Missy is at Vet's now!

[Dakota]

Hi, I am new to this site and found it searching for info on Cushings. I just dropped my dog off to the vet's and they are doing xrays and then the LDST to see if she may have Cushings. I have just started looking into what exactly this is. After talking with the vet, she said if Missy has it she would want to put her on Vetoryl. For some time Missy has been drinking water excessively, uriniating more, and developed a pot belly. We just thought it was signs of her getting older. At her last checkup the Vet gave me paperwork on Cushings and asked me to watch her and see if the symptoms resembled it. I have become really concerned after reading about it and called the Vet and decided to do the test. Missy hates going to the Vet. She has also been starving all the time. Although my husband says she has always been like that but I don't think this bad. Missy is a beagle mix that we rescued from some people about 6 years ago who just left her tied up in the yard or loose all the time. We found her in the road one day and took her back and they said they didn't want her. The Vet wanted to do a ACTH test that would cost $400 and said there was another test LDST that would be about $80. I read the LDST would let her know if Missy did have Cushings so I opted for that because I just can't afford $400 right now. I hope this was right. They are going to call me back after the do the xrays I think. Vet also said the medicine would be about $150/mo. I found it on the internet at pet places for alot less. Does anyone know if it is safe to buy from pet places if it gets to this? Thank you. I have been trying to explain all this to my husband but he just doesn't understand the problem and really thinks it is just old age. I don't.

[labblab]

Hello and welcome!

I have only a moment to post right now, but I am so glad that you and Missy have found us. Given Missy's symptom profile, I think the low dose dex test is indeed a reasonable test to be giving her. And I'm guessing that the x-rays are perhaps of her chest -- just to make sure there isn't anything else going on with her there that could be causing any problems...

I will be back later to write more. And I'm also certain that you'll soon be welcomed by other members as well! It's clear that you are a loving and caring mom. And we'll do everything we can to help support both you and Missy from this point onward!

Marianne

[Dakota]

Thank you for welcoming me. Patiently :) waiting to hear from vet.

[Rebelsmom]

I am curious if they are doing x-rays or are they performing and ultrasound? An ultrasound is needed to determine whether she could have adrenal or pituitary cushings. I treat my pup with Veteroyl and I get it from valleyvet.com. He is on 60mg pills and for 30 it costs me $70. There are places that make compunded meds that are a lot cheaper also, pethealthpharmacy.com is one of those. Cost will depend on what dose she is put on. After Missy is put on meds her cortisol levels will have to be checked 2 weeks after starting the drug then again in another 30 days. This is done with teh ACTH test. You might look around at other vets prices because the $400 seems really high to me and $150 for meds also seems up there. My vet is on the high end with pricing and I only pay $275 for the ACTH and if I bought his meds there it would be $80 a month. Take a deep breathe though Cushings is treatable and your Missy can continue to live out her life happily.

[littleone1]

Corky and I also want to welcome you.

As Melissa said, $400.00 is high for a stim test. Corky's is $250.00, as he has to have cortrosyn and not the gel. I'm wondering if your vet is charging you for a whole vile, which can be used for several stims.

The stim test is a very important part of monitoring the cortisol level. You really need to know what the cortisol level is before the treatment is started. Once a cushpup starts taking Vetoryl/Trilostane, the level needs to be checked in 10-14 days. Another stim is then done in 30 days. If there is an adjustment to the dosage, a stim test has to be done in 30 days. If there is no adjustment to the dosage, then a stim is done in 3 months. I would ask your vet about the cost.

I get Corky's Trilostane at Diamondback Drugs, as Corky's Trilo has to be compounded. I pay $26 for a thirty day supply. He's taking 40mg a day, but is taking 2 doses of 20mg, once in the A.M. and then 12 hours later.

I hope you will be able to get additional information from your vet. Please post the test results when you get them.

Terri

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi and welcome to you and Missy! :)

Yep, Cushing's is expensive at the beginning as you are going through the testing phase. But once the diagnosis is firm, the cost drops considerably.

Cushing's is probably the most difficult condition to diagnose in dogs as so many other conditions cause the same signs AND can cause false-positives/negatives on the Cushing's tests. For this reason, it is very important to rule out everything else, like diabetes, liver, kidney, and thyroid problems. As Terri said, the ACTH is what tells you where Missy's cortisol is - whether it is high or not. The LDDS is a good initial test, but ideally it will be followed up with at least an abdominal ultrasound on a high resolution machine. An ACTH would be a good thing to have in the beginning, too.

