Types

• According to "Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook," dogs can suffer from either gradual or "regular" Cushing's syndrome, spontaneous Cushing's syndrome or iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome.
  
  

Significance

• All dogs that suffer from Cushing's disease have an excess of the hormone cortisol in their bodies. Cortisol is type of steroid that is usually secreted by the body when it is stressed.
  
  

Causes

• Tumors in the pituitary or adrenal glands and long-term use of medications with steroids in them cause regular and iatrogenic canine Cushing's disease. Genetics may cause the spontaneous type, since it appears mostly in certain breeds, such as poodles.
  
  

Symptoms

• According to veterinarian Cary Buckman, usual symptoms include drinking more than usual, urinating more than usual, hair loss, unexplained skin bruising and panting for no known reason.
  
  

Prognosis

• "Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook" points out that the average length of time a dog lives with Cushing's disease is two years. Dogs have been known to live for three or more years.