Cushings Disease

[AngelWhispers]

I suspect 10 year old Warlock has Cushings but I'm not familiar with the disease at all. What tests should be run and what do I ask the vet. My vet isn't equipped to do to much so should I look for someplace else to take him...OSU maybe? Is Cushings life threatening and how worried should I be right now?

His symptoms are:

 

excessive drinking and what goes with drinking to much, his urine is diluted and he's having accidents. Should I limit his water intake or is that a no-no? Right now he has access to water whenever he wants it.

lethargic

panting

hindend weakness

extreme hairloss, poor guy is going bald and he use to be hairy for a gh

looks pudgy but spine and hip bones are showing

 

He's still my love bug and is eating good, but he looks horrible. I was so hoping to catch a break from vets for awhile now that Flippy is done with chemo, but I guess that's not going to happen.

 

I know there are several members who have dealt with cushings and I'm hoping for suggestions, feedback. Thanks everyone.

[seeh2o]

Sometimes the precursor to SARDs (sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome) can mimic Cushings. Sheila, my non grey, had Cushings symptoms, but no one could figure out what was going on. Over Thanksgiving 2006 in the car on my way driving home from Las Vegas she went blind. She could see when we were at Ed's, she was blind when we got home. She was tested for Cushings soon after that, but it was thankfully negative.

 

Have you been to the vet yet for a definitive blood test?

 

I sure hope your vet can figure this out. Several people on GT have experience with Cushings, Cbudshome has a lot of fairly recent experience with Cushings, so you may want to PM her.

 

Sending healing thoughts to your sweet Flippy.

Edited September 8, 2009 by ckruzan

[Greytlady94]

If you can manage it, OSU would be a good place to take Warlock. There is lots of info online about Cushings, but obviously you first need an educated diagnosis, that's where OSU would come in.

 

Just doing a Google search on "Cushings disease in greyhounds" a lot of sites come up. link

[Trudy]

Do NOT limit his water intake.

 

 

All that can describe Ryan for the last 2 yaers. Cushings was ruled out. So was everything else anybody in the country could think of. We still don't know what's going on with him.

[Guest GreysAndMoreGreys]

Have you tested for Thyroid and Diabetes?

[AngelWhispers]

Have you tested for Thyroid and Diabetes?

 

I will have his thyroid levels tested, but excessive drinking isn't usually a symptom. I doubt it's diabetes, he's a raw fed dog and hairloss isn't a symptom, but I will ask the vet about it.

After doing lots of reading tonight, Warlock has every single symptom of Cushings and he's in the right age group. Cushings is actually common for older dogs, but goes undiagnosed very often.

 

[Batmom]

Denise, your vet should be able to do at least some of the testing. A urine cortisol:creatinine ratio is an easy test that can be used to rule *out* Cushing's (altho not to rule it in definitivetly). There's some good info here: http://marvistavet.com/html/cushing_s_disease.html

 

Hugs and best luck for your boy.

 

[AngelWhispers]

Denise, your vet should be able to do at least some of the testing. A urine cortisol:creatinine ratio is an easy test that can be used to rule *out* Cushing's (altho not to rule it in definitivetly). There's some good info here: http://marvistavet.com/html/cushing_s_disease.html

 

Hugs and best luck for your boy.

 

Thanks Jey. I was up half the night trying to do research on it and I'm hoping the vet can run the tests. I'm going to call her today and find out what she can and can't do.

 

[Guest Energy11]

PM Cbudshome about this. Her Misty had it. We thought Curfew did, but it is the side effects of his Phenobarbitol, causing his symptoms.

 

Good luck! I know the disease is manageable and thing will work out. Love, hugs and prayers to you and your baby!

[CaliforniaGreys]

Denise, IF this is Cushings, it can be life threatning if left untreated.

Increase water intake is a sign yes, but can also be a sign of other things. Usually with Cushings, their appetite increases greatly.

 

If your vet suspects Cushings, he will run the ACTH Supression (blood test) It's an 8 hour test that will tell you if in fact it's Cushings.

