Trouble with Vetoryl - 11 y/o pitbull terrier (Dozer has passed)

[Danniray]

Hello, I am mother to an 11 yr old pitbull terrier with cushings. He was diagnosed in 2009, along with problems with his thyroid. Started him on thyroid tabs anolg with vetoryl- 2 60mg tabs a day. Was on it over a year and he did wonderful. He lost all of his extra weight, lost his "pot belly" look, ate and drank normally, all was good. One day he stopped eating and drinking, was very lethargic. Was like this for 3 days. used peanut butter to administer his meds, and that was the only thing he ate by himself. Took him to vet and ran tests. Kidney failure. Started force feeding bland soft food and gave sub-q fluids. Still no change. Thought might be a tooth abcess, so put him under to remove tooth. As soon as surgery was over he died on the table, but we caught it in time and epi shot and chest pounding he started breathing. Slowly he woke up, and took him home. (I do not leave my dogs at vet to die, If they die they do it with me.) Still no change in appetite. Googled Vetoryl and seen a list of side effects- kidney failure, loss of appetite, etc. Took him off and saw an immediate change. He quickly got Cushings symptoms again, and 6 months later tried Vetoryl again. Only half his normal dose. Next day back to not eating and lethargic. So can't put him on that. He is so big he can barely get up, has a hard time breathing, and drinks about 2 gallons a day. Is there anything else I can do?

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi and welcome from me and my boy, Harley. I am so sorry for the circumstances that brought you here but very glad you found this forum as we will help you in any way we can.

My boy, Harley, has kidney disease and Cushing's so as of right now I am not treating his Cushing's Disease.

When you say your furbaby is so big he can barely get up, do you mean over-weight or from retaining water? Are you still giving your boy sub-q fluids?

How are your boy's kidney levels...mainly the creatinine, phosphorus, and BUN? Does your furbaby have high blood pressure?

Is your boy taking any other herbs/supplements/medications?

Sorry for all the questions but the more we know about your sweet boy the better our feedback will be, ok?

Looking forward to hearing more.

Love and hugs,
Lori

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi and welcome to you and your baby! :p

WHAT a scary ride you two have had! :eek: I hope your baby is ok today or did the second time just happen today? If this just happened, take him back to the vet and have an ACTH and his eletrolytes checked asap. DO not wait! Go NOW! read later....



If this second time has passed and your baby is ok then we can start from here.

Trilo should be used in caution with pups with kidney problems so I am a bit concerned that your vet would prescribe it again after such a bad reaction on top of kidney failure. Has your vet treated many cush pups? Are they well versed in Trilo usage? I cannot believe you had to do the research to find out it needed to be stopped - your vet should have told you that immediately.

I'm sorry to answer your question with more questions but the answers will help us give you more meaningful feedback, so here we go!

Has his thyroid function been checked lately? These levels often drop even on medication and need to be checked to make sure the meds are meeting the body's need. IF he is not getting enough to supplement what his body is not producing, you will see many of the same signs as you will with Cushing's - weight gain, hair loss, excess thirst.

What tests were done to determine he has Cushing's? LDDS, HDDS, ACTH, ultrasound? If you would please post the results of any of these tests as well as the latest blood panel results that were abnormal that will help a great deal. Please include units of measurement (ug/dl etc) and the normal ranges given for each value.

How are his kidneys doing? Is he on any meds, special diet for this? Are you still having to give sub-q fluids?

Is he taking prednisone for any reason?

Based on what you have said so far, the kidneys need to be the focus of his care now. With kidney failure none of the drugs used to treat Cushing's will be helpful to those organs.

I will stop here and hope to hear from you soon as to the condition of your baby today....and hoping he is alright.

Hugs,
Leslie and the girls - always

[mytil]

I too would like to see the results of the tests performed to diagnose Cushing's as well as any follow up ACTH testing to keep tabs on the cortisol levels. But I think the kidney issues need to be addressed first.

It could be that your boy is not tolerating Vetoryl due to kidney issues. It was wise IMO to take him off of this and not administer any more. What has your vet said about the labored breathing - have heart issues been ruled out?

You mentioned he is drinking gallons of water, is he peeing normally or excessively?

Has his electrolytes been checked?

