Vet asked if I wanted to test for Cushings? (15 y/o cairn terrier) Hamish has passed

[mcdavis]

Sorry for the long post but I took a look through some others and see that people like an intro / detail so they can provide the best advice. Also I tend to waffle when I'm worried / scared :( so I have bolded my questions in case it helps.

I have a 15 year old cairn terrier, Hamish, who suffered some stomach upsets at the beginning of the year (caused by Blue Buffalo food). The vet prescribed RC Sensitivity and we didn't realise just how low calorie it was - result was that Hamish lost quite a bit of weight however he was still healthy and walked 3-4 miles most days.

The vet noticed the weight loss and suggested we do a blood panel (his first ever) to check his kidneys - they came back fine, however his liver values (ALT / ALKP) were elevated. The vet prescribed a course of Milk Thistle and Zentonil Advanced then retested 2 weeks later at which point the results were higher. By this point he had started to regain weight thanks to the introduction of Fromm Gold.

That was back in July and, after continuing with the Milk Thistle plus SAMe, we had another liver panel done today. His ALKP was unchanged whilst the ALT had dropped slightly but was still higher than it should be. Here is the history of the liver values:

early Jul late Jul mid Aug today
ALT 206 382 337 215
ALKP 317 412 434 416

She said his BUN was also high (10.9 when range is 2.5 - 8.9) but other kidney values OK and thought it might be high protein in his food. She said I should stop feeding the Fromm but it's only 23% protein (RC is over 21%) and I prefer him to have some good quality food (it's around 20% of the food I give him).

She then asked if I wanted to get him tested for Cushings using the ACTH test and this is where I really wanted to get some advice. There are a lot of symptoms that he has to a greater or lesser extent that seem to indicate Cushings but can also be caused by something else, plus I realise that he will not exhibit all of them, and some may or may not be normal for a dog of his age:

- there have been 3 or 4 instances where he's pee'd indoors / could not hold it

- we feed him 3 meals a day with the majority of the food in the evening and he drinks quite a bit in the evening but barely anything throughout the day

- he loves his food and went through a period of inhaling it (until we got him a slow feed bowl), and when he was 10 we tried feeding him senior dog food which made him ravenous (too low protein / calorie) so we went back to adult food and all was fine

- in the Summer it was very hot so walking for more than 10 minutes caused him to pant, however since it has cooled down he will walk 2+ miles and no panting, however he will only walk if there are things to sniff, etc. If there is nothing of interest he will trail behind and try to go home.

- he sleeps a lot during the day, but then he has always slept if there's nothing much going on

- the vet said he had a pot belly look, however I'm not entirely sure what this means, and it probably isn't helped by the fact that he has 2 large fatty lumps on his abdomen (he has had them for 5+ years and they have been checked out)

- his weight fluctuates slightly but he is back to the normal range (6.5 - 7kgs)

- his fur has thinned out but still grows quite fast

- last Winter he suffered from arthritis and weakness in the back legs however he's currently not showing any signs of arthritis (cortizol dulling the pain?)

I think I should get him tested but wondered if it should be the ACTH or LDDS? Also having read about the need to watch him very closely when first introducing meds I need to delay treatment until Jan so should I delay the test until Jan so that the vet has the most up to date info?

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[jmac]

Welcome to you and Hamish!

I am sorry for the circumstances that brought you here, but you have found a wonderful group! We were all scared and worried when we came here, so we totally understand how you're feeling. I am so glad you found us because you will get wonderful advice and support!

First, thanks for giving us so much info. about your dog. If you could also post the normal reference range for the ALKP and ALT, that would be great. Cushing's is difficult to diagnose and often requires more than one test. There are some symptoms that many Cushing's dogs have, such as increased drinking and urinating (sometimes leading to accidents in the house), ravenous eating, usually they gain weight, they frequently have a pot belly, are often hot/pant a lot, have thin hair or hair loss and slow regrowth, and rear leg weakness;however, not all cases are the same.

Others will be along soon to advise you and answer your questions. In the meantime, please take a look at the resources section of the website to learn more about Cushing's.

Again, I'm so glad you found this site. W are here to help, so please don't hesitate to ask questions.

Julie & Hannah

[frijole]

I can tell you've done some homework. YOu are right, there are potential cushings symptoms but they can also be signs of other issues which is why getting a true diagnosis usually takes multiple tests.

The liver enzymes you posted, particularly the alk phos are signs of cushings but they really aren't that high. cush dogs often have alk phos between 1000 and 2000. That said, better safe than sorry.

Not sure if your dog still suffers from weight loss but that isn't a sign of cushings - our dogs are plump. :D They inhale food, drink BUCKETS not lots of water.

