It is estimated that one to two dogs our of a thousand/per year will get it.
The symptoms are often written off as signs of normal aging and the diagnosis is complicated.
Recent research at the Institute of Medical Biochemistry at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna has shown that glucocorticoids accumulate in the animals’ hair and that analysis of a dog’s hair can provide quick and reliable preliminary diagnosis.
The beauty with hair testing is that, unlike blood, it shows long-term levels.
I'm sure that any dog would rather have a bit of fur clipped then being stuck with needles.
The scientists compared the levels of cortisol, corticosterone and cortisone in the hair of twelve dogs with hyperadrenocorticism and ten healthy dogs. All three hormones were found at far higher levels in the hair of dogs with Cushing's diseases compared to control group. The difference in cortisol levels was particularly pronounced.
Measuring cortisol in hair is much easier and less painful for the dogs than other tests and it seems to have real promise as a new rapid and non-invasive diagnostic test for Cushing's.
Sign me up, please.
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Source article:
The hair of the dog
Further reading:
Cushing's Disease
Confusion with Cushing's Disease
What Exactly is Cushing's Disease
Related articles:
Medical Jargon Explained: Hypo- versus Hyperadrenocorticism
Viva Has Cushing's
Living With A Cushing's Dog: Viva's Story
Suki Doesn't Have A Tumor And She Doesn't Have Cushing's: Suki's Story
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