jsvera
08-24-2012, 02:45 AM
I don't know what I keep doing wrong but I am going to try again.
I have a ten year old chihuahua that was diagnosed with cushings yesterday. I came home from the vet and went online to see what information I could find. I found some very informative youtube videos and then I found this board/forum. (Sorry, can't keep the terms straight.)
Tinkerbell has some of the symptoms......increased thirst and increased urine and the pot belly. She sheds a lot but still has a full coat. She holds her tail kind of funny lately but I thought it was just because she's getting old. She had her last litter three and a half years ago and we kept a puppy. She didn't wean her puppies until they were four months old. Then, when the puppy we kept was 16 months old we caught her nursing again....and Tink had milk. I asked the vet about it and he said to separate them or keep her in a onsie until her milk dried up. I did and I thought that was that, but a month or two ago I realized the puppy had gotten real fat but she eats very little.....then I caught her nursing again...and Tink once again has milk. Tink was due for her anual anyway so I asked the vet about it again. (Different vet.) He said she obviously has something going on with her hormones and needed to be spayed. Well, a year ago I was going to have her spayed but her liver enzymes were slightly elevated and the estimate for the extra care she would need because of that was so high I decided I would just make sure she was never around an unfixed male. So this vet convinced me it was necessary and I made the appointment. Took her for preop blood work two days ago and to her appointment for the surgery yesterday. The vet told me he thinks she has cushings and would need to be on medication for the rest of her life....and at least for a month before he could risk surgery. He showed me where they had done a three step dexa test a year ago(I think that's what they called it)...I had forgotten that. It was abnormal but not a lot. This time her liver enzymes were way high. I wonder, since she is producing milk without having recent puppies, if her cushings is atypical.
They didn't suggest any other tests just prescribed trilostane. I am trying to learn what I can about the disease and possible alternative treatments. I would rather she live comfortable for a year than be miserable for five years. I'm afraid the medication could make her miserable...and how will I know? She can't tell me if it makes her feel bad, but I know it's pretty toxic.
Also, if the dose she is supposed to take now is the dose she will take the rest of her life.....supposing she lives 5 years, I will have spent more than $3,600 just on medication, not to mention frequent lab work to monitor the medication effects. I love her dearly but am trying to be realistic. I didn't get copies of her labs, kind of left in a daze. I will go in tomorrow and ask for copies of these recent labs and also the previous ones. I also wonder if a tendency for this is hereditary. I gave one of her puppies to my parents and that dog has some symptoms, too. Always hungry. Pot belly. Drinks a lot. Sheds a lot.
I have a ten year old chihuahua that was diagnosed with cushings yesterday. I came home from the vet and went online to see what information I could find. I found some very informative youtube videos and then I found this board/forum. (Sorry, can't keep the terms straight.)
Tinkerbell has some of the symptoms......increased thirst and increased urine and the pot belly. She sheds a lot but still has a full coat. She holds her tail kind of funny lately but I thought it was just because she's getting old. She had her last litter three and a half years ago and we kept a puppy. She didn't wean her puppies until they were four months old. Then, when the puppy we kept was 16 months old we caught her nursing again....and Tink had milk. I asked the vet about it and he said to separate them or keep her in a onsie until her milk dried up. I did and I thought that was that, but a month or two ago I realized the puppy had gotten real fat but she eats very little.....then I caught her nursing again...and Tink once again has milk. Tink was due for her anual anyway so I asked the vet about it again. (Different vet.) He said she obviously has something going on with her hormones and needed to be spayed. Well, a year ago I was going to have her spayed but her liver enzymes were slightly elevated and the estimate for the extra care she would need because of that was so high I decided I would just make sure she was never around an unfixed male. So this vet convinced me it was necessary and I made the appointment. Took her for preop blood work two days ago and to her appointment for the surgery yesterday. The vet told me he thinks she has cushings and would need to be on medication for the rest of her life....and at least for a month before he could risk surgery. He showed me where they had done a three step dexa test a year ago(I think that's what they called it)...I had forgotten that. It was abnormal but not a lot. This time her liver enzymes were way high. I wonder, since she is producing milk without having recent puppies, if her cushings is atypical.
They didn't suggest any other tests just prescribed trilostane. I am trying to learn what I can about the disease and possible alternative treatments. I would rather she live comfortable for a year than be miserable for five years. I'm afraid the medication could make her miserable...and how will I know? She can't tell me if it makes her feel bad, but I know it's pretty toxic.
Also, if the dose she is supposed to take now is the dose she will take the rest of her life.....supposing she lives 5 years, I will have spent more than $3,600 just on medication, not to mention frequent lab work to monitor the medication effects. I love her dearly but am trying to be realistic. I didn't get copies of her labs, kind of left in a daze. I will go in tomorrow and ask for copies of these recent labs and also the previous ones. I also wonder if a tendency for this is hereditary. I gave one of her puppies to my parents and that dog has some symptoms, too. Always hungry. Pot belly. Drinks a lot. Sheds a lot.