Terry

[Danniray]

I am reading these results. He had 2 dex suppression- Pre dex-3.0ug/dl---4hr post-.6ug/dl---8hr---.4ug/dl. These results were negative, so sent urine test to university of Michigan? and they came back positive. Wasn't given actual test papers. He was only on fluids until I took him off Vetoryl, and his kidneys returned to normal. It was the meds I think. Vet told me to try using the half dose the second time, and it still made him sick. He has been off the Vetoryl since May of last year. Tried him on half dose in October 2010, but only had him on it for 3 days. He got very sick quickly. Today put him on ketokonizole tablets to see if that works. His weight is 108lbs and he should weigh 60 lbs. MOST of the extra weight is water. Tried an herbal supplement along with Vetoryl, cant remember what it was, but it was $45 a bottle. Testimonials were great, but it didnt do any good for Dozer. Vet said what he is on now only works on 30% of dogs treated.

[Danniray]

I know cortisol levels are high, but not being able to put him on meds gave me no reason to test. When he died a part of his brain that tells muscles on right side of his face to work died or quit working. He has complete atrophy on that side of his face, and has little vision in his right eye and has sunk in. He is now deaf. I really thought he would have to have been put down by now. But he really wants to live. Thats when I came across this site while looking up my options. I can't put him down unless I have tried everything I can. Going to test after being on new meds for 2 weeks. He gets thyroid testing every 6 months or so. Too much thyroid can also make him drink more. I have tested him for diabetes 3 times since that is what his mother died from. Just couldn't get it under control. He just has so much wrong that I am overwhelmed. And no my vet hasnt treated Cushings very much, none of them around here have.

[Squirt's Mom]

He had 2 dex suppression- Pre dex-3.0ug/dl---4hr post-.6ug/dl---8hr---.4ug/dl. These results were negative, so sent urine test to university of Michigan? and they came back positive.

Was Cushing's diagnosed based on the urine test? If so, that could be the problem. No urine test that I know of can test for Cushing's. I am now wondering if your baby has been misdiagnosed?

[StarDeb55]

I have not posted to you previously, but have been reading. I hesitate to post on vetoryl users threads as I have no personal experience with the drug. Now, that you have posted some of the test results, I will tell you that the low dose is negative. The low dose is considered to be the gold standard for Cushing's diagnostic testing. It does have one big problem in that it can yield a false positive result in the presence of non-adrenal illness. This is the reason why a positive low dose must be confirmed by a second test.

We need a little more information about the "urine test" that was done. If it was a urine cortisol creatinine ratio, this is only a screening test for Cushing's. If you get a postive result, that simply means that Cushing's is a possibility, further testing required. A negative result means that you are absolutely not dealing with Cushing's. If your pup's Cushing's diagnosis was made on the basis of the urine cortisol creatinine ratio, IMO, your pup has been misdiagnosed. Please remember that I am not a vet.

Debbie

[Harley PoMMom]

Is there any way that you can get Dozer in to see an IMS? Internal medicine specialists (IMS), are experts in diagnosing and managing the care of patients with multiple diagnoses and chronic diseases.

Although I am no vet, it seems that Dozer might have a severe case of ascites, this ascities or swelling could be what is causing his breathing difficultly.

Keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers.

Love and hugs,
Lori

[Isnthebeautiful]

hi
was very moved by your comment 'but he really wants to live' -i have similar stuff going on with my Bob and i know just how you feel - he just started to go deaf too! Just to add to all the problems! I'm sorry i cant help but there are such knowledgable folk on this site i'm sure they will help somehow.
jo

[Danniray]

Debbie, the dex suppression test is from what I understand will with 100% accuracy diagnose patuitary gland tumors, not adrenal gland tumors. He had all the signs of Cushings, as well as thyroid issues. When starting Vetoryl he got better, so that right there says he has Cushings. My vet says treat the symptoms not the numbers. His thyroid was on the low side of normal, but starting thyroid made his hair grow right away. Been to other vets concerning this, no one could give me a for sure answer. One vet wanted to neuter him thinking it was hormonal issues making him lose his hair. The eighth month after starting Vetoryl he was NORMAL. Five months after that was when the not eating started, a week later he was off the Vetoryl and kidneys started to function and he was eating. All this has cost me over $5000 the past 2 years trying to figure out what was going on. My vet was the only one that took a chance and acted upon it.

[Danniray]

As to him having canine ascites, there is fluid on his abdomen which is pushing on his lungs. He is retaining ALOT of fluid due to his Cushings. As with any morbidly obese person, daily movement will cause heavy breathing. He lays upside down on his back with his head propped up on something in order to breath better. And he cannot be put under anymore due to what happened to him before. And he does have pancreatitis caused by the cushings, also his kidneys are probably going as well. There is no need to test all of these things, i know he has problems other than Cushings. I just want to make his time left here with me to be more comfortable. My main question is about what meds have you had luck with, and how fast were the results. Has anyone else used ketaconazole? He has had problems since 2007, so he has lived longer than normal with this disease. It started with hair loss, excessive drinking, and pot belly.

[lulusmom]

Hi and a belated welcome to you and Dozer.

I understand that you think Dozer has high cortisol and want to treat it but the fact of the matter is, the symptoms you describe are not limited to typical cushing's. If Dozer is intact, your vet could very well have been correct in his assumption that Dozer could have elevated sex hormones. Estradiol is one of the adrenal hormones that is a real culprit and the only one that can be found outside the adrenals and the gonads are a very likely source. Dozer may have improved on Trilostane but that still doesn't mean he has high cortisol. Trilostane has been used to treat dogs with alopecia X (hair loss) and it was very effective, even in dogs that did not have typical or atypical cushing's.

As Debbie mentioned, the Low Dose Dex Suppression test is the gold standard for diagnosing cushing's. This test is more likely to yield a false positive result in the face of non adrenal illness or stress and I'm surprised that with all of the things going on with Dozer, that you didn't get a positive result. You got a negative result but that doesn't mean that the dog doesn't have cushing's. As I recall, about 10% of dogs with cushing's will have a normal ldds and a few the causes for this is a dog with a tumor in the pars intermedia lobe of the pituitary and it could be early on in the disease and the feedback loop between the adrenals and the pituitary has not been lost yet. So Dozer could very well have elevated cortisol but there's no way to know because your vet didn't do appropriate testing. The only urine test that is used to rule out cushing's is the urine cortisol creatinine ratio and even this test can be abnormal in the face of any underlying condition that transiently elevates the cortisol.

I reallize that all of this is a nonissue for you at this moment and that your only question right now is which drug may be effective for Dozer, but I wanted to explain some things in case new members may read your thread and think it is acceptable to diagnose a dog and initiate treatment without adequate testing.

I also want to point out that cushing's is not a condition listed as being associated with ascites. Liver disease and heart failure are much more likely to be the cause. Some of the symptoms and blood abnormalities found in primary liver disease are similar to cushing's. Severe GI upset, diarrhea, panting, excessive drinking and peeing and elevated bile acids are some symptoms associated with both conditions. Did your vet do a liver biopsy to try to determine if steroids were involved? I ask because unless a liver biopsy was done to determine if the liver enzyme, alkaline phosphatase, was steroid induced, you can't assume the liver issues are being caused by cushing's and unless he did appropriate testing for pancreatitis, I don't believe you can assume that Dozer has pancreatitis either.

If Dozer is taking a drug that is only effective in 30% of dogs, then I would assume he is on Anipryl (Selegiline) and by the way, 30% is probably overstated. If Dozer does, in fact, have a tumor in the pars intermedia then it could possibly help the excessive peeing and drinking. With the issues Dozer already has, his liver is undoubtedly already impaired so ketoconazole would be a very poor choice, firstly because it is very hard on the liver and 2) at least 35% of dogs do not absorb it through the gi tract. It is very obvious that your boy has some serious issues and the only way to treat ascites is to treat the underlying condition. In view of Dozer's impaired kidneys and liver, Trilostane and Lysodren are not appropritate either. I think your vet went with the only drug he could. I'm not a vet but I've read enough in the last six years to become very familiar with a lot of canine conditons and if Dozer were my dog, I wouldn't treat the cushing's right now because I'm not convinced he has cushing's and even if I was sure, I'd still not be sure cushing's was causing all of his problems. I think your time and money would be better spent on treating the kidney and liver problems. You may also want to consider Lori's suggestion about consulting with an internal medicine specialist. An internal medicine specialist saved my dog's life. Had I let my gp vet continue with her care, she would not be here today. I honestly think Dozer has a lot more going on than a gp vet is equipped to handle. My two cushdogs have multiple conditions but nothing compared to Dozer and they treat exclusively with an internal medicine specialist.