There are places that can help with financing vetting for our babies. One of the best is CareCredit and several of our members use them. Here is a link to some info on this from our files:

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=212

You will find info on CareCredit as well as others there. I do understand that we can only do what our pocketbooks allow. I used to threaten our prior vet that one day she would come to work and find a big ole cardboard box in her lot where me and the mutts were now living. :p

I am glad you found us and look forward to learning more about you both as time passes. Do let us know what you learn at the vets and keep in touch.

Hugs,
Leslie and the girls :D - always

[Dakota]

Thank you all for your help. I picked Missy up from the Vet's after work and they said the test they performed on her liver-abdomin were fine. They sent the LDDST to the lab and should hear today or tomorrow what those results are. Missy is 29 lbs and I asked the Vet if the results are positive for Cushings what dosage of Vetoryl would she prescribe and I was told 60 mg for two weeks and then recheck. 60 mg. seems high to me for a 29 lb dog and I will definitely discuss this further before doing it. Poor Missy was hungry and soooo thirsty when I got her home. She wants water about every half hour to an hour.

[labblab]

We'll be anxiously awaiting Missy's test results right alongside you! If she does end up being treated with Vetoryl, you are correct that most of us here would be recommending a lower starting dose for Missy. Even though the published U.S. Product Insert of Dechra (the company that makes Vetoryl) lists 60 mg. as the starting dose for a dog of Missy's size, we have learned through conversations with their technical reps that they have recently revised their recommendation down to 1 mg. per pound (which would be 30 mg. in Missy's case). So even though this info is not yet reflected in the written materials, it can be verified by calling or emailing Dechra directly. Here is a link to the "Contact Us" page for their U.S. office in Kansas:

http://www.dechra-us.com/Default.aspx?ID=365

I have personally spoken with Dr. Tim Allen, a vet who serves as one of their technical representatives, and I know he would be happy to discuss Dechra's revised dosing recommendations with either you or your vet. Also, here's a link to the Product Insert itself. Aside from the dosing chart, I think the rest of the information is up-to-date and should be helpful to you:

http://www.dechra-us.com/files/dechraUSA/downloads/Product%20inserts/Vetoryl.pdf

Marianne

[Dakota]

Thank you Marianne. I have emailed the company for their response as to the dosage change and will take that with me to the vet. Should hear from the vet today :)

[apollo6]

Welcome
I am Apollo's mom. Apollo was diagnosed with the pituitary cushing is 10 lbs and is on 12.5 compounded Trilostane, since JUNE 2010. I am concerned the starting dosage may be to high for you Missy, although the company says it is the right dosage. If you do start at the 60mg. watch for sighs of loss of appetite, lethargic. Apollo has done fine on the Trilostane.
I started a lot lower then the IMS recommended and was happy with my choice.
Sonja and Apollo

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi,

Any word from the vet yet? How is Missy doing today?

Hugs,
Leslie and the girls - always

[Dakota]

Thank you all for your help. Update on Missy. I have had her on Vetroyl 60mg. since Dec 13th and she is suppose to have an ACTH test in another week. However, I have not seen any difference in her thirst level and accidents. She has not had any side effects that I see but still thirsty all the time. Was hoping for better results (:

[Dakota]

Hi everyone, I have posted before about my dog Missy and I have a question. She was diagnosed with Cushings, the vet put her on 30 mg. Vetroyl daily for a month. That did not seem to work, they did another ACTH test ($300 by the time I got out) and the vet put her on 90 mg. daily. It has been a month and I need to find a cheaper vet to give this test again. I do not see any difference in Missy. She is still drinking water excessively, hunger, poor pot belly, thinning hair, all the symptoms and panting alot. Geez, I don't know what is going to help her if that dosage has not worked. I have the results from the last ACTH.
Cortisol Pre 6.1 ug/dl
Coritiol 2 10.9 ug/dl
Well I have not a clue if that is good or bad, obviously bad since they upped her med. I can not find what a normal reading should be. Anyone know?
Thank you,:confused:

Moderator's Note: I have move your update on Missy into her original thread. We, normally, like to keep all posts on a pup in a single thread as it makes it easier for other members to refer back to the pup's history, if needed.

[littleone1]

Has Missy been checked for UTIs , Hypothyroidism, etc. Some of these can have symptoms that mimic cushings. Also, some furbabies do better on BID, twice daily dosing. Has her cortisol level come down from the last stim test? I know it's expensive, but the cost of the injections and the lab work has increased. I hope you'll soon start seeing positive results.

Terri

[Dakota]

She has been checked before for bladder infection and she was ok. I don't know what the first Stim test results were only that the vet said they were signs of Cushings. I'm afraid her heart is going to wear out with all that weight on her short little legs. She flicks her ears alot too. I cleaned them out last night. One seems to give her a problem. The last time at the vet they did not see an infection just to keep her ears cleaned out. If she is taking 90 mg now I don't know if it is good to increase that on a 27 lb dog.