 

I have a lot of respect for OSU however it's truly not necessary to go there. I can tell you that when I donated Misty's Cushing's meds they were grateful to receive them but have seen no Greys in the program with Cushings.

 

Worst part of Cushings is getting them stable, after that, they have a very normal life and are just monitored with the ACTH Stim test every 6 months.

 

Hope this helps.

 

One note of caution, hopefully your vet is aware of this, but IF it's Cushings and he/she treats with Lysodren, no Greyhound should be given the drug adjusted by their weight!!

 

Warlock will be in my prayers

 

ETA: Judy's Emmy battled Cushings, as did Carol's Nevada

Edited September 8, 2009 by cbudshome

[AngelWhispers]

I just dropped off one of my fosters to be spayed and was able to talk to the local vet about Warlock and he said the symptoms sound exactly like cushings, and he said it goes undiagnosed because some people and vets think it's old age related symptoms. He's very familiar with it and all the testing that needs to be done, and is familiar with the drugs that are used. So tommorrow I'm dropping off Warlock so the testing can begin. He did say that he'll start with the low dose cortisol test and of course a full blood workup and thyroid test and see how all those are, and do the dexa???? test later if needed. He said that test is expensive because of the drug used and he doesn't keep it in stock but can order it if further testing is needed. He rattled off 3 or 4 drugs that he uses to treat Cushings and he'll discuss the drug options after the tests are complete.

 

I walked out of the office and gave a big sigh of relief because I didn't think my old country vet would be that familiar with the disease. I've been running 2 hours one way to the vet for Flippy almost every week for the past 6 months and I didn't want to have to start that again. My van and I really need a break.

 

If you think of anything else I need to know post here, pm or email me.

 

Thank you everyone, you're the greytest!!

 

 

 

Denise, IF this is Cushings, it can be life threatning if left untreated.

Increase water intake is a sign yes, but can also be a sign of other things. Usually with Cushings, their appetite increases greatly.

 

If your vet suspects Cushings, he will run the ACTH Supression (blood test) It's an 8 hour test that will tell you if in fact it's Cushings.

 

I have a lot of respect for OSU however it's truly not necessary to go there. I can tell you that when I donated Misty's Cushing's meds they were grateful to receive them but have seen no Greys in the program with Cushings.

 

Worst part of Cushings is getting them stable, after that, they have a very normal life and are just monitored with the ACTH Stim test every 6 months.

 

Hope this helps.

 

One note of caution, hopefully your vet is aware of this, but IF it's Cushings and he/she treats with Lysodren, no Greyhound should be given the drug adjusted by their weight!!

 

Warlock will be in my prayers

 

 

ETA: Judy's Emmy battled Cushings, as did Carol's Nevada

 

Oh yeah, big appetite increase! He thinks I'm trying to starve his pudgy self!

 

Claudia, how is the correct dose of lysodren determined if it can't be done by weight?

[Guest spider9174]

I haven't read all the responses, so this may be a repeat...

There is a great yahoo group. that is great. PM me with your email and I can send the information on.

 

excessive drinking and what goes with drinking to much, his urine is diluted and he's having accidents. Should I limit his water intake or is that a no-no? Right now he has access to water whenever he wants it.

No, do not limit his water.

lethargic

That is characteristic of Cushings. They are exercise intolerant.

 

panting

One vet told me that in a Cushings dog, the thyroid will be affected. But when the Cushings is regulated properly, the thyroid goes back to normal--unless there is a true thyroid problem. The thyroid regulates body temp.

 

hindend weakness

May or may not be related to Cushings (IMHO). Could be related to not wanting to jump or do any exercise. My Cushings girl doesn't jump much anymore and is lazy on walks.

 

extreme hairloss, poor guy is going bald and he use to be hairy for a gh

looks pudgy but spine and hip bones are showing

 

cushing's dogs will look like sausages. They gain weight around the middle but will have muscle wasting on limbs. Be very careful with his weight gain because it can cause leg problems and ligament problems.

