accentmonkey
08-11-2012, 09:38 AM
Hello everyone,
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/3090_10151118856624359_757520552_n.jpg
Here is Beethoven, who we got from a rescue in June of this year. Beets was surrendered to the pound in Dublin when his owner died, and was in foster care for about two months before we adopted him, so we don't know how old he is or much about his history. What we do know is that he's quite deaf, has some separation anxiety issues, and was massively overweight when he arrived at the pound: 17.5 kgs!
His fosters put him on a diet, and by the time we adopted him he was 13.6 kgs. We were told he had arthritis and he takes a daily dose of Loxicom to help keep him steady, because, they told us "he falls down a lot".
We noticed that yes, he did fall down a lot, and he had no power in his legs at all. Added to which, he was always panting, always drinking, always STARVING, and he was a funny shape. I pointed all this out to my vet when I brought him along for a checkup (always like to get a new arrival checked over) and she agreed that he just didn't look right. I told her his pee stained the concrete in the back yard, so we tested it. Nothing. We tested his bloods, because my vet thought he had Cushings. Nothing. We tested all his organ functions when we took him to be neutered and have a tooth out. Still nothing; in fact, Beets was in remarkably good condition for a dog who has been on Loxicom for some time. But still my vet was convinced he had Cushings. His legs shake. He has hair loss on his sides. He looks like a cow.
After a couple of weeks of looking things up online and talking to other vets, she asked me to bring him in for a different blood test that would have to be sent off to a lab in the UK (and would cost over €100). She assured me this would be the last test "and then we'll leave him alone."
The results just came back to say that he has atypical Cushings related to his sex hormones.
I don't know yet what his levels are or what treatment he's likely to be on, because my vet wants to consult with an endocrine specialist before we start him on anything, but I just wanted to come and say hi and read other people's stories, and also praise my vet for her persistence and hard work (yes, I did buy her a present). I'm not expecting major changes to come over him as a result of the medication, but I'm hoping he'll be more comfortable and be a little bit more robust.
These little steps we bought him so he can get up and down off the sofa are great and I recommend them to everyone, but I still can't get him to use the ramp for the car (naturally, since it was very expensive).
So that's Beethoven's story. He's now almost at his target weight of 11.5 kgs so we've taken him off his R/D and he's on Hills Science Adult Light food, and I hope to be able to post more positive news about him in the future.
Trish
MODERATOR NOTE: Your post has been manually approved so that members can start responding to you. Please check your email for a message from k9cushings. You will need to reply to that email so that your post go directly to the board and are not delayed waiting for approval. If you have already received and responded to the confirmatory email, please be patient. Your registration will be finalized shortly. Thanks and welcome!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/3090_10151118856624359_757520552_n.jpg
Here is Beethoven, who we got from a rescue in June of this year. Beets was surrendered to the pound in Dublin when his owner died, and was in foster care for about two months before we adopted him, so we don't know how old he is or much about his history. What we do know is that he's quite deaf, has some separation anxiety issues, and was massively overweight when he arrived at the pound: 17.5 kgs!
His fosters put him on a diet, and by the time we adopted him he was 13.6 kgs. We were told he had arthritis and he takes a daily dose of Loxicom to help keep him steady, because, they told us "he falls down a lot".
We noticed that yes, he did fall down a lot, and he had no power in his legs at all. Added to which, he was always panting, always drinking, always STARVING, and he was a funny shape. I pointed all this out to my vet when I brought him along for a checkup (always like to get a new arrival checked over) and she agreed that he just didn't look right. I told her his pee stained the concrete in the back yard, so we tested it. Nothing. We tested his bloods, because my vet thought he had Cushings. Nothing. We tested all his organ functions when we took him to be neutered and have a tooth out. Still nothing; in fact, Beets was in remarkably good condition for a dog who has been on Loxicom for some time. But still my vet was convinced he had Cushings. His legs shake. He has hair loss on his sides. He looks like a cow.
After a couple of weeks of looking things up online and talking to other vets, she asked me to bring him in for a different blood test that would have to be sent off to a lab in the UK (and would cost over €100). She assured me this would be the last test "and then we'll leave him alone."
The results just came back to say that he has atypical Cushings related to his sex hormones.
I don't know yet what his levels are or what treatment he's likely to be on, because my vet wants to consult with an endocrine specialist before we start him on anything, but I just wanted to come and say hi and read other people's stories, and also praise my vet for her persistence and hard work (yes, I did buy her a present). I'm not expecting major changes to come over him as a result of the medication, but I'm hoping he'll be more comfortable and be a little bit more robust.
These little steps we bought him so he can get up and down off the sofa are great and I recommend them to everyone, but I still can't get him to use the ramp for the car (naturally, since it was very expensive).
So that's Beethoven's story. He's now almost at his target weight of 11.5 kgs so we've taken him off his R/D and he's on Hills Science Adult Light food, and I hope to be able to post more positive news about him in the future.
Trish
MODERATOR NOTE: Your post has been manually approved so that members can start responding to you. Please check your email for a message from k9cushings. You will need to reply to that email so that your post go directly to the board and are not delayed waiting for approval. If you have already received and responded to the confirmatory email, please be patient. Your registration will be finalized shortly. Thanks and welcome!