Essentials of Canine Endocrinology

Endocrine cases are the ones that quietly eat up your day - the diabetic that won't settle, the Cushingoid dog with vague signs, the borderline thyroid result. The hard part was never the lab values - it's having a plan you trust so you're not second-guessing yourself every time a result sits in the grey zone. That's what this course gives you: a clear way to diagnose, treat and monitor the conditions you'll actually see, so you always know what to look for and what to do next.

What you'll learn, week by week

Week 1

Canine Diabetes Mellitus

Understand the disease. Diagnose with confidence.

Diabetes is one of the most common endocrine diseases you'll see - and one of the easiest to misdiagnose when stress hyperglycaemia and concurrent disease cloud the picture.

What you will master inside this module:

• The pathophysiology of canine diabetes mellitus - how insulin works and why deficiency develops
• The different types and causes, including immune-mediated and secondary diabetes

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• Breed predispositions and risk factors, and the classic signs (PU/PD, weight loss, cataracts)
• The complete diagnostic approach: history, physical exam, lab tests, urinalysis and imaging
• How to interpret persistent hyperglycaemia and glucosuria, rule out stress hyperglycaemia, and spot concurrent disease

By the end of this module, you will feel prepared to recognise diabetes mellitus in dogs, avoid common diagnostic pitfalls, and build a clear, stepwise plan for every patient.

Week 2

Canine Diabetes Treatment

Start smart. Stay safe. Adjust confidently.

Getting a diabetic dog safely through the first few weeks of insulin is as much about the plan and the owner as it is about the drug.

What you will master inside this module:

• How to choose and dose insulin types - Lente, NPH, PZI, Glargine and Detemir
• Step-by-step protocols for avoiding and treating hypoglycaemia
• Insulin handling, storage and administration, including pens and syringes

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• Dietary management: low carbohydrate, high fibre, and weight loss or maintenance strategies
• The role of exercise, and how to balance activity with insulin therapy
• How to communicate clearly with owners about routines and early warning signs

By the end of this module, you will feel prepared to start diabetic dogs on insulin safely, stabilise them effectively, and support owners through the first crucial weeks of therapy.

Week 3

Diabetes Monitoring & Troubleshooting

Solve problems early.

Most diabetic 'failures' aren't failures of medicine - they're missed patterns in the monitoring data and the realities of home care.

What you will master inside this module:

• Monitoring strategies: blood glucose curves, fructosamine and urine glucose
• How to interpret the data and decide when to adjust insulin doses

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• Identifying and managing common problems: Somogyi effect, insulin resistance, poor compliance
• How to assess diabetic control in the real world, not just textbook cases
• How to coach owners for accurate home monitoring and long-term success

By the end of this module, you will feel prepared to evaluate diabetic control systematically, troubleshoot the common challenges, and fine-tune therapy to keep patients safe and stable.

Week 4

Canine Hyperadrenocorticism

Recognise. Diagnose. Manage effectively.

Cushing's hides in plain sight - from subtle skin changes to insulin-resistant diabetes - which is exactly why a structured diagnostic approach matters so much.

What you will master inside this module:

• The pathophysiology of pituitary-dependent and adrenal-dependent disease
• Classic presentations (PU/PD, abdominal distension, alopecia, muscle weakness) and uncommon ones like thromboembolic disease

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• A structured diagnostic approach: screening tests (LDDST, ACTH stim, UCCR) and differentiation (HDDST, eACTH, imaging)
• Treatment options: trilostane or mitotane, and when to consider adrenalectomy or hypophysectomy
• Monitoring protocols, adjusting therapy over time, and managing complications
• How to set realistic expectations with owners

By the end of this module, you will feel prepared to accurately diagnose Cushing's disease, choose the most effective treatment for each dog, and monitor therapy with confidence.

Week 5

Canine Hypothyroidism

Detect early. Confirm accurately. Treat reliably.

Hypothyroidism is common, frequently over-diagnosed, and easy to get wrong when non-thyroidal illness and medications muddy the testing.

What you will master inside this module:

• The pathophysiology of primary, secondary and congenital hypothyroidism
• The wide range of clinical signs - dermatologic, neurologic, metabolic, reproductive and cardiac

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• How to interpret total T4, free T4, TSH and thyroglobulin autoantibodies, and when further testing is needed
• The factors that affect thyroid testing: non-thyroidal illness, medications and breed variation
• How to design levothyroxine plans - dosing, monitoring and troubleshooting poor responses
• When to consider a therapeutic trial, and how to avoid iatrogenic hyperthyroidism

By the end of this module, you will feel prepared to diagnose canine hypothyroidism with confidence, set up safe treatment plans, and support long-term monitoring for successful outcomes.

You don't have to take our word for it. Here are a few words from vets and students who have already joined.

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Pick your start date and save your spot

We run Essentials of Canine Endocrinology in small guided cohorts so Dr Cui and the team can properly support everyone and answer real clinical questions along the way. Enrolment for the next cohort is open now, and you get full access the day yours begins - so you can plan your six weeks around the shifts you're already working. Once a cohort's start date passes, the next chance to join is the following month.