June 08, 2020 4 min read
Dogs who have been diagnosed with Cushing’s Disease display a variety of symptoms that make this health condition a serious issue for concerned pet owners. In an effort to help their canine friend find relief, many owners have researched and started administering CBD oil for their dog with Cushing’s Disease. Because it has become a popular treatment option, it’s good to be informed about canine Cushing’s Disease, and CBD oil for Cushing’s Disease in dogs as a medical route.
Cushing’s Disease, or Cushing’s Syndrome is a health issue that occurs when a dog’s body produces too much cortisol. While cortisol is a necessary hormone that is responsible for stress response, weight management, blood sugar levels, and the ability to fight infections, too much or too little can lead to lasting health issues.
Cushing’s Disease is not an easy condition to diagnose, being that many of the symptoms associated with it mimic other diseases and conditions. However, once Cushing’s Disease is diagnosed, there are options to consider that will help a dog live a healthier life. In some situations, surgery can cure Cushing’s Disease by removing the disease-causing tumors on the adrenal or pituitary glands. However, not every dog is a candidate for surgery. When operations are not a viable treatment, medication is recommended in order to control canine cortisol levels.
A dog with Cushing’s Disease might experience a variety of different symptoms, some of which may include
If surgery is not a viable option for Cushing’s Disease treatment, medication is often the next step in the treatment process, though there are sometimes issues related to this approach as well. It’s not uncommon for medications that treat Cushing’s Disease to be hard on a dog’s liver, and for this reason, many dog owners seek a more natural treatment option.
In the search for natural treatments, CBD oil for dogs with Cushing’s Disease is often researched and considered. But what is CBD oil?
CBD is an abbreviated term that’s short for cannabidiol, which is a compound that is derived from the cannabis sativa plant. Though it is found in the same herb that produces THC-containing cannabis, CBD is not psychoactive and will not cause the “high” sensation associated with marijuana.
Instead, CBD oil is often used to treat chronic pain affecting both the musculoskeletal system and nervous system, and other health conditions that impact both human beings and domestic animals like dogs and cats.
CBD oil has been and is currently being used by many owners to treat Cushing’s Disease in their dogs. Because of its unique properties, CBD oil can treat Cushing’s disease in two different ways. It can be used to correct the hormonal imbalances caused by the pituitary or adrenal tumors in canine Cushing’s Disease, or it may even shrink the tumors that are causing the hormonal imbalance in the first place.
CBD oil for dogs with Cushing’s Disease can help reduce the symptoms brought on by hormonal imbalance by working to regulate the body’s hormones. Using CBD oil as a treatment can help a dog create enough hormones to balance its hormonal fluctuations, thus ensuring that enough of each hormone is being produced. With the correct number of active, healthy hormones, a dog’s body will begin to behave normally, despite having Cushing’s Disease.
Using CBD oil for dogs with Cushing’s Disease can work beyond treating hormonal imbalances in some cases. According to studies, CBD oil has been shown to reduce the size of cancerous and noncancerous tumors, including the tumors associated with Cushing’s Disease.
Because of the ability to shrink tumors, even to the point of completely eliminating them in some patients, CBD oil for dogs with Cushing’s Disease is likely to be an invaluable treatment option. Once the tumors have shrunk or been eliminated, the hormonal imbalance that causes the pet’s unpleasant symptoms will then be reduced or eliminated as well.