol in the urine relative to creatinine.
Creatinine is a waste product released into urine at a relatively steady rate. Comparing cortisol with creatinine helps account for differences in how concentrated or dilute the urine is.
The UCCR is generally used as a screening test. A low or normal result can make Cushing’s disease less likely. An elevated result, however, does not prove that your dog has Cushing’s.
Stress, pain, illness, and other medical conditions can increase cortisol. For this reason, your veterinarian may recommend confirmatory testing, such as:
- An ACTH stimulation test, which measures how the adrenal glands respond to a hormone signal
- A low-dose dexamethasone suppression test, which assesses whether cortisol production can be appropriately suppressed
- Additional blood tests or imaging to help identify the source
Affordable Pet Labs offers an at-home urine cortisol/creatinine ratio test designed to make sample collection more convenient for pet parents. A calmer home collection setting may help avoid some of the stress associated with collecting a sample in a clinic.
However, this test should be viewed as one part of a veterinary diagnostic conversation: not as a substitute for an examination or a complete diagnostic workup. Share the results with your veterinarian so they can interpret them alongside your dog’s symptoms, medications, urinalysis, and other findings.
How can you prepare for a veterinary visit?
Before contacting your veterinarian, keep notes for several days if your dog is stable and comfortable. Record:
- How often you refill the water bowl
- Bathroom frequency and overnight accidents
- Appetite changes
- Panting episodes
- Activity level
- Skin or coat changes
- Current medications, including steroids
- Any recent infections or illnesses
Never restrict your dog’s access to water. If your pet is drinking and urinating excessively, water restriction can be dangerous.
For convenient home diagnostic options, visit Affordable Pet Labs’ urine and fecal testing page. You can also review how the at-home testing process works or learn about tests collected in your home.
When should you call your veterinarian?
Contact your veterinarian if you notice one persistent sign or several signs occurring together, especially:
- Increased thirst and urination
- A pot-bellied appearance
- Hair loss or fragile skin
- Excessive panting
- A ravenous appetite
- Muscle weakness
- Repeated urinary or skin infections
Seek urgent care for collapse, severe weakness, difficulty breathing, repeated vomiting, a swollen painful abdomen, or sudden neurological changes.
Cushing’s disease is not the only possible explanation for these symptoms. Kidney disease, diabetes, urinary infection, liver disease, medication effects, and other conditions can look similar. That is why early veterinary diagnostics matter.
Your senior dog’s changes may be age-related: or they may be signs of a manageable health condition. Paying attention, testing thoughtfully, and partnering with your veterinarian can help protect the comfortable, active years you share.
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