Rather than spend money on the ACTH or LDDS tests I'd start out with a urine test called UC:CR. It can rule OUT cushings with a degree of certainty and its' cheap and fast!

Note that vets no longer treat cushings unless the symptoms are pretty blatent so there is no rush to treat.. and therefore no rush to test unless you want to rule it out.

Regarding the tests - the LDDS is typically a starting point as it can tell you if it's cushings and sometimes what type of cushings. The problem is that it can also yield false positives when other non adrenal illnesses are present... happened to one of my dogs. I'd still start there and if it was positive I'd still do the acth test or an abdominal ultrasound to get a good look at what's going on. That's my 2 cents! Kim

[labblab]

Welcome from me, too!

I want to "second" Kim's suggestion that your best first step may be the UC:CR urine test. As she says, it cannot provide a definitive diagnosis, but it can help rule out Cushing's before you get involved in more expensive testing. If you do proceed with blood testing, I believe I would indeed wait until January since you know you would not be starting treatment until then, regardless.

As far as which blood test to request, there are pros-and-cons to both the ACTH and the LDDS. As Kim says, a benefit of the LDDS is that a positive result can also sometimes help differentiate between the two forms of Cushing's. The ACTH cannot do that. On the other hand, the ACTH is less likely to return a "false positive" if a dog is suffering from a different illness other than Cushing's. So for a dog with questionable symptoms for whom you'd prefer to err on the side of caution before beginning treatment, the ACTH may be the preferable test. The downside, though, is that the ACTH is also more likely to miss properly identifying a dog who truly does have Cushing's. So the ACTH is the more "specific" test (less likely to give a false positive), while the LDDS is the more "sensitive" test (less likely to give a false negative). Confusing enough?? :o

For what it's worth, here's a decision-making chart that I've always found helpful in deciding which test to start off with. It is a set of testing recommendations given by Dr. Rhett Nichols (http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=210):


Final screening recommendations

What if the patient has only biochemical changes and no or mild clinical signs suggestive of Cushing’s syndrome?
The ACTH response test may be the preferred test. In these patients, it may be better to miss a diagnosis of HAC [Cushing's] in early stages by using a test with lower sensitivity than falsely diagnose HAC by using a test with lower specificity.

Is nonadrenal illness present?
The LDDS and ACTH response tests can give false positive results in the face of nonadrenal illness, but the LDDST is more likely to do so. Thus, the ACTH response test is recommended when nonadrenal illness is present.

What if the patient has moderate to severe clinical signs of HAC and has no known nonadrenal illness?
The LDDST is preferred as the initial screening test. This test has a higher sensitivity as compared to the ACTH response test.

Is an AT [adrenal tumor] suspected?
The LDDST is recommended because the sensitivity of the ACTH response test for HAC caused by an AT is only 62%.

Has the Cushing’s syndrome suspect been treated with a cortisone
preparation?
The ACTH response test is the preferred test if an animal has a definitive or questionable history of receiving exogenouscorticosteroids and has signs compatible with HAC...
Since Hamish does not seem to have symptoms that are "screaming" Cushing's, I might choose to start off with the ACTH myself. If it comes up "positive," that would be a more reliable indicator than a positive on the LDDS that he really does have Cushing's. Plus, if you do plan to start treatment, you would probably want an ACTH beforehand, anyway, as a frame of reference for the subsequent monitoring of the drug's effectiveness. An abdominal ultrasound is also an excellent diagnostic tool when used in conjunction with either blood test. If you proceed with the ACTH, the ultrasound can be helpful in differentiating the type of Cushing's since the blood test alone cannot provide that info.

Marianne

[mcdavis]

Wow. First of all Thank You for the information - it sounds like starting the testing process in January is the way to go, however I'm trying to research as much as possible as my vet's approach is 'I will make suggestions but you need to tell me what you want to do'. Whilst this may not work for everyone it does actually work for me because I prefer to understand the options and be involved in the decisions about Hamish's care.

To answer your questions:

The reference range for the ALT is 10-118 (Hamish currently 215) and ALP is 20-150 (Hamish currently 415).

He has gained some weight since the stomach upsets earlier in the year but that was because I was deliberately giving him extra food however we are now back to normal portions and his weight is just fluctuating slightly (up and down) which I think may depend on when we weigh him (we have been using the WiiFit so we have some history).

When I was brushing him this morning I noticed that his fur was a bit dull, however I can't work out if I'm trying to play down the symptoms because I want him to be OK or if I'm exaggerating them because I don't want to neglect him / not treat him if he is ill. :confused: It's kind of frustrating isn't it.