 

Hairloss is typical too.

 

natasha

spider9174@hotmail.com

[CaliforniaGreys]

We'll be thinking about Warlock.

Just a note about thyroid, Cushings can also affect the thyroid, it did with Misty. She stayed on Soloxine until we got her Cortisol level where it should be, then she had to come off the Soloxine because her thyroid fuction returned to normal

 

Claudia, how is the correct dose of lysodren determined if it can't be done by weight?

 

I hate to say this but it's a crap shoot. When Misty was put on the Lysodren and the dose was calculated by her weight, she crashed the second dose.

It's best to go slow and lengthen the induction period.

With Misty we did 500mg(1 pill) everyday for 2 weeks, and then went from there. Takes longer to stabilize but it's safest.

Also, when they start treatment, it's really crucial for someone to be around to monitor so they don't crash. If they do, you need to get them to the vet asap.

It happened with Misty twice

 

Like I said, it's really scary in the beginning, but once they're stable you're on your way

Edited September 8, 2009 by cbudshome

[AngelWhispers]

I haven't read all the responses, so this may be a repeat...

There is a great yahoo group. that is great. PM me with your email and I can send the information on.

 

excessive drinking and what goes with drinking to much, his urine is diluted and he's having accidents. Should I limit his water intake or is that a no-no? Right now he has access to water whenever he wants it.

No, do not limit his water.

lethargic

That is characteristic of Cushings. They are exercise intolerant.

 

panting

One vet told me that in a Cushings dog, the thyroid will be affected. But when the Cushings is regulated properly, the thyroid goes back to normal--unless there is a true thyroid problem. The thyroid regulates body temp.

 

hindend weakness

May or may not be related to Cushings (IMHO). Could be related to not wanting to jump or do any exercise. My Cushings girl doesn't jump much anymore and is lazy on walks.

 

extreme hairloss, poor guy is going bald and he use to be hairy for a gh

looks pudgy but spine and hip bones are showing

 

cushing's dogs will look like sausages. They gain weight around the middle but will have muscle wasting on limbs. Be very careful with his weight gain because it can cause leg problems and ligament problems.

 

Hairloss is typical too.

 

natasha

spider9174@hotmail.com

 

Thanks Natasha! Warlock looks like a sausage and he has lost a lot of muscle, which I suspect is causing the leg weakness. The vet did say that his thyroid levels are most likely off because that's another symptom. When I first noticed about 2 months ago that he seemed off and not himself, I suspected he might be hypothyroid but then all the other symptoms started coming on. The excessive drinking just started this past week and that's when I started suspecting cushings.

 

[Guest KyGrey]

Sending good thoughts to Warlock.

[TheFullHouse]

You're vet is right, there are several drugs to treat Cushings. Sending good thoughts and wishes for Warlock. I know how scared we were when Emmy was diagnosed.

[Guest spider9174]

There are a few drugs. I don't have recommendations beyond what I personally have done and how I'd approach it. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. That said...look into compounding pharmacies. If you end up with Trilostane, I believe the compounding pharmacies are a bit cheaper. If you go with Lysodren, they will give you a dosage that is specific to your pup. You won't have to cut any pills up. Lysodren/Mitotane is an anticancer drug, so it should be handled very carefully. The type of cushings that Warlock has will have an affect on with drug you end up using.

[TheFullHouse]

We used Trilostane with Emmy and had to get it from a compounding pharmacy back east. Even at that, the price wasn't bad at all. Trilostane is supposed to have fewer side effects.

[VinnieAndRexsMom]

Sending good thoughts for Warlock

 

BTW, one of my three country vets is good at diagnosing Cushings. Those small town boys can surprise you!

[CaliforniaGreys]

Sending good thoughts for Warlock

 

BTW, one of my three country vets is good at diagnosing Cushings. Those small town boys can surprise you!

 

That's very true about vets. The big difference is Cushings in other breeds and Cushings in a Greyhound.

