What foods to avoid with Cushing's disease in dogs?

When our lovely dogs are diagnosed with Cushing's disease, at that moment, it seems as if the whole world is covered with a shadow. Every dog ​​owner's heart is filled with worry and anxiety, and they wish they could bear this pain for their dogs. In this fight against the disease, in addition to relying on professional medical means, dietary adjustments are also crucial. Knowing what foods dogs should avoid when they have Cushing's disease has become a key step in protecting our dogs' health. ​

Cushing's disease, a disease that causes dogs' body functions to fall into chaos, causes their bodies to metabolize and regulate various substances abnormally. If you are not careful in your diet, it may increase the burden on your dog's body and make it more difficult for them to fight the disease. First of all, high-salt foods must be avoided. Salt, a seemingly ordinary condiment in daily diet, is fine for healthy dogs to consume in moderation. But for dogs with Cushing's disease, the situation is very different. The kidney function of sick dogs has been affected, and high-salt foods will increase the excretion burden of the kidneys. Imagine that the dog's kidneys are like an overloaded machine, and high-salt foods are like adding too many impurities that are difficult to handle into the machine. Excessive salt intake will cause the sodium ion concentration in the dog's body to increase, which will in turn cause water and sodium retention and edema symptoms. The dog, who was already inconvenient to move due to the disease, has become heavier at this time, and every step seems to have exhausted all the strength of the body, which makes us, as the owner, see it in our eyes and feel pain in our hearts. Foods like pickled meats and snacks with high salt content should be resolutely removed from the dog's diet. ​

High-fat foods are also a taboo for dogs with Cushing's disease. Cushing's disease can cause metabolic disorders in dogs, and fat metabolism is no exception. Excessive intake of high-fat foods will prevent dogs from metabolizing these fats normally, and they will accumulate in the body, further aggravating the problem of obesity. Obesity can cause a series of other health problems, such as cardiovascular disease and increased joint pressure. The muscles of sick dogs are gradually atrophying, and their body's support capacity is reduced. The extra burden brought by obesity will overwhelm their joints, and they will walk with a limp, and their eyes will reveal pain and helplessness. Those greasy fat, fried foods, etc., seem delicious, but they are actually "poisons" that harm dogs' health. We must never feed these foods to our beloved dogs because of a moment of softness. ​

In addition to high-salt and high-fat foods, foods containing a large amount of simple carbohydrates are also not suitable for dogs with Cushing's disease. Simple carbohydrates will be quickly broken down into glucose after entering the dog's body, causing blood sugar to rise rapidly. Cushing's disease itself will affect the hormone balance in the dog's body, causing their ability to regulate blood sugar to decrease. Large fluctuations in blood sugar are extremely harmful to the dog's body and may cause complications such as diabetes. When we see that dogs have symptoms such as listlessness and loss of appetite due to unstable blood sugar, our inner self-blame and worry come like a tide. For foods rich in simple carbohydrates such as white bread and candy, we must ruthlessly reject the dog's eager eyes and not let them become a threat to the dog's health.​

In addition, some foods containing caffeine or theobromine, such as chocolate and coffee, should never be given to dogs with Cushing's disease. These substances are highly toxic to dogs and will stimulate their nervous and cardiovascular systems, leading to serious consequences such as accelerated heartbeat and difficulty breathing. For sick dogs, their bodies are already very fragile and cannot withstand the impact of these harmful substances. Every dog ​​owner knows the importance of dogs to themselves, just like the indispensable sunshine in life. How can we bear to let these dangerous foods hurt them because of our negligence? ​

When our dogs are entangled with Cushing's disease, every decision we make is related to their health and happiness. Avoiding these foods that are not good for their bodies may be a bit difficult. After all, the expectant eyes of dogs always make us soft-hearted, but in order for them to have a better chance of recovery and to see them running and playing around us energetically again, we must firmly guard their dietary defenses.