Addison’s Disease Essential Support Kit

Milk Thistle & Supraglan to support dogs with Addison's disease.

USD $91.90

Add to Cart

Addison’s Disease Essential Support Kit USD $91.90 Add to Cart

Home » All Articles » Pet Care Tips » Cushing’s Disease vs. Addison’s Disease: What’s the Difference?

Cushing’s Disease vs. Addison’s Disease: What’s the Difference?

Pet Care Tips 4 min read

A dog at the vet for an Addison's and Cushing's blog by NHV.

Have you ever heard of the adrenal gland? Or complicated condition names like hyperadrenocorticism and hypoadrenocorticism? If your answer is yes and you feel you don’t really understand what these words mean, then this article will help clarify common questions you may have, including the difference between Cushing’s and Addison’s disease.

The adrenal gland is a very important gland

The adrenal gland is a very important gland located close to the kidneys. Its main function is to produce hormones that are crucial to the body’s metabolism, like cortisol. When the cortisol level is higher or lower than normal, the metabolism and many vital functions are affected by this imbalance, manifesting different symptoms depending on the condition.

When the cortisol level is higher than normal, the condition is named hyperadrenocorticism, also known as Cushing’s disease. On the other hand, when the level is lower, the condition is named hypoadrenocorticism, mostly known as Addison’s disease. Even though these two conditions are related to the same gland, their symptoms are different and sometimes hard to diagnose.

Cushing’s Disease: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Cushing’s disease (hyperadrenocorticism) is mostly caused by a tumor of the pituitary gland (central nervous system) that produces the hormone that stimulates the production of cortisol in the adrenal gland. Less common causes include tumors in the adrenal gland, and treatment-related causes, among others.

The symptoms caused by increased cortisol vary from case to case. The most common symptoms are:

Increased thirst and consequently increased urination
Increased appetite
Lethargy
Abdominal enlargement
Panting
Muscle weakness
Skin changes like alopecia, skin infections, and thin skin
Increased blood pressure

Additionally, although not very common, most of the cats with Cushing’s disease have concurrent diabetes mellitus and may show severe thinning of the skin.

Regarding the available therapies for Cushing’s Disease, most cases are treated with long-term prescribed medication, which basically helps reduce cortisol production. In other cases, it might be necessary to recur to radiotherapy, especially if there are neurological signs. Sometimes, surgery can also be performed to treat cases when the results are potentially better than those with pharmaceuticals or radiotherapy.

Addison’s Disease: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Addison’s disease (hypoadrenocorticism) can be caused mostly by adrenal gland dysfunction that leads to reduced cortisol production. However, it can also be caused by prescribed pharmaceuticals and metastatic neoplasia, among others.

The symptoms of this condition are very vague, sometimes similar to those in Cushing’s disease, and usually exacerbated by stress. They can be confused with gastrointestinal issues and kidney disease, making it challenging for the diagnosis. The most reported symptoms include:

Lethargy
Decreased appetite
Weight loss
Vomiting and diarrhea
Increased thirst and consequently increased urination
Low blood pressure and hemorrhagic diarrhea in severe cases

For pets in a stable health condition, the indicated therapy is lifelong hormone replacement through prescribed pharmaceuticals. The therapy must be closely monitored to determine if adjustments in the dosage are necessary in order to avoid side effects. Pets in critical condition, known as “Addisonian crisis” need emergency medical care as soon as possible.

Key Differences between Addison’s and Cushing’s

Although opposite, these conditions can be easily mistaken due to the similarity of their symptoms, and this is why it’s important to identify the key differences between them.

Symptoms and diagnosis

To diagnose Cushing’s disease, blood tests may be performed

Cushing’s disease typically presents a set of symptoms that can make your vet suspect this condition. These include increased thirst, urination, and appetite, abdominal enlargement, hair loss, and changes in the skin. Even though these symptoms can raise suspicion of Cushing’s disease, the diagnosis can still be challenging for veterinarians. To diagnose Cushing’s disease, blood tests may be performed. They can measure the cortisol level in the blood following specific protocols that can reflect the adrenal and pituitary gland function. Blood tests can also help reflect the expected changes in parameters that can be affected by high cortisol levels. Additionally, since this condition can be caused by a tumor, sometimes imaging techniques may also support the diagnosis.

Addison’s disease is characterized by showing unspecific symptoms that can mimic other common conditions like renal disease or gastrointestinal issues, resulting in a risk of misdiagnosis. Because of this, and similarly to Cushing’s disease, it’s necessary to run specific blood tests to determine the adrenal gland’s condition. Additionally, given the lack of specificity of the symptoms, gathering further information on the pet’s health is crucial to veterinarians to rule out other possible diagnoses.

Management strategies

Treatment options for Cushing’s disease include long-term pharmaceutical therapy, radiotherapy, and surgical procedures. Sometimes, reducing cortisol production with pharmaceuticals is not effective enough and radiotherapy or surgery might be necessary.

Addison’s disease treatment consists of long-term hormonal replacement

On the other hand, Addison’s disease treatment consists of long-term hormonal replacement with pharmaceuticals with usually positive results.

Since both conditions are managed using prescribed pharmaceuticals intended to correct the level of cortisol, they require periodical monitoring to make sure the dosage is appropriate and prevent side effects.

Conclusion

We know how important your little one’s health is and that you want to keep them as healthy as possible. Since pet parents are who know better their fur babies, they’re the ones who can greatly contribute to their health and help detect any suspicious changes in their health.

If you recognize any changes in your little one’s health, like increased thirst and urination, changes in appetite, hair loss, and any other changes, seeking veterinary care is crucial. Early detection of health conditions is key to promoting your little one’s health as it allows your vet to establish a therapy on time and avoid other complications, especially for conditions that can be hard to diagnose, like Cushing’s and Addison’s disease.

cushing's support

Cushing’s Disease Essentials Kit

USD $91.90

adrenal support

Adrenal Super Support and Nutritional Balance Kit

USD $141.85

adrenal support

Supraglan™ for dogs

USD $50.95

Dr. Carla Moran, DVM

Dr. Carla Moran graduated from the University of Chile in Veterinary Medicine and later obtained a Diploma in Zoonotic and Infectious Diseases from the same university. She has had the opportunity to learn from diverse areas of the veterinary profession through her professional training, like small animal medicine, wildlife conservation, and public health. Dr. Moran loves being able to support animals and their guardians through natural medicine, and she strongly believes that nature can provide us with what every being needs to be happy and healthy, mentally, and physically.