Q.Can you recommend to me a natural medicine for Cushing’s disease in dogs? My 12-year-old mixed breed Pomeranian/Chihuahua developed diabetes because of Cushing’s. I read your book The Nature of Animal Healing and am giving her goldenseal, five drops at night with food. I am also giving her alpha lipoic acid (50 mg) and 125 IU of vitamin E in the morning for the diabetes. I found phosphatidyl-serine in a health food store (you recommended it for Cushing’s) but I don’t know how many milligrams to give her. I also changed her food with potato, green beans, carrots, broccoli, chicken and whole wheat rice. I live in San Juan, PR and it is hard for my dog to travel to the U.S.

 

A.So far, you are doing a good job and I would not change any of that. The phos-serine you mention almost always comes in a complex formula, and giving one labeled 50 mg is a proper dose. I’ve had clients go up to 100 mg with their dogs, including those that are Pomeranian-sized, with no reported problems.

One form of Cushing’s disease is called atypical, and this variety responds to melatonin supplementation. Specific testing through your veterinarian would be needed to diagnosis if this is the type of Cushing’s your dog has. Another fairly new supplement we’re witnessing positive clinical response with is called Humanofort. It comes in a formula called Dogtor Rx by Pet Equinox.