How glad am I to find you guys! (10 y/o miniature schnauzer)

[Mistymoo]

Hello! My beautiful 10 year old miniature schnauzer has been diagnosed with cushings about 4 weeks ago and I'm quite confused and worried about it all but reading your posts it looks like I'm not alone! Misty is possibly the unluckiest dog ever, this is her sixth serious illness/injury she's had in the past 5 years so this diagnosis was the straw that broke the camels back for me :(

She's always been a greedy dog, it's become a bit of a joke, she drinks loads but that's due to the special diet she's on to help prevent bladder stones, she's recently lost some hair but because it wasn't sporadic it was just something mixed coloured dogs can get so nothing ever pointed to anything serious. Anyway a month ago (on my bloody birthday!) Misty snapped a tooth and it wouldn't stop bleeding so off to the vets (a regular occurrence!) they decided to sedate her, which showed it was a broken tooth and took bloods, her white blood cell count was so low the vet was surprised she was still standing! At the time they queried rat poison (which I couldn't rule out cos she eats anything and she'd been at my grandmas for the weekend) so two days of vit k injections and retest which showed improvement but not enough, so ultrasound (which showed a lump on her kidney) and intensive bloods taken, cushings disease was diagnosed. She's on vetoryl and seemed to be fine but this week (week four) she just doesn't seem herself, but now I'm wondering if the misty I knew and loved wasn't misty at all?! She seems very tired and isn't going on her usual walk, we've managed a few minutes and very slow walking before she turns to come back (last few days), she's also off her food (not like her at all), well she's off the food she should be eating, she's eaten some chicken and scrambled egg so not sure if I'm being played a little bit (this has been for last few days) she's had a bit of diarrhoea today and just doesn't seem right? Is this just her body getting used to the meds? I phoned the vets today because he said as long as misty is being misty he doesn't want to see me for another 3 weeks but this isn't misty and he just said as long as she's eating something, which she is and she's drinking (no where near what she was though!) it's all very different and scary for me, if someone can advise if this is 'normal' side effects? She seems happy-ish.

Any advice would be appreciated! Sorry to go on!

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[frijole]

Hello and I'm glad you found us. CEASE giving the trilostane/vetoryl. SIgns of too much of it include vomit and diarrhea - so please no more until you have an acth test done.

Now back to the diagnosis - this disease is tricky and is very very often misdiagnosed. Please give us all the test results that were done to diagnose (we need the numbers and also any abnormal blood test results). You might have to go to the vet's office and get copies. This is important.

The lump on the kidney has me worried - any form of non adrenal illness can cause a false positive on cushings tests. That is why you really need to do multiple tests.

I have to run back to work but will check in later. Hopefully others can chime in.

Kim

[labblab]

Welcome from me, too!

I want to "second" everything that Kim has written -- the behavior you describe could mean that Misty's cortisol level has fallen too low and she may be overdosed right now with the Vetoryl. It is not uncommon for cortisol levels to continue to fall downward throughout the first month or so of treatment. So even though she seemed to be tolerating this amount with no problem earlier on, it is entirely possible that that this dose of Vetoryl is catching up with her. The only way to know for certain is to perform an ACTH monitoring blood test.

Has Misty had any monitoring testing done since starting on the Vetoryl? The manufacturer recommends the first ACTH test after approx. two weeks of treatment, and the second after 30 days. And given the fact that she is acting "off," Misty definitely needs to have a test performed as quickly as possible. If cortisol drops too low, a dog's safety can be place in jeopardy and supplemental prednisone may need to be given, at least temporarily, in order to normalize the body's functioning.

From what you have written, I am guessing that perhaps you are in the U.K.? If so, here's a link to the manufacturer's U.K. website. If you click on any one of the "More Info" buttons, you'll be able to view important information about appropriate Vetoryl treatment and monitoring:

http://www.dechra-eu.com/Topmenu/Pharmaceutical-Products/Products.aspx?pcatid=PRIMARY4&catid=PROPGRP50&fid=PROPFIELD618

Please let us know how Misty is doing today, OK? Also, as Kim has asked, it will help us a great deal if you can tell us more about any of the original diagnostic testing that was done. Thanks very much in advance!

Marianne

[molly muffin]

Hello and welcome to the forum. You could not ask for a better group of some very experienced people than right here. :) We all consider ourselves one big family all going through the same things.
Misty does sound like she could be going low in cortisol. This is always possible with cushings and medicating. Marianne and Kim have both been through all of this before and offer some great advice.
I think she needs a test to determine her cortisol level pronto. You know her best so listen to your instincts.

How is Misty doing today?

Sharlene

[Mistymoo]

Sorry for my disappearance, misty hasn't perked up and after going back to the vets it seems that her liver is failing, they first queried an infection but it seems she's slowly going downhill, so we've been told to bring her home, have a nice weekend with her and prepare for the worse, I'm absolutely heart broken. I assumed the cushings would finish her but turns out her liver is worse than thought (we knew it was bad). She's not in pain and quite content at present, but I can tell its coming that time :(

[cairncrazy24]

Sending my thoughts and prayers to you.. I have a 9yo cairn terrier Misty.. and I also call her MistyMoo!

[frijole]

OK - I know you dont know me but please - have you been giving your dog prednisone? Because if you have not it could be that the lethargy is because your dog's cortisol went too low on the drugs and liver failure. Please tell us more. We want to help you. Kim

[molly muffin]

Livers, while damaged can respond if the problem causing the liver failure is found. In this case low cortisol and electrolytes.
Kim and others here have gone through some extremely difficult situations. I am not trying to give you false hope, but I have learned enough to know that sometimes due diligence can make a world of difference.

Sharlene

[Tina]

Was a liver panel checked before you started the Vetoryl? I didn't see that you mentioned this. And have you stopped the Vetoryl and given prednisone like Kim mentioned? Please give a dose of emergency prednisone to see if Misty will perk up and feel better. And have her electrolytes been checked? Low cortisol and electrolyte imbalance can become life threatening in a very short time. My baby has turned out to be very sensitive to medication, and I have been told by more than one vet that miniature schnauzers can have a tendency toward medication sensitivity. Please do not give up hope until you have tried giving prednisone and stopped the Vetoryl. I am not an expert, but have learned so much from the wonderful people on this site, and going through a low cortisol crisis with my own pup.

Tina and Jasper

[Mistymoo]

Hello, I'm not going to lie, I don't really know what she's had, I've had three different opinions regarding the liver, it's no longer working and her stomach and lungs are filling up with fluid, shes had a few different jabs incase it was something else but all signs point to what I've stated, one of the vets is a very close family friend so I know if there was anything he thought he could do he would do it, I know it sounds as though I'm giving up but Misty has been so unlucky with her health and I don't want to drag out the inevitable. I've been told to stop all the medication. Il mention the drug you have said to the vet when I speak to him

[frijole]

good to hear from you. the drug we were referring to would only help if it was cushings related and so don't bother. if the stomach and lungs are filling with fluid it is something other than cushings. sending love and prayers! kim

[molly muffin]

I am so sorry to hear that the news about Misty is not good. Stomach and lungs filling with fluid isn't good and if the liver is completely failing then there isn't much to be done and as your vet Is a family friend I'm sure would have told if you if something was possible. I'm very sorry.
We have several here who are in your shoes, and it's just a matter of time. The only thing that you can do is enjoy every moment with Misty.
HUGS,
Sharlene

[Tina]

I too am so sorry to read the most recent news about Misty. I am keeping you both in my prayers.

Hugs,

Tina

[molly muffin]

How are things with Misty? Have things gotten any better? I do hope so.

hugs,
Sharlene