Re: Recently Diagnosed...Concerned

[Norrie DS]

Hi all, I have a black Lab / Dalmation mix. She is 9.5 yrs and has had what we assume is cushings for about 2 years.
I do not have money for my own medical much less the $200 per test, several times over, for my puppy :(
She has shown all the signs (gained weight, went blind, lost hair on her tail etc).
I had been giving her vitimin supplements and she was doing well but now with the heat has taken a decided turn for the worse.
She started with diarrea a couple of days ago and we have it under control now. However, today she has bad control over her hind legs.
I really want to do well by her but it is so hard with a limited income.

What more can I do for her?
Also there are no vets in our area that deal with dogs with Cushings.

[mytil]

Hi and welcome from to our site. I am sorry you and your girl are having these troubles. But we are all here to help.

Firstly, there is a simple, inexpensive test that can be done that will rule out Cushing's - it is called UC/CR test.


Urine Cortisol/Creatinine Ratio Test: Considered a screening test, this cannot diagnose Cushing's, but it can rule it out. A urine sample is examined for the relative amounts of cortisol versus a normally excreted protein metabolite, creatinine (the latter is used to control for the degree of dilution of the urine). The greater the ratio, the higher the cortisol level. High cortisol in urine is suggestive of high cortisol in the bloodstream. Many conditions other than Cushing's disease can cause false positives, so this test is not considered diagnostic. Nonetheless, if the cortisol/creatinine ratio is okay, the dog is not likely to be Cushingoid, so this is a good screening test.

What has your current vet mentioned regarding Cushing's and any testing? Did your current vet tell you they will not test or treat Cushing's? If so, did they give you an alternative contact, possibly a reference to a clinic/teaching hospital that does have experience?

The correct diagnosis is very important as there are other conditions that mimic these symptoms (thyroid problems, diabetes for example).

Also, here is a link where you can possibly receive some financial help....http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=212.

Keep us posted
Terry

PS - I started this new thread for you so others can reply easier.

[Jenny & Judi in MN]

are you sure it is cushings? could it be diabetes? the blindness doesn't sound like a cushings issue (my Jenny is blind from diabetes induced cataracts)

It is so hard if they are struggling. Judi

[Lady's mom]

I don't know where you are located, but I urge you to reach out for financial help for your baby. It is available thru vet. Hospitals and teaching hospitals.

Don't be shy about asking about it - you will find good info, I'm sure. Also, look online for more info.

Good luck.

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi and welcome to you and your baby girl! :)

There is a condition called SARDS in which a pup will display the classic signs of Cushing's yet it isn't Cushing's. SARDS stands for Sudden Acquired Retinal Degenerarion Syndrome and the pups go blind. Blindness itself is not typically a result of Cushing's. When a pup gets SARDS, it is just as the name implies - it is sudden - Cushing's does not come on suddenly but takes years and years before it is easily recognized by their appearance and behaviors.

With SARDS pups, it is best to ignore the cush signs and let the condition take its natural course at which time the Cushing's signs typically disappear and you simply have a blind dog who is hopefully otherwise healthy. I have two blind pups who are very happy and function very well (they are not SARDS pups - one blind from glaucoma, one from hydrocephalus.) But I wanted to let you know that blind dogs can and do function just fine. ;)

Here is a link to our Helpful Resource Section about SARDS. Check it out and let us know if this sounds anything like what you are seeing with your sweet girl. And keep your chin up, honey. You and your baby are no longer alone. We will be here to help you both in any way we can.

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=213

Please stay in touch and let us know how things are going....and no guilt, ok? We all do the best we can with what we have and I understand so well not having much. There are financial aids available and I will give you that link as well.

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

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

[Norrie DS]

Thank you for moving the thread. :)
My dog is named Dandee, she is 9 1/2 years. She was a very 'bouncy' dog and would jump straight up 8 feet or more and loved to run a lot.

Two years ago she started rubbing her eyes on things (our leg or the sofa etc) and gained weight (we put her on food for weight management), in the Spring of 2011 she seemed fine one day then got an eye infection which damaged her retina and she was blind literally over night. She is on eye drops for that which I can get at Walmart for $4. If she has Shards it it too late to treat after 1 1/2 yrs.

As I was taking her back and forth to the vet (25 miles) we noticed she started to loose the hair on her rump and around her tail. The vet said it was the signs of Cushings and wanted to do a $200 test which would be followed by medication and another test within 2 weeks, easily more that $1000 the first month plus ongoing at about $500+ a month. :eek: I am retired and do not have that kinda money. He will not test without payment.

He offered me some 'vitimins' that would help which would cost at least $200 a month for her size. I read what was in the vitimins and chose to buy vitimins with the same ingredients from Walmart plus skin and coat liguid. She has been on these for a year and was doing really well. We feed her a high protein low fat diet and a little liver each day.

She did get sick with diarrea once from eating cat litter. Then this week she got diarrea again (no apparent reason, probably the heat) and is having problems with her hind legs.

Have any of you used Cushex or Supraglan? Will they help?

[mytil]

Hi again,

I just wanted to see if your vet ran any tests for thyroid problems. Hair loss is a symptom of this. Is the skin red or has the pigment of the skin changed?

