Adrenal Cancer Questions

[gator345]

I have an 8 year old yellow lab named Lucy. She just had the low dex test to test for Cushing's disease. I got the results from my doctor and his feeling is she has an Adrenal tumor, but will know for sure when she has her ultrasound this coming up Monday. My vet's man concern is the tumor is malignant, due to the fact there has been some bleeding come out of her nose. She has had four minor nose bleeds within the last week.

My main question is what can expect going forward from this point? I really don't have a good feeling about this.

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!

[lulusmom]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

It is impossible to predict expectations without knowing exactly what condition is causing the symptoms you are seeing. Aside from the bloody nose, what symptoms is your dog exhibiting that led your vet to test for cushing's? Can you please post the results of all blood and urine tests as well as the results of the low dose dex test? With regard to the bloodwork, you need only post the highs and lows and please include the normal reference ranges.

I can tell you that we have had a number of members who have dealt with adrenal tumors and I don't recall any having metastasized, causing nose bleeds. If we have, I'm hoping other members with a better memory will chime in. Has your vet ruled out dental problems, foreign objects and blood clotting disease? Aside from the bleeding, does your dog sneeze a lot, have a lot of mucus and apparent nasal/sinus congestion? Any pawing of the face?

We look forward to hearing more about Lucy. There is no such thing as too much information so post away. You are not alone on this journey and we'll do whatever we can to help you and Lucy.

Glynda

[gator345]

I normally clip Lucy's hair during the summer, being we live in Florida. When I took her for her shots and wellness check up, in late May 2012, the vet was concerned about her hair not growing back in. He did some blood work and determined she had an under active thyroid and placed her on hormones, which she had been taking up until yesterday when my vet told me to stop giving them to her.

When I took Lucy in last Wednesday, because of her starting to bleed from the nose, he looked at her and showed some concerned about her hair not coming back in and her "pot belly." I told him she does drink a lot of water, at times pants for no real reason, urinates every time we go outside and sleeps on my tile floor even when the temp is 70 degrees inside.

She has no allergies and has not been pawing at her nose, nor has she been sneezing. She has suffered no trauma to her nose or face.

Concerning, the lab results you requested, I don't have them with me right know. Lucy took the test prior to us going out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday. I return home and Monday and her ultrasound is schedule for that afternoon. I'll get the necessary lab info and post at that time.

Thanks for your prompt reply.

[Skye]

Hello and welcome
so sorry to hear that your furbaby Lucy is having some trouble. You have found a wonderful place here on this forum with supportive knowledgeable and incredible experiences from pet parents. All united together to help each other be the best advocate possible for our furbabies. Together going forward with support, experiences, and help in knowing what to ask or seek. My little one had an adrenalectomy year ago this month. if I can offer any help please let me know. Monday after ultrasound you will hopefully have more answers as to what is going on. Ultrasounds are great but make sure it is a update high resolution ultrasound. (equipment being used) and post test results when you can. Mean time, give gentle tummy rubs to Lucy and kiss on snout.

[molly muffin]

Hello and welcome. I haven't read anything where our adrenal tumor furbabies have had nose bleeding, but that could be a symptom of a nose tumor specifically (although you said that no sneezing, pawing at nose, etc and that would be other symptoms that would go along with a nose tumor, so definitely could be something else). I think that is something that the vet will want to look into. The ultrasound will show you more about what is going on inside. I would encourage you, if you have not yet, to see an IMS as what you are thinking could be serious and I would definitely want a specialists opinion.
I don't know who will be doing your ultrasound if that will be a specialist or not, but if so, it will be a good opportunity to have a chat with them, if not, then ask for a referral to see one.
Maybe it is nothing, but if it isn't, then you'll want to cover all bases.

Right now, try to enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday. The worry will still be there come Monday, so one day at at a time.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[StarDeb55]

Here's a late welcome from me, too! In reading Lucy's history, I noticed the information about the nose bleeds. Before I comment further, I just wanted to let you know that I'm a medical lab tech with 30+ years experience with a speciality in hematology. Spontaneous bleeding from mucous membranes, such as the nose, is frequently an indication of a low platelet count. Did your vet do any general lab work on Lucy such as a complete blood count (CBC), or chemistry panel? I would really like to see the platelet count from the CBC, if possible. Low platelet counts may be associated with many types of malignancies, but I'm not sure they can be specifically associated with an adrenal tumor. If Lucy does, indeed, have a low platelet count, I think your vet needs to look at other possibilities besides Cushing's as a low platelet count may possibly indicate some problem with the bone marrow. I don't want to scare the tar out of you, especially if the low dose test is consistent with adrenal Cushing's, but if the low dose test is negative, further investigation may be warranted, if Lucy is thrombocytopenic which is the fancy term for low platelets.

Debbie

[Harley PoMMom]

High blood pressure can cause nose bleeds, has Lucy's blood pressure been checked?

[cheydogger]

I agree with Harley PoMMom. My dog was just diagnosed with dangerously high blood pressure yesterday, so of course I went to the Internet. I saw that nose bleeds could be a sign of high blood pressure. My vet doesn't regularly check blood pressure , but I asked for it and she agreed that it should have been done before now. High blood pressure could also be caused from an adrenal tumor/ Cushing's. the high levels of cortisone just cause so many other problems. It's so sad what it does to our babies.

Keep us posted.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Ro and Chey