Dog Lovers: Need Some Advice (Cushings Disease)

[OhioChick]

To make a long story short, a few weeks back my mixed breed started scratching herself like crazy. I let it go a few days, as she does have allergies and as soon as we get a good frost....she stops.

This time it was different, she woke me up all through the night and in the morning (she has longer hair) the kitchen floor was covered with her hair. She had a bloody skin irritation all over her body.

I took her to the vet, who prescribed antibiotics, told me to give her Benadryl, and did some blood work. Might I also add that she's epileptic and is on phenobarbital and just turned 11 years.

Well, the blood work came back and everything was okay, other than her liver enzymes. Normal is under 200 and hers was over 500. The vet said that her best guess at this point would be Cushings Disease. The dog has the rash, pants, eats like a horse (without any weight gain) and drinks enough water to fill the lake.

I'm supposed to take her back in a month for repeat blood work. The vet said that Cushings is treatable (she told me chemo-type drugs, which I cannot afford) but since my dog is epileptic....she would likely be difficult to treat, if possible.

I don't know what to do, or what I can do. Is this a rapidly progressing disease? Is treatment (if possible) that expensive? If all we can do is "make her comfortable") approximately how much time does she have left?

Any advice is appreciated. I'm not ready to lose another dog. My other "best friend" died not that long ago from hemangiosarcoma. :cry:

[OhioChick]

1. Anyone?

:shrug:

[hippywife]

2. Have you posted in the Pet Forum?

There will be people there will loads of advice, I'll bet.

I wish you and your puppy well. :hug:

[OhioChick]

4. Will do, thanks.

:hug:

[Chan790]

3. I don't think there are many people online...

I'll kick it again later for you if you're not around.

[OhioChick]

5. Much appreciated.

:hi:

[Chan790]

12. kick. n/m

[DBoon]

6. our dog has it

it manifested itself when he was about 10 or so. He was bloated, lethargic, and drank lots of water.

The vet prescribed Lysodren. It is very expensive but the effects were dramatic. You need to adjust the dose carefully and watch for side effects. It will take some blood tests to figure out the right dose.

Unfortunately, the Cushing's syndrome was masking arthritis. When we controlled the Cushing's syndrome, he became visibly still in his rear legs

We were told it was a chronic condition that was not in itself fatal. Managing it was more a matter of the dog's quality of life.

He's now 14 and very arthritic, but the cushings has been very well controlled

The dog is a lab/pit bull mix

PM if you want to know more

[OhioChick]

7. Thank you for the information.

I'm glad to hear your dog is doing well. :)

[flvegan]

8. First, your vet needs to differentiate which type of Cushings it is.

The majority of Cushings is a pituitary issue (I forget the other one right now...it's early, sorry). This is the one that's treated by drugs (the other is surgery). I know that Anipryl is one of the common drugs they use for treatment, but I don't know if that somehow will interact with phenobarb. Treatment shouldn't be terribly expensive, but "expensive" is a word subject to personal definition. Antibiotics will only work for so long, and stringing several treatments like that along will likely be detrimental.

Cushings, if left untreated can progress rapidly and uncomfortably. Under treatment, a dog with Cushings can live a number of comfortable years.

Take your vet's advice. He/she is the expert, and I trust will have your and your dog's best interest at heart.

Good luck to you and your pup.

[OhioChick]

9. Thank you.

She did tell me that 80% of Cushings is due to a tumor on the pituitary gland, in which they usually don't touch. The other 20% is due to a tumor on the adrenal glands, I believe. I don't really know if they typically do surgery for that. I've been trying to research the topic.

She did stress that since the dog is on phenobarbital, she would be difficult (if at all possible to treat). Fortunately, the antibiotics have cleared up the skin rash completely.....for now.

I have read that if untreated, Cushings will cause multiple organ failure. Geez....always something. :(

Thanks for your thoughts. They're much appreciated.

[livetohike]

10. I had a dog that was diagnosed with Cushings in 2000

Back then there was a special test and we had to take her to a specialist for the diagnosis. Misty was given Anipryl which probably would have worked just fine. I think Misty wasn't diagnosed soon enough and she was 13.5 years old. We lost her after only a month on Anipryl....I think there was something else wrong with her that remained undiagnosed.

It sounds like you have the right diagnosis and I'm sure if Anipryl is the answer your doggie will do just fine :hug:.

[OhioChick]

11. I'm so sorry to hear that you lost your precious Misty.

I wasn't aware that there was a specialized test to diagnosis this. I'll have to look into that. I did read earlier that Phenobarbital can often cause a false diagnosis for Cushings, as well as dogs on Pheno. usually don't respond to the recommended meds. I'll have to have a more thorough talk with my vet soon. Thanks for responding. :hug: