Impressed (and embarassed)

[Chris O]

Hello All - My wife (Petra) and I are new to this site and extremely impressed with both the obvious compassion and the extensive command of detail and specifics by all. I'm embarassed to say that we don't have quite that much detail yet on our 10 yr old mixed breed female (Zoe). She was recently (last week) diagnosed with Adrenal Tumor HAC after blood tests and an Ultrasound confirmed a supposedly benign tumor on one of her Adrenals. She had been diagnosed about a year ago as having atypical Cushing's syndrome based on testing and blood results from the U. of Tenn., and we started her on Melatonin and Lignans at the Vet's direction. She had a lot of symptoms (Excessive Thirst and Urination, panting) but was relatively mobile and lively otherwise. Over the past few weeks she became extremely lethargic and weak in her hind quarters. After the tests and diagnosis we discussed the results with our Vet and were told that surgery was not a good option based on her age and general health (she's had a lot of health issues and has been on Phenobarb and Bromide for years for seizures), and also that medical treatments were not very effective for ATH.

Today our Vet called and said that she had spoken to another Vet with experience in dealing with ATH and that surgery and medication were viable options! We know we need to get the exact specifics on all of her vitals and details, but we're very confused. Everything I've seen so far indicates that surgery is complicated and difficult in the best of circumstances. The last thing we want to do is to make her suffer for no good reason.

Any directions for making a common sense and rational decision would really be appreciated. Thanks

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[littleone1]

Hi Chris,

Corky and I want to welcome you, Petra, and Zoe. I'm glad you found us. You have found a wonderful group of very caring, supportive, and knowledgeable people who have alot of experience with cushings.

Corky has a right adrenal tumor, and was diagnosed with cushings more than 2 1/2 years ago. He is now 14. He also is not a good candidate for surgery due to his age and other medical conditions. He is being treated successfully with Trilostane. As time has gone by, his dosage has had to be increased, but all of his clinical signs have disappeared. Once he started Trilo, his quality of life improved, and he returned to his normal self.

You might want to consider getting a second opinion from an IMS who is experienced in treating cushings.

Terri

[frijole]

Glad you found us too! Take your time and get up to speed on the disease, look at all options and don't feel rushed. I would probably go to a specialist if you haven't already to confirm the diagnosis... you mentioned some other drugs your dog was/is on... I assume for another illness... non adrenal illnesses can result in cushings like symptoms so you really want to be sure you have the dx correct, especially before scheduling surgery. :eek:;)

Tell us more about your dog, the whole story, the symptoms, the other illness, tests done to diagnose... we are all ears. :D Kim

[addy]

Hi and Welcome from me and my Zoe gives a woof woof to your Zoe:)

It is all overwhelming in the beginning and the best advice I can give is go slow, do research so you fully understand your options, have a vet you can trust and work with and has experience and make sure of your diagnosis.

I am also glad you found your way to our forum. Always feel free to ask questions or ask for a hug if you need one. We give group hugs that feel good too:):):)

Hugs,
Addy

[Buffaloe]

Hi Chris,

Getting the diagnosis of a primary adrenal tumor is difficult. My dog was diagnosed with a very large adrenal tumor at the age of 12. She was doing poorly but was deemed to be a good surgical candidate. She had a very successful adrenalectomy and lived for another 3.5 years with an excellent quality of life. For us, surgery was the clear choice.

Please realize that canine adrenal tumors are pretty rare and many (probably most) gp vets have little knowledge or experience with them. To find out the feasibility of surgery, you pretty much need to have a consultation with an experienced board certified surgeon.

It is true that the medications (Lysodren and Trilostane) are more effective in treating pituitary tumors. However, they can sometimes be fairly effective in treating adrenal tumors. If you think Zoe's tumor is operable and she is a good surgical candidate, you might want to investigate having an adrenalectomy. Otherwise, you can certainly treat it medically. I know you will make the best decisions for Zoe. Hang in there.

Ken