My vet was treating 8 dogs with Cushings while Misty was being treated. We could not follow any of the protocol because Misty was a Grey and when it came to the meds especially, it was really different

Edited September 8, 2009 by cbudshome

[brandimom]

Good thoughts and prayers coming your way and to Warlock. I have no experience with this disease but in this month's issue of Animal Wellness Magazine there is an article by Dr. Martin Goldstein, renowned holistic vet (actually he is in every one of their issues for a Q & A). One of the things he discusses is DOGtor Rx's Humanofort formula (which my holistic vet uses). There is mention of this product helping canines with diabetes and cushing's disease. I mentioned this article to my holistic vet as he treats canines that have cushing's disease. www.dogtorrx.com

 

We wish you the best!

[Guest myIrishlass]

Wow--how did I miss this thread? My Poppi has Cushings, she was diagnosed in February this year. We are still adjusting her meds, but she is doing well (except she still hates to go on walks). PM me anytime for any question. I'll try to answer all I can--the initial tests for diagnosis and then beginning treatment can be scary and stressful. BTW, currently she is on Lysodren 500mg three times a week.

[Guest myIrishlass]

My vet was greyhound savvy, although he had never treated one for Cushings. He did recommend a couple of web sites:veterinary partners, greythealth,

[kudzu]

Have dealt with Cushing's in a non-Grey. Sounds like your vet will do an LDDS test, low dose dexamethasone suppression. That is probably the most common one though some start with ACTH but then follow up with LDDS. Also used ultrasound to check adrenals & kidneys. Size & enlargement, whether equally enlarged or not, help determine if Cushing's is pituitary or adrenal dependent. LDDS also helps in that determination. (If it turns out to be Cushing's you will want to check around for cost of ACTH stim tests. OSU may be much cheaper than your vet... or not.)

 

Your description is the textbook dog with Cushing's. My little Angel was that plus an example of the worst skin problems. In addition she had a lot of laxity in her joints from extreme delay in diagnosis & treatment. Her hips even dislocated. It was horrible. Once she started treatment she was a new woman. Her hair never fully grew back because of the extensive scarring but her personality & spirit was amazing. She ran the household for 3 years.

 

Yes, Cushing's can be deadly because of the damage it wreaks on internal organs. Yet it is treatable & needs to be treated. You can read some really scary stuff about the treatments but the stress is in the beginning when you are trying to the the dosing correct. More scary than treating is what happens to untreated dogs. I've seen what happens. You don't want that to be your dog.

 

The symptoms also can be indicators of other diseases so don't overlook that by concentrating on Cushing's. Also remember that diabetes & hypothyroid can happen along with Cushing's. Hypothyroid in particular is quite common with Cushing's so test for that even if Cushing's is suspected & confirmed. Someone has already mentioned SARDs. It happens with & without Cushing's. I don't know if they have ever determined the link or the cause.

 

Good luck. I hope you get a diagnosis for you baby. Glad you are pursuing this.

[AngelWhispers]

Thanks everyone! Warlock is at the vet's now and had the low dose dexa injection and draws for a full panel and a thyroid panel. I think the vet is also going to do a UA to make sure there's no UTI because that can be common with cushing dogs. So now I wait.

 

We can use a few other good thoughts and prayers. Sissy my 22 month old foster was spayed yesterday and ended up in ER because she started bleeding and she wasn't clotting. She was given plasma and Vit K and was stable when I picked her up this morning to transport her back to my vet, but a half hour later while we were home waiting for the vet to open she started breaking out in hives. She's at vet's along with another foster who is being neutered and having a dental. Sissy is stable again and the vet will be giving her more Vit K and monitoring her today. He's also calling Jean Dodds in CA to talk to her and have Sissy entered in the data base. I have another foster and Strider on stand-by in case she needs a transfusion, we all hoping that won't be neccessary. When I left the vet's office the hives were subsiding and she was pigging out on canned AD...she hadn't eaten a thing since Mon. night.

 

It's been a looong 24 hours and we still not done! Everyone will hopefully come home feeling much better tonight at 5pm.