Millie (12 y/o border collie kelpie cross) Trilostane & arthritis

[mrsaym]

Hi just introducing myself and Millie......she [border collie kelpie cross] is 12 and has just been diagonsed with Cushings about 4 months ago.
She is on trilostane, which was working quite well until a week or so ago. She is not sick or had any reactions. The first month or so she was great with symptoms under control. Her hair started to grow back and her water intake slowed down but now she has started to drink alot again, excessive panting and losing patches of hair. [She is due this month for her next ACTH test]

She also has severe athritis in her back left leg [which she has a very hard time when she has to standup - she sometimes gives up and just stays put],very overweight, very GRUMPY and very HUNGRY, and big bully to our younger 5yr old dog. But of course we love her dearly.

The vet has given us tramadol for her pain from her arthritis and aslo monthly injections but she cries alot even when she has taken them.

Anyway I just wanted to pop my head up and say hi and if anyone has any suggestions how to keep her more comfortable? I have been told that it may better for her to come off the trilostane as this counteracts her arthritis treatment. Does anyone have any ideas?

I know she wont be around forever but would like her to be happy with what ever time she has left.

Thankyou

Michelle

[mytil]

Hi Michelle,

Welcome to you and Millie!

Oh, I would love to see a photo of her (two very nice breeds I love, but I am very partial to the herders :) )

I have started this new thread for you and Millie so others can easily find you and reply.

It is true, that high cortisol levels do assist in arthritis pain and mobility. But she also could be having extra pain due to the excess weight you mentioned.

When you get the chance, post the test results of the most recent ACTH test so we can see the actual values as well as how much Trilostane she is getting along with her weight right now.

Terry

[Boriss McCall]

Hi Michelle & Millie!

Welcome to the group. :)

[3bostons]

Hi Michelle and Millie, welcome here, these guys are great at helping out as you will soon find out. Im curious to see the response to here drinking more water again because mine seems to be doing the same thing again today :(, after just starting to do better.

Kona and Deb

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi Michelle and welcome to you and Millie! :)

It isn't unusual for pups to need several tweakings of their Trilostane dose before getting dialed in to just the right amount for them. Each pup is different, so some require a higher dose than others. The return of signs is an indication this could be the problem - Millie may simply need her dose adjusted up a bit. The ACTH will tell the tale so it is good that is scheduled soon.

Did she have blood work done? Recently? If not, you might want to have diabetes and hypothyroidism ruled out. Diabetes, especially, can come on quite rapidly and an increase in drinking and urination are signs of diabetes, too. How is her appetite? If it is still pretty strong, or if it is increasing as well, then diabetes is not as apt to be an issue. Pups will generally lose their appetites with diabetes while appetite increases with Cushing's and hypothyroidism.

There is a product called GlycoFlex that comes in three strengths - I, II, and III. It has many very good ingredients that will help with inflammation from arthritis. It does not require a prescription but I would do a bit of research on the three strengths and see what you think of the product itself, then talk to your vet about it if you are interested. My Squirt has been on it since July of 2010 when she had one of her knees repaired and has done quite well with it. Here is a link -

(click on the tab that says "joint support")
http://www.vetriscience.com/dog-cat-horse-products.php#glycoflex

Our vet has started stocking it, yours may have it as well. ;) It is expensive, but worth it for my little dogs...all under 15 lbs. With a larger dog, the cost would probably be too high for me, unfortunately, as I think it is a great product.

I'm glad you found us and look forward to learning more as time passes. You need to know that you and Millie are no longer alone. You are both family now and we will be with you all the way.

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

[molly muffin]

Hello and welcome to you and Millie.

Sounds like a dosage tweak is needed, and a check for the possibility of diabetes, hypothyroidism.

It wouldn't hurt to check out the GlycoFlex if it might help.

I just really wanted to say welcome to the board. :)

hugs,
Sharlene

[mrsaym]

Thankyou all for the great info :):)



It does sound like that her dosage may need changing. I have her appt next week so will let you all know how I get on. I will ask about the blood test for diabetes, I know she was tested awhile back but now knowing it can come on quickly it might be a good option to consider. Kona and Deb I will let you know as it seems you are in the boat.