Sorry for the novel but everybody will tell you that I'm full of hot air and have trouble with brevity. :D Before I go catch the last train out, I want to tell you that my heart goes out to you and that my prayers are with you both.

Hugs,
Glynda

[lulusmom]

Hi again,

I forgot to ask a question. You mentioned Dozer's difficulty in breathing. Is he truly morbidly obese or is his breathing difficulty being caused by an enlarged abdomen that is full of fluids? I should also mention that unless a cushdog is allowed by a pet owner to overeat, cushing's is not a common cause of obesity.

[Squirt's Mom]

Debbie, the dex suppression test is from what I understand will with 100% accuracy diagnose patuitary gland tumors, not adrenal gland tumors

Hi,

For what it's worth, no test is 100% accurate - there is always room for error.

To share our experience - Squirt had the LDDS, HDDS, ACTH, UTK panel and 2 ultrasounds - all "confirmed" PDH. But they were all wrong. On the second U/S a tumor was found on her spleen. Once that tumor and part of her spleen were removed, her cortisol returned to normal and has remained within range.

Cushing's is the most difficult disease to diagnose in dogs because of several factors - signs mimic other conditions; cortisol is the body's natural response to stress - internal or external; the tests are not always clear and certainly not 100% accurate; many vets have no experience with Cushing's either diagnosing or treating; vets are taught in school treatment will make no difference; and many parents are not willing to go the extra mile required to make sure their baby is properly diagnosed and to monitor treatment...just to name a few.

Based on what you have shared with us, Dozer has not had the testing needed to make a diagnosis of Cushing's and it is very frightening that he has been given such a powerful drug as Trilostane based on such limited testing. I am not the least bit surprised that you have seen the "reaction" to Trilo that you have - there is no way you, or your vet, can know for sure he has Cushing's yet he was treated for it. I fear your vet has simply missed the boat and something else is going on with your sweet boy - like kidney failure, liver disease, uncontrolled thyroid levels, hormonal imbalance due to the gonads, or a host of other considerations.

Water retention is not part of Cushing's but could well be due to heart failure or lung disease. Cush pups pee constantly because of the cortisol running rampant through their systems. They drink like mad to make up for the fluids lost due to peeing so much - they drink to stay hydrated.

If Dozer were mine, 1) I would forget about Cushing's, 2) I would find an IMS asap, 3) I would pursue determining the state of his pancreas, liver, kidneys, heart and lungs, 4) I would NOT give the Keto, 5) I would love him to pieces every chance I got.

The two of you have had a terrible journey so far but Dozer and you deserve to know why and what is causing him to be so sick.

Hugs,
Leslie and the girls - always

[Danniray]

Thank you for all your advice. He has had blood work done so many times they all run together. He does have pancreatitis, last I checked his kidneys were just ok, not great. He will not eat the right food to keep that in check. And he cannot be put under anesthesia anymore. So if it is hormonal and neutering would help that still does me no good. Today was his second day of keta pills and again he wont eat. So cant give him anything of that sort. He has never been on steroids. What he is doing is leaving thick slime in his water when he drinks. And lots of it. I dont know where to turn for a vet. Cannot afford to go to a vet school, and all vets i call says go to a local vet, they could help me just as much. If this water retaining is due to his vital organs, I will lay him to rest. But he doesnt cough like he has heart problems. If I could figure out how to get pictures on here I would add one. He will be twelve on Monday

[Danniray]

He has lived a good life, and he is old. I'm sure his body is wore out. He can no longer get up on furniture and he is now limping from all this extra weight he is carrying. I am torn trying to make the right decision by letting him go and be in peace, or prolonging this agony for just a few more months. My vets are really trying all they know to do. But they are young. They have called on their vet school teachers and asked their opinion, and thats what they were told to try was the Vetoryl. I guess I need to do more blood work and go from there.

