Labrador Rescue

Bonnie, my 11 year old labrador was diagnosed with Cushings Disease last June. We’re managing the condition with vetoryl, but wondered if there was anything more we can do for her. My vet initially had recommended Royal Canin Hepatic dry dog food, as she has minor age related liver disease, but not advised us on anything else, following her reviews and blood tests. A year on and her ‘obsession’ with food has increased. We know that this is one of the symptoms with Cushings and being a Labrador!

We’ve done some research via Google and it seems that the consensus is a non commercial dog food diet for dogs with Cushings. We’ve stopped giving her mackerel and sardines as theses are high in fats and changed to salmon, chicken and turkey with a mix of vegatables, high in potassium and potatoes with the skin on.

Does anyone have any experience of having a dog with Cushings Disease and managing their diet? Changing from dry dog food to home made, how much should we be giving her? She currently has 4 small meals a day. Any advice would be great.

Angela and Bonnie xx

Hi Angela

I have no experience of Cushings. I thought that Lily's trainer had a dog who had had it so asked her for advice. My memory was wrong, but here's her reply anyway, and I hope it helps:-

"My dog had Addison’s the opposite to cushings but treatment is still with steroids which is why the person has the issue with food and increase in appetite, I would recommend her speaking to nature’s menu, natures diet or natural instincts as they would have a nutritionalist to give advice on how and what to feed to that specific illness."

Jane and Lily

Angela I wish I could be of help, I have had a Cushings dog, quite some time ago now, I do not recall being given any advice on diet, we had medication of course and had blood tests every 3 months, she was about 9 when it was diagnosed.
Lots of luck with Bonnie.
Liz Shelly Bonnie Molly Polly x

Thank you Jane and Liz for your supportive messages. We’ll hopefully be at the Funday in July. Unfortunately we had to miss it last year as Bonnie was too poorly.
Angela and Bonnie xx

Hi Angela & Bonnie

My darling girl Millie has Cushings disease. Think it will be 3 years this November since she was diagnosed. She is stable & well on 30mg of Vetoryl. Originally she was on James Wellbeloved dry kibble but before she was diagnosed I’d noticed she had started to get fat (a symptom of the disease is a pot belly). Anyway to cut a long story short I changed her diet to an 80/20 dried food called Orijen It is fish based which she loved, but as prices started to rise to £80 a bag I changed her food to another 80/20 dried food made in the UK called Eden. It’s around £65 a bag & her food is called catch of the day & again mainly fish based. I order the working dog food bag ( no VAT) 15kg. She loves it & has not gained weight.

Hope that helps

Ann & Millie xx