New member (9 y/o mini doxie female - Tinker (Vetoryl)

[DoxieMom]

Hi all,
I have a 9 year old mini doxie female (Tinker) who has just been diagnosed with Cushings. The vet has put her on Vetoryl. We just started the regime today. Tinker was in for her Senior Well Check and it was diagnosed due to dilute urine and high potassium. He then did the full ACTH Stem test and also a sonogram. The sonogram showed enlarged kidneys but no tumors on adrenal glands. Has anyone had success with acupuncture or holistic treatments? We live in the middle of the Mojave Desert in CA and have no large cities within easy driving distance. Medical services (for humans as well as animals) is limited. I do have an acupuncturist who is willing to work with a vet if I so wish. Also is there anything in the way of diet that I need to be aware of, avoid, add to her meals? She is only 1 lb over weight and that is fairly easy reduce. Thanks.

[mytil]

Hi and welcome to our site!

When you get the chance, can you post the numeric results of the ACTH test as well as any elevated levels from the blood panel.

How much does your girl weigh and how much Vetoryl are you giving?

I do not have any direct experience with acupuncture but I am sure others who have will chime in shortly.

Keep us posted
Terry

[DoxieMom]

Thank you for your welcome. Tink is 9 and today weighs 12.0lbs. She has always been between 11.5 and 12.5. She had a back injury at 6 months old and I have always been vigil about her weight as well as her fursisters (all doxies). I work for the vet who did the testing and will get the ACTH results when I go back to work. Tink is only getting 10mg of Vetoryl. Doc said that he has seen the best results with this particular med. He is unsure if 10mg will be enough and will do another ACTH in a month (we will be gone on vacation and so will he). CBC came back perfect. No highs or lows. :)

[Steph n' Ella]

It's weird that the liver enzymes are normal. Do you also have prednisone on hand in case Tink's cortisol drops too low? Did the vet tell what to look for in regards to low cortisol?

[mytil]

It does sound a bit strange that there were no elevations in the liver (Alkaline phosphatase - ALP) or kidney values.

I do have another question - when your Tinker hurt her back, was she given any corticosteroids type medication (prednisone for example)? Was she on anything such as this while being tested for Cushing's?

I ask this because there is another type and that is Iatrogenic Cushing's (in essence induced by medication) giving symptoms and false readings on tests. Once the medication is stopped so are the symptoms.

If you have not done so already, take a look at these resources for more information on Cushing's. http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=180.

Keep us posted
Terry

[DoxieMom]

Somehow my original msg disappeared:
ACTH test:
Cortisol(pre) 4.1
Cortisol(post) out of range 21.8
Urinalysis
Transparency clear
color light yellow
sp gr 1.0
PH8.0
no indications in
Protein
Glucose
Ketones
Bili
Bid
Urobil
Nitrates
Leuk
Ultrasound showed regular kidney surface
Blood draw CNC) -everything showed within normal range.
I have not checked out the resources recommended yet. I am off tomorrow and intend to then.
Doc intends to do another urinalysis and ultrasound next week to see if there is improvement. He isn't sure that there will be but we all will be unavailabel until Nov 7 and he wants another baseline.
Thanks for everything.

[Steph n' Ella]

How was the urinalysis conducted? Did you collect it via "free catch" or did they get it at the vets office via cystocentesis (needle into bladder). Was the urine collected at the beginning of the day "first of the morning pee" or in the middle of the day after tinker had access to water?

For the BEST results, your vet should be asking you to get a "first of the morning" free catch for future testing.

There are many here who have good advice about obtaining a free catch sample. I just shove the lid of the tupperware container I am bringin in the vets office under Ella, mid stream. You don't really need to catch a large volume and I usually get enough. :D Fun!

[lulusmom]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Cushing's is one of the most difficult canine diseases to diagnose and it is also one of the most misdiagnosed. I'm concerned that your vet may have rushed into a cushing's diagnosis based on too little diagnostics and too few symptoms. The acth stimulation test result is no conclusive, it is borderline. Does Tinker have any other symptoms such as voracious appetite, panting, coat thinning or loss, skin problems, muscle weakness? Were the adrenal glands normal in size on imaging? Was the liver enlarged?

Glynda

[DoxieMom]

Thanks all for your info. Tink's urine was collected first thing in am by the vet as I have tried every trick known to man to collect urine from an unbelievably modest doxie. She sees me or anyone coming and she stops mid stream. If we are camping she ALWAYS goes behind me to pee and if I dare turn around she stops. Everyone cracks up over her. Tink has always had thin fur. Her parents were beautiful lush long hairs with fur to the floor. Tink has permanent bedhead. It has never had much of a shine. She sheds twice a year and her winter coat is a bit heavier. She does pant more than she used to. She doesn't play with her fursisters like before but she still demands her time of fetch at night - just no where near as long. She has always had a verocious appetite. Food is her friend and you best not leave any where she can find it. She does not have a pot belly as I have watched her weight constantly due to her love of food. Does she drink/pee more - I don't see that much as I am at work and there are three dogs - hard to tell. She sleeps a bit more but then she is 9 and I expect a little more. She is still happy and carries on a conversation first thing in the morning discussing the fact that I slept in and breakfast is long overdue. Spouse says since she is on the meds (10/2) he noticed her being perkier and playing more with fursisters. No comment about liver but kidneys are very much enlarged. Muscle weakness - she has been slower to get up off her bed and it seems like she has to crank herself up but once she is going she is fine. Doc doesn't know if it is old age, her back (arthritis) or related to the disease.