I am not sure what "vitamins" your vet wanted, but can you let us know more about this. Human vitamins are different in recommended daily requirements than canine - I would certainly check this one out.

I think your vet may be a bit expensive. I would ask for the UC:CR test I mentioned above as well as testing for thyroid problems. And if your are close to a teaching/vet university, check out any of their programs. Many here have had good success in this.

I am sorry, but IMO Cushex or Supraglan are really a waste of your monies and I certainly would not give any of these to a dog where a Cushing's diagnosis has not been made by the testing. These more or less mask the symptoms so it looks like they go away, but there is no scientific evidence they work on the root of the problem --- which is too much cortisol being produced by the body.

Keep us posted
Terry

[molly muffin]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I'm really sorry to hear that Dandee is having so many problems lately. It is terrible to have to watch our babies, go through so many of the problems that can be associated with cushings. I know the testing is super expensive. I'm going through it now, however, not all vets charge the same. Time to do some local calling to check out pricing and possibilities.

If you are giving vitamins then stick to the kind made for dogs, as the dosage will be better suited than to human vitamins. Overall, while vitamin supplements can do much to help the over all health of an animal, they don't help in the main problem with cushings which is the high cortisol levels.

I know how absolutely frustrating this experience can be and it doesn't help when it's something that is going to break the household budget to deal with.

Just know that we understand that you are going through this and doing the best that you can.

Another thing to do is to check around and see about any sort of financial aid for Dandee, maybe even a program for testing or something.

Hugs and don't despair, maybe some of the others with more experience will have some ideas.

Sharlene

[Norrie DS]

Hi Terry,

No the vet did not do any blood tests, not that he did not want to but we simply cannot afford them. I did check with other vets in the area and the tests would cost about the same if not more.

The skin is not red and the pigment is not changed, her hair is very soft and she sheds a lot. The outer coat is constantly shedding and the soft under hair is there.

I cannot remember the vitimins he wanted to give as it was 1 1/2 yrs ago. I did write down what was in them and went to walmart and bought dog vitimins for senior dogs that has the same stuff ( except for the fish oil and raw liver extract) and got her the skin and coat oil in a separate container. She gets these with her food daily. If I remember right, the vitimins he wanted to give almost match the Supragran exactly.

There are no vet teaching hospitals or universities near us, either.

She does seem better for now, and is up moving around with no diarrea and is back to eating normally.

I think what hurts the most is I just want to do the best for my animals that I can and it hurts that we are so broke. My husband is handicapped and we live on a small fixed income making it hard to put out hundreds (to thousands) of dollars on an animal.

Norrie


Hi again,

I just wanted to see if your vet ran any tests for thyroid problems. Hair loss is a symptom of this. Is the skin red or has the pigment of the skin changed?

I am not sure what "vitamins" your vet wanted, but can you let us know more about this. Human vitamins are different in recommended daily requirements than canine - I would certainly check this one out.

I think your vet may be a bit expensive. I would ask for the UC:CR test I mentioned above as well as testing for thyroid problems. And if your are close to a teaching/vet university, check out any of their programs. Many here have had good success in this.

I am sorry, but IMO Cushex or Supraglan are really a waste of your monies and I certainly would not give any of these to a dog where a Cushing's diagnosis has not been made by the testing. These more or less mask the symptoms so it looks like they go away, but there is no scientific evidence they work on the root of the problem --- which is too much cortisol being produced by the body.

Keep us posted
Terry

[Norrie DS]

Sharlene,
Thank you so much for understanding.

Where would I check for financial aid for the testing and treatment?

Norrie

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I'm really sorry to hear that Dandee is having so many problems lately. It is terrible to have to watch our babies, go through so many of the problems that can be associated with cushings. I know the testing is super expensive. I'm going through it now, however, not all vets charge the same. Time to do some local calling to check out pricing and possibilities.

If you are giving vitamins then stick to the kind made for dogs, as the dosage will be better suited than to human vitamins. Overall, while vitamin supplements can do much to help the over all health of an animal, they don't help in the main problem with cushings which is the high cortisol levels.

I know how absolutely frustrating this experience can be and it doesn't help when it's something that is going to break the household budget to deal with.

Just know that we understand that you are going through this and doing the best that you can.

Another thing to do is to check around and see about any sort of financial aid for Dandee, maybe even a program for testing or something.

Hugs and don't despair, maybe some of the others with more experience will have some ideas.

Sharlene

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi Norrie,

Here is a link that will give your some resources to check that may be able to help with expenses -

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

I don't know if you are on Facebook or not, but if you are you probably see something call a "chip in" from time to time. It is a way for folks to donate toward causes and I know of folks who have done this in order to meet the needs of their pets when times were tough. Here is a link to the ChipIn page which will tell you all about it -

http://www.chipin.com/

I am glad to read that Dandee is feeling better! I know that eases your heart a bit.

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

[molly muffin]

Hi Norrie,

This is our financial aid page, which has some links on it that you can look into.

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

Also contact your local humane society and animal rescue groups in your area, who might be familiar with anything local too.

If it comes to the point of being able to get medicine for Dandee, then tell the vet you will want a prescription that you can get compounded. Compounding Trilostane, is much cheaper than the brand Vetoryl. There are some members her who use compounding and can tell you which ones to contact.

These are just some ideas.

Hugs,
Sharlene