Description
Hyperadrenocorticism (HAC) also known as Cushing's syndrome is a condition in which the adrenal glands overproduce certain hormones, in particular cortisone. It is a common endocrine syndrome that affects middle-aged and geriatric dogs. There are two major types of HAC in dogs. Pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) is the result of the inappropriate secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) by a pituitary adenoma. Adrenal-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (ADH) comes from a tumour in one of the adrenal glands that sit on top of the kidneys. It is necessary to differentiate between PDH and ADH to provide a more accurate prognosis and enable the full range of possible treatments to be discussed with the dog’s owner. In this webinar Peter Graham goes through symptoms, diagnostics and treatment options. The first step in the approach to Cushing’s disease is to use a combination of the clinical signs and laboratory abnormalities to determine if confirmatory testing is required. Peter gives a detailed overview of screening laboratory tests as well as endocrine diagnostic tests with their sensitivity and specificity ratios. He also speaks about pharmaceutical products to be used as medical treatment and monitoring therapies. Part of the NationWide Endocrinology Bundle.