[molly muffin]

Hi and welcome. Isn't that just the cutest picture of Hammish!

I'd definitely do the UC:CR.
As for the others, everyone has the tests that they like to do. If it came to starting Hammish on medicine, you'd definitely want an ACTH test first, so you have a baseline. I like the LDDS because we've had positive tests on the ACTH and then complete suppression on the LDDS. (negative) I don't think we are even close to being the norm though, so in the end, before starting anything, I'd probably do both and that is what I did. The UC:CR though is easy to do, and it Can rule out cushings, it just can't definitely confirm it, so if that came back positive then you'd move on to another test.
The ultimate before doing anything is an ultrasound if possible as that can show you what is going on inside him.
So, for the moment and you can do this any time really, no need to wait till January, since if the UC:CR came back positive you'd want to be ready to do another test in January anyway and this one won't break the bank so to speak.
Reading up on everyone's stories is good and going through the fact pages.
Cushings is horribly hard to diagnose as the others have said, and it requires multiple tests to make sure you have the right diagnosis too. Other problems can cause false positives, so you have to be aware of that and ready to do a process of elimination.

Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[mcdavis]

So from everything I've read it sounds like I should have the UC:CR done first, instead of jumping straight into the more major testing.

I'm just wondering why my vet didn't suggest it as an opportunity to say No or Maybe to Cushings that doesn't cost much seems like a very good first step :confused:

I was also interested to read about any history of treatment with cortisone - Hamish had a single injection around March this year to help his arthritis - would I be correct in thinking that this would be unlikely to have any long term impact?

[labblab]

You are correct that a single steroid injection in March would not be responsible for Cushing's symptoms now.

As far as the UC:CR, we've been told by at least one endocinological specialist that a test run on only a single urine sample may have questionable validity. He suggests that owners obtain a sample on three successive mornings, and that the pooled sample then be analyzed. You want to collect the samples at home, where your dog will not be stressed. It should be the first pee of the morning, and the pooled sample should be refrigerated until it is taken in for analysis. It isn't always easy for owners to collect urine samples from their own dogs, but if you're willing and able to collect the urine it is a reasonable test with which to begin the diagnostics.

Marianne

[cheydogger]

Hi There-

I am not an expert on Cushing's yet, but as Marianne said, Hammish is not screaming Cushing's like most of the pups you read about on this forum. He does have a few minor symptoms and blood results. I would have to agree with the majority to start off with the UC:CR. the other tests tend to get quite expensive especially since more than one is often needed, plus ultrasound, etc. if he does test positive on the UC:CR, then I would do the ACTH or LDDST closer to the time you would treat him to have a more accurate starting point.

Did the vet do a urinalysis to check for UTI?

I am truly impressed that Hammish can still walk 3 miles at 15 years of age!!:D. Yay Hammish! This again isn't typical for a full blown Cush dog. They can be very exercise intolerant:(

You are part of Hammish's treatment team, so your vet should take your input and recommendations into consideration.

I will be interested to see what the vet says or what his results are of whichever test/s he has done.

Good luck!

Ro and Chey

[mcdavis]

Thanks for all of the replies and information and sorry for not replying sooner - I've been reading as much as I can on the forum to learn more about symptoms and possible tests. I feel bad that it's so one-sided at the moment and I can't offer any help to other posters.

Based on what I've learnt I'm a bit concerned that my vet's approach has been 'dog has higher than normal ALKP so we'll assume Cushings and start running expensive tests'.

Ideally I would like her to run through the Cushings symptoms and understand if he is experiencing them, then discuss possible causes (Cushings or ???) based on that information and which tests should be run to rule out or identify / confirm those causes.
If Cushings is likely then I will insist we start with the UC:CR test, instead of jumping straight to the ACTH (which they tell me will cost $300 - $400 - does that sound right??).

So, I have started a spreadsheet to track his daily water consumption (currently around 10-12oz - he is around 14lbs and I read 0.5-1 ounce/lb is normal) and once he's been to the groomers I'm going to take some pics of his tummy to see if he really does have a potbelly (or if it's his fatty lumps).
I'll ask the groomer what she thinks of his fur / skin - she did comment that his fur was thin last time but implied it was an age thing, so I will ask her how it compares to other dogs his age.
I'm also using the WiiFit to track his weight and I'm logging his daily exercise and continuing to give him Milk Thistle and SAMe.

I'd really appreciate your thoughts on whether or the above sounds like a reasonable plan? Have I missed anything really obvious?

[molly muffin]

I do think that makes sense as a plan goes. If we are working our way up, I'd probably do the UC:CR test first as mentioned before. Then if the LDDS is cheaper, I'd do it next. It can give false positive, but it can also show if Hammish is fully suppressing. Ask your vet for costs. I also don't think the ACTH should be that high either though.