[Danniray]

Oh and I forgot to add that he gets fed twice a day. 3 bites of canned dog food on top of 2/3 cup of holistic dog food. When he eats. His belly is distended, his chest is huge, the top of his neck has gotten so big that it is way bigger around than his head. just listened to his heart. Sounds strong and i dont hear any fluid.

[mytil]

I am wondering if aspiration of the fluid would offer him some comfort until this is sorted out.

Terry

[frijole]

I don't know about the vet school nearest you but the one I went to was MUCH cheaper than regular vets. I paid $400 to $500 for an ultrasound at a vets and only $150 at the vet school for example. So don't assume they are higher - I think in most cases they are cheaper. Kim

[HarrysMom]

What is your dog's albumin level? Does your dog leak protein in urine (this would show up in the urinalysis)?
Many dogs with chronic kidney issue leak protein in urine. This would result in hypoalbumia - protein deficit in the blood - this will result in ascites,

Yunhee

[Danniray]

The closest vet school to me is in Columbia,MO. I taken dogs there before so I am not assuming they are higher, I know. $250 just to walk in the door. And ultrasounds at my vet are way cheaper than yours. I think i only paid $110 for the one I had done in 2009. i dont know anything about what is going on with him now. Got appt with my vet Sat morning to get blood work done. If organs are ok, I may take him to vet school. But for me to spend another couple thousand dollars just for them to tell me there is nothing they can do will be very disheartening. That is the way it went last time I went there. If he was still a young dog it would be different. But with him being almost twelve it is useless. He cant have surgery, few meds, I just dont know. Will get thyroid redone also, and give you an update about their outcome. Please all pray for him.

[Danniray]

Had blood work done, along with thyroid. All was normal. Read some articles on diagnosing cushings last night, and ran across a couple VETS saying you cant always go by numbers. If the symptoms are there, see if the meds make them better. That's what my vets tried, and it worked. He has most of the symptoms of cushings. The only thing he doesn't have are the sores all over his skin. Last year he had a few crusty like sores, but were only there over a period of 2 weeks. Dr put him on a lower dose of keta and im to give it for 2 weeks. So either Dozer will eventually eat, or I'll have to put him down. He HAS to be on meds to control the cortisol. All that is going on are cushings symptoms. The only thing vet found is slight pancreatitis, which is a long term effect from having cushings. Since problems started in 2007, that means he has had it almost 4 years. From what i have read online, life expectancy is around 2 yrs.

[frijole]

Hi from me. Thanks for the update.

I just want to clarify for those that read this thread and are concerned about their own dog's life expectancy that what you read about "2 years" is a bunch of hog wash. Not true at all. Many, many dogs with cushing's lead normal lives once treated. We have had dogs live an additional 8 yrs. Mine lived 4 1/2 yrs after the diagnosis and she died at 16 1/2 unrelated to cushing's.

Cush dogs tend to be older to start with so yes, some may die after two years but its an age thing and not a cushing's thing. Just wanted to clarify that.

Kim

[lulusmom]

Had blood work done, along with thyroid. All was normal.

I'm really confused. I believe that if cortisol was so high as to make Dozer quit eating, bloodwork would not be perfectly normal. I would think liver enzymes would be elevated at the very least. Perhaps I've been under the wrong impression. I thought Dozer is seriously ill but a critically ill dog does not have normal bloodwork. :confused:


Read some articles on diagnosing cushings last night, and ran across a couple VETS saying you cant always go by numbers.

Can you please provide us with links to that research and/or the names of the vets. I've done a lot of research in the last six years and I don't recall any well respected and published specialist in endocrinology making this blanket statement. I believe I've already said this but it's worth mentioning again in case any member should think it's acceptable to treat a dog based solely on symptoms. It is not acceptable. Based on the information provided so far, I believe that Dozer's vet did a woefully inadequate job of properly diagnosing Dozer, as well as monitoring treatment via acth stimulation tests, thereby placing him at undue risk. Trilostane, Lysodren and Ketoconazole are all serious drugs and no vet should prescribe them on a gamble. Dozer got lucky but that doesn't mean the next dog that walks into your vet's office with suspected cushing's symptoms will be.

