Cushing's Disease

[LisainCAN]

My beloved heart-dog Sara will be 10 this October. Lately she has been urinating in the house and drinking more water. I brought her to the vet and she suspects Cushing's. Sara's geriatric blood profile was normal so the vet wants to do a more detailed test for Cushing's. I have to admit that after reading a brief description of the illness, Sara seems to fit the bill.

I was wondering if anyone else has had experience with this illness.

Thank you,
Sara and Lisa.

[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

No, I don't but in my early LW daze, I thought I might. There is a canine cushings support group at yahoogroups, and they are VERY active and helpful. I quit when it was clear Allicks did not have cushings.

I highly recommend the group ... I pray for some good news for you.

[critters]

Oops--missed this yesterday.

There are TONS of Cushing's people and critters at VetPet http://www.vetpetpartners.org/ .

[CarolC]

Lisa, did you ever find out for sure what is going on with her?

[LisainCAN]

We are waiting for our finances to stabilize before undergoing the next set of expensive tests. These tests will determine where the Cushing's originates: pituitary gland or adrenal glands. In the meantime, I changed her diet, am letting her out to urinate MUCH more often, and am brushing her more.

[deela]

Lisa, I just found your post -

We have an 11 yr. old male Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Reggie) who was diagnosed with Cushing's three years ago. Same thing, he was peeing everywhere and drinking so much water! It was determined that this originated in the Pituitary gland and he has been on medication (Lysodren) ever since.

There have been a few times when he had to have some tests to determine if the meds needed to be adjusted, but his dosage seems good and has for quite some time now. He takes 1/2 pill three times a week.

He is doing remarkably well! I hope you have gotten some answers about Sara....

Hope all is well...
Dee

[LisainCAN]

Hi Dee,

What a beautiful dog! Thank you for writing.

It turns out that Sara has been doing so much better lately that we have not had to do the further testing. I have no doubt that she is at the very beginning of Cushings but right now she is stable. The interesting thing is that she got better when we switched her food from adult to senior (about time at 10!). Maybe I was overtaxing her kidneys with all the protein.

Lisa.

[deela]

Hi Lisa,

I am glad to here she is doing better! It is amazing how food can make a difference sometimes.

Hopefully, that is all it will take. Just know that it is managable if meds are needed!

Take care,
Dee

[ani]

My Pele has had Cushing's Disease dx for about 6 yrs.She is a queensland red healer, we live in Mexico. She had all of the tests after which I started her on Vetoryl Trilostane for years I had to order it from Masters International UK Ltd. as it was not avalible in the U.S. or Mexico. I just went to order it yesterday and found that you can now get it in the U.S. which has made the price go up and you can no longer order from them. But you can now get it from your Vet. I have had great luck, Pele is now 14 yrs old and the Cushings is the least of her problems. Due to a disk problem I recently moved from my second story condo to rent a ground level place. She now recieves IV DMSO every 6 weeks and yesterday I started her on Ozone tx.
One thing I do have to watch is her water intake but she seldom has a accident. If she does it's my fault not hers. I hope you the very best. Spend time finding a Vet. who knows about Cushings and don't listen to friends who know little.

[sandiebird]

My 16 year old 8.5 poung toy poodle has this and I noticed a huge difference for the better when I took out all salt, added glucosomin chondroutin (liquid form - a quarter of the recommended human dose) into his water and then I give him 7 drops a day or less of the arthritis medicine Metacam. I would say to NOT do anything for the cushings other than this. If you do what the vets say the actual treatment is worse than the cushings. My vet is my sister and she told me this, plus a neighbor had a dog with cushings and did the expensive pill treatment and his dog died within 3 months. There is alot of info online about cushings with dogs, read up and maybe follow what I did, as Shortie was not walking, drinking water and peeing all day, now he drinks normally and walks, plays, etc..... Good luck with everything, Sandie

[LisainCAN]

Thanks Sandie!

A short while after I wrote that post, Sara's Cushings seemed to resolve itself. I was confused but I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth! Now that I think of it, we had switched her food at that time to a much better quality, more natural brand and I remember thinking that it did seem less salty. Maybe that was what did it.

Lisa.

[yeagermeister]

Just found this website. My 14 1/2 year old 90 pound (yes, very big) Weimaraner had been (mis?)diagnosed with DM two years ago by a specialist. My own vet has long contended the issue was a lower spinal pinched nerve. He is alert, engaged, always hungry, sees, hears and smells fine. He is very alive. But dramatically, rapidly, his back leg strength has declined. With peeing in the house, drinking tons of water, heavy panting (once diagnosed as laryngeal paralysis) -and the telltale big belly - the vet now thinks he has Cushing-s...perhaps had it for some time. I just read here about these four medications....I am wondering what each of these seem to best alleviate...and what the side affects may be if anyone has experience with them: Lysodren, IV DMSO, Vetoryl Trilostane, Ozone tx.

I have a "walkabout" harness now to help him walk and am going to get a cart - just took measurements. This disconnect between his engagement and enjoyment and his physical disability is disturbing...whatever pain he has seems less important than his desire to keep foraging and walking. I have to physically restrain him from wanting to hunt around and walk. He will get the old slope-back and still keep going....he would absolutely have to be experiencing pain. I know dogs are stoics but it is incredibly confusing trying to determine this. Any observations would be welcome.

Another question I had is about the "big decision." Every single person I've spoken to has said that when their dogs stopped eating, it was the sign they were ready. But if a dog has Cushing's...and a ravenous appetite is part of it, does that muddy the indication of this "sign"? I do not want to make him go on if he is living in pain...yet he is also extremely interested in life...He has a long history of perfect health. No organ-related illnesses, no infections, etc. He sees and hears and smells fine. Yet I know at 14 1/2 and 90 pounds purebred, he is on "borrowed time" so to speak. On the other hand...I have met many MANY big purebreds who are 16, 17...I even know two 19 year olds - a golden and a shepherd. I know it is an individual case situation - as long as one removes the human selfish desire to keep our best beings around as long as possible....but any observations or insights also welcome on this.

Very last question....I used to make a home-cooked meal for him that was developed by a vet expert on DM when I first thought it was DM...does anyone know of a home-cooked meal balanced in nutrients that is recommended for Cushing's Disease?

Many thanks to anyone who can offer their experiences on the above. Cheers

[critters]

ym! Another good source of info on Cushings is VetPet http://www.vetpetpartners.org/ ; I have no personal Cushings experience.

[CarolC]

Hi yeagermeister,

I can't answer the questions about Cushings as I've never dealt with it, but I've had 4 dogs with severe mobility problems. Have you thought about getting him a wheelchair for support? He can still walk on all 4 feet in a wheelchair, but he'll go a lot farther. With a big dog it works best for outdoors. (I hope someone else will answer the questions you were really asking, sorry I can't help there).