Her appetite has definetly increased wanting to constantly eat and begs all the time for food, but she only gets a little breaky and main meal at night - if our other dog [Eben] doesnt finish his meal before her we have to make sure that she is nowhere near him....Millie's weight is a problem but being that she cant walk too far exercise is nearly a no go, exhaustion sets in very quickly.

I will attach a photo tonight and look into the GlycoFlex.


Will be in touch next week

[Franklin'sMum]

Hi Michelle and Millie

Welcome to the forum :) it's a great place with lots of amazing and knowledgeable people.
My little guy was dx'd with diabetes just over 2 months ago, and meanwhile my knowledge of it would not overflow a thimble, but want to ask if Millie has lost any weight? In the very early stages, a pup can be ravenously hungry and eating lots but still lose weight. If you are concerned, you could buy some keto / diastix from the pharmacy and perform a urine test yourself. Collect some urine and pop the test stix in, take it out and 30 seconds later you'll know if Millie is spilling glucose in her urine. A lot of people with girl pups find the easiest way to collect pee is with a ladle or such.

I have read that if a pup has one endocrine disorder, they have a higher chance of developing another. I don't mean to freak you out, please don't be alarmed. I'd be more inclined to think that the trilostane might need adjusting.

Good luck with everything
Jane, Franklin and Angel Bailey

[mrsaym]

Hi all just a quick update on Millie, she has had all her tests done and to is stay on the same dosage of Trilostane. I have to fill out a diary for a couple of weeks then collect a urine sample so they can test her for diabetes. Summer is approaching soon so would like to have her happy and comfortable for the hot weather. :D

Although now she is drinking a little less again and her hair has stopped falling out. So it might have been a phase she was going through. :rolleyes:

Overall I am really worried about her bad leg, she can hardly get up at all from resting but when she moves around it doesnt seem to bother her all that much. Her pain relief - Tramadol has been upped to 1 1/2 tablets twice a day if needed. It does help but I hate seeing her in pain.

Gotta to give her a bath this long weekend and she is real smelly which can apparently happen on Trilostane. I have never known to have to bath her so often, at least once a week now!.

Have a good week everyone will be in touch :)

[3bostons]

Hi Michelle, just wanted to say it caught my attention when you said heading to summer, I had tore check the dates until I realized where you are in the world :p:D we are just heading to winter and expecting snow anyday now

glad to hear millie is not losing more hair, hope she gets relief for that leg soon too. Maybe the bath can give some temp relief, I know of older dogs that love to sit in water and we figure its comforting to their arthritis.
good luck to you,
hugs kona and deb

[molly muffin]

LOL Good catch Deb. I had to look twice too. I don't know what Millie thinks about it, but sitting in a hot bath feels awesome to my sore joints some days. Good idea. Wonder how Millie feels about air jets and bubbles.

Hugs,
Sharlene

[mrsaym]

Hi Deb, Sharlene, yes I am in Australia waiting for summer to come! It is unusually cold been raining all week hopefully with our long weekend coming it is supposed to actually be spring - I hate the cold weather.

I like the idea of giving a 'spa' bath for Millie but not sure if she would like it....she loves chasing the hose and swimming at the beach but not big on baths because they are too hard for her to get into. A warm bath will more thank likely do her the world of good. :)

[Steph n' Ella]

Ugh! I spent a Uni semester in Melbourne. I had 3 winters in a row! You are proly too far west to make the trip easy but we did go out to the snow for a weekend. A friend of a friend's family had invested in a chalet (more like a communal condo...nothing fancy) in Snowy River! It was a fun ski break...not too challenging…great for beginners!

Can you pick Millie up into the bath? Ella lets me do that...but I can see how a dog could squirm too much getting in to the tub. Wouldn't want Millie to hurt herself even more! What about heated dog beds or heat pads? You have to supervise your pet with them, but my cat loves it in the winter! I spoil her so!