I agree with Kim that the two year life expectancy is hogwash. I think somebody came up with this number based on the fact that cushing's is usually an old dog's disease so by the time a dog is diagnosed, s/he may only have a few years to live anyway. My first cushdog was diagnosed at 3 years old and is now 9 years old. My second cushdog was diagnosed in 2007, so according to that two year nonsense, both of my dogs should be dead. There are many other members whose dog(s) have or still are living well past two years.

[mypuppy]

Hi Kim and Glynda,
Thank you so much for clarifying the "hog wash" these vets tell us. My ims gave Princess 2 years as well, and you must have some idea how awful for me to learn she would be leaving us at only 9 years old. It's been over a year on treatment and part of me is walking on egg shells here reflecting on what my vet said, but after reading some of the amazing stories on the forum, as yours, I remain positive and pray my Princess will beat the odds. Thanks again. Warm regards. Xo Jeanette

[Danniray]

I dont know where I read the articles, but I googled ketaconizole side effects and found it there. And its not the cortisol that makes him not want to eat, its the MEDS. Put him on 1 pill first day, second day, third day, tried 2 yesterday with food, and today hasnt eaten at all. Vets did lower keta dosage, but article says to start off really low and build up if body can handle it. On this med he hasnt been drinking as much, so hope its working some. Before when he didnt eat I tried meat or anything he would eat, but that was wrong. Vet said just his dogfood, and if he didnt eat, fine. But I'm concerned about giving keta to him on empty stomach. His belly is really making noises today since its empty, and he hasnt had meds today. I know you all think my vet(s) are not doing their jobs, but they havnt seen the symptoms he is showing except with Cushings.

[Danniray]

And the reason they thought it was Cushings in the first place was drinking more, and him urinating on the floor, climbing on dressers and tables after food, knocking over trash can to get food, etc. That wasnt the way he normally acted. And hair loss and bloated belly. So put him on meds and all that stopped and/or got better. Most symptoms improved within 2 weeks, but his tummy took alot longer to become normal. I think it was almost 9 months. But he got better. So I think that should say something.

[lulusmom]

And the reason they thought it was Cushings in the first place was drinking more, and him urinating on the floor, climbing on dressers and tables after food, knocking over trash can to get food, etc. That wasnt the way he normally acted. And hair loss and bloated belly. So put him on meds and all that stopped and/or got better. Most symptoms improved within 2 weeks, but his tummy took alot longer to become normal. I think it was almost 9 months. But he got better. So I think that should say something.

If these symptoms were only seen in typical cushing's, I'd say yes, that should say something; however, that's not the case. There is another condition called atypical cushing's and dogs with this condition do not have elevated cortisol but rather elevated intermediate hormones. Blood abnormalities and symptoms are much the same as typical cushing's. With a negative LDDS and the symptoms you describe, atypical cushing's would be much a more likely diagnosis. In other words, your vets never established that Dozer has elevated cortisol, yet they prescribed a drug that reduces cortisol. They took a huge risk with Dozer and unless they've determined that he actually does have elevated cortisol recently, they are continuing to place him at risk.

I want to make it perfectly clear that we are not vet bashers; however, when we see something that appears to be a blatant breach of protocol, so as to place a dog in danger, we point it out so that both the pet owner can understand and other members understand that this is not the norm. I personally don't hesitate to try to mention breach of protocols because my own gp vet was about as ignorant as they come. The fact of the matter is that very few gp vets are experienced enough to take on a suspected cushdog as a patient. I loved my gp vet. He had treated my dogs for years. The sun rose and set on him in my eyes and I didn't hesitate to place blind faith in him to do what was right for my dog. I didn't know it then but I know now that you can get away with trusting a vet with a lot of conditions but not cushings. This is a disease that requires an experience vet and an educated pet owner. If one or both of those components are missing, a dog is much more likely to suffer side effects and some can be quite serious.

We have a wonderful resources library and if you haven't started reading yet, I recommend that you start taking a look around in your spare time. To try to help you understand some of the things I've said, I'm providing a link below to an excellent paper written by a well published specialist in endocrinology, Dr. Mark E. Peterson. Dr. Peterson lectures to veterinarians across the country on many subject, including cushing's. You may even want to print out this paper and give it to your vets so that they understand how to properly diagnose cushing's. You can also tell them that if they have any questions, they can post questions on Dr. Peterson's blog. He has two sections on his blog, one for pet owners and one for veterinarians so don't you be afraid to ask any questions you might have. I have also included a link for the blog below.

Diagnosis of Hyperadrenocorticism in Dogs (Peterson)
http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=216

http://endocrinevet.blogspot.com/

[Danniray]

Hello again, I will not ever know what Dozer had. He was put to sleep last Wednesday due to neurological problems vet said was probably due to brain tumor. Could have done exploratory brain surgery after he was gone, but didn't want them cutting open my baby. That may have been his problem all along, which in turn produced those same symptoms; I don't know. He started circling to the right and falling down. He would literally exhaust himself doing this. So I made the decision to let him rest. Thank you all who left me great comments. You were all probably right.

[Isnthebeautiful]

I'm so sorry to hear that,we all do our best..you did yours,thats all we can do...we will all be thinking of you
jo XXX

[labblab]

I am so sorry for the loss of your baby. But thank you so much for returning to tell us what has happened so that we can join you in honoring his life and his memory. Dozer's name has now been added to our special memorial thread, where he joins all our other beloved companions who have passed on:

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2865

Again, I am so very sorry, and I send you many hugs in loving memory of your baby boy ~
Marianne

[Bichonluver3]

We, too, send our love and prayers at the news of your sweet baby's passing. You did all that could be done and, finally, gave him the greatest gift you could give. I know it was not the easiest decision to make but it was the best one for Dozer.
To Dozer: Run free precious prince with all your new friends at the Rainbow Bridge. May sunshine warm your face and gentle breezes be at your back. I will look tonight, in the desert sky, for our newest, brightest star. Godspeed and God bless.
Hugs and healing light to you and your family,
Love,
Carrol & Chloe

[Franklin'sMum]

I am so sorry to hear of your loss of Dozer. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this very sad time. He is now free of pain and suffering, romping with the others who have gone before.

Jane, Franklin and Angel Bailey xxx

[k9diabetes]

I am very sorry to learn of Dozer's passing. I know it is heartbreaking for you after trying so hard to help him. Godspeed to your boy.

Natalie

[littleone1]

I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Terri

[makita1996]

So sorry to hear of your loss, the passing of Dozer..... I understand how you feel right now and that it feel's like there is nothing anyone can say or do to lessen your pain.... please take comfort in the fact that you are not alone and if I can say one thing that may lessen the pain, is to check back to this site and take comfort in the kind and encouraging words from people whom you and Dozer, have never met....Makita passed away a month ago and not a day goes by that I don't cry and miss her terribly....and in those moments I will come to this site to read stories of others who have lost and kind words that were sent to me at my time of loss..... and it does help.....

[Casey's Mom]

I am so very sorry to hear about Dozer. You are part of our family now and I hope that you can stay with us - we are here to help as much as we can.

Love and hugs,

[Danniray]

Wow! Thank you all for your kind words. You are all very much appreciated in my life. I will keep reading and hopefully I can help someone else in return. Just figured out how to post pictures, so I hope you will all take a peek. I miss him terribly, but I know he's running around doggie heaven. Lets hope there are no cats there!

[k9diabetes]

Aw... what a handsome guy he was. I know your whole family must be devastated. Your album is a lovely tribute to him.

Natalie

[Truffa's Mom]

I am really sorry for your loss. Love all the pictures of sweet Dozer, please be comforted in knowing that your baby is now pain free, I am sure there's cats, and birds, and elephants, and wow he will be having so many friends from all species that I bet that when he'll come to be your guardian, you'll have a whole parade of his friends at the bridge taking care of you and your family.
My thoughts and prayers are with you

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi Danniray,

Dozer was obviously a much loved and trusted member of your family - your pics tell that story so clearly. He was a powerful presence in your lives and I know his absence is still a burden you all are struggling to carry. My heart goes out to all of you.

You said you knew Dozer was running in doggy heaven now and I believe the same. I further believe that one day you and your family will see him again and when you do, it will be forever this time. Until then, he is watching over you all with every bit of love he has.

Our deepest condolences,
Leslie, Squirt, Trinket, Brick and our Angels, Ruby and Crystal