I do think a frank discussion, blood chemistry panels, urinalysis to keep an eye on things, but yes, discussions with your vet if they are open to it would be a good start.

I tried that but mine was very determined at the time to start molly on vetroyl and that she had cushings. (we still don't know that she doesn't, but she doesn't have all the symptoms either)
The water intake is actually not excessive for the body weight. How about food? Does Hammish inhale food, beg constantly, never leave any.. that sort of thing? That is a main sign of cushings.

I'll let some others who have a lot more experience give their opinions.
We are all learning and just do as we can. :) So, no worries there. Post anytime, we'll be here.

Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[mcdavis]

The water intake is actually not excessive for the body weight. How about food? Does Hammish inhale food, beg constantly, never leave any.. that sort of thing? That is a main sign of cushings.


Hamish has inhaled his food to some extent for the last 8 years - initially we used plastic cups to slow him down then we got him a slow-feed bowl, however it is possible to distract him whilst he's eating and he will look round at us if we're nearby.
Apart from when he was a puppy he has never left any food in his bowl.
We spread his food across 3 meals a day and he will "gently remind us" when it's his evening meal time, however I often have to wake him up for his lunch. We also give him a few small biscuits when he goes to bed and he starts to look hopeful around 9:30pm, but if we're busy he just goes to sleep.

[molly muffin]

Okay, so Hamish does not have the uncontrollable hunger of a cushings dog. (mine doesn't either) You would know if that was the case, because no way would he sleep through in a meal, in fact they basically think they are starving all the time and Must have food. No looking around, no skipping and letting you get away with it either. They just act practically miserable for food. So, I don't think that is consistent and I'd stick to what we already talked about. UC:CR to start and on from there.

Sharlene

[mcdavis]

Oh forgot to explain the ACTH test costs that I was given - basically $240 for the test, $40 for sending the test to the lab, 3 x $15 for taking the three samples, $60 to see the vet, plus tax of course :eek:

[molly muffin]

How about the LDDS? I might do that first.

Sharlene

[mcdavis]

Just wanted to provide a quick update to let you know that I'm not ignoring the great advice everyone has given, but unfortunately have decided to delay any Cushings tests for several weeks.
This is because Hamish returned from the groomers with a very large ulcer on his eye which the vet says will take a few weeks to heal, so we just want to focus on him recovering from that at the moment.

[molly muffin]

Oh No, poor little Hamish. Well, we've had many here go through the ulcer situation, so if you have any questions feel free to ask away.

Sharlene

[Tina]

Oh my gosh, did the ulcer happen at the groomers?? I hope he heals well, poor little guy!

Hugs,

Tina and Jasper

[mcdavis]

Well, according to the groomer it didn't happen there, however the minute I put him in the car he started to rub the side of his face, and the right side of his face hadn't been clipped (ulcer on right eye!!).
I was really mad at the groomer who was in total 'cover your back' mode - I couldn't care less about the vet bills, only that any delay in getting him to the vet could have made things worse.

I'm unbelievably squeamish when it comes to eyes so didn't ask the vet anything useful (fortunately the staff were lovely as I was a total wreck!), but from everything I've read since it looks like there shouldn't be any permanent damage???
It was 2 days before he managed to open his eye for a few minutes, but it seems to be improving now, despite my rather haphazard attempts at putting the antiseptic gel into his eye. He's also been wearing a cone / buster collar to stop him rubbing it, although he did manage to get one of his toys into the cone so he could rub his eye on that!!!!

If anyone has any suggestions about things I can do to help him they would be greatly appreciated.

We have a progress check later this week so I'm hoping it will be good news - I just want to give him plenty of time to fully recover before I start with anything else.

[frijole]

several of us have had to deal with corneal ulcers and please do not miss a dosage. what you are reading about is 'normal dogs'. the challenge is that cush pups take longer to heal as their immune system is compromised. I will tell you that my girl was on many many drops 4 times a day and she was on them for life and it never healed. It is very important to follow instructions and if you are on more than one type of drop you have to wait 5-10 mins between drops for them to work.

I ended up having to go to an eye specialist because my regular vet didn't really know what to do. They can quickly lose an eye so keep a close eye on it and look for progress. If you have any questions just ask because many of us have been thru it here.

And I would never go back to that groomer again.. how awful for you and your baby! Kim

[addy]

I'll second what Kim said as we went through the summer with 12 different eye drops 3-4 times a day and Zoe's eye took almost 3 months to heal. Please do not miss any doses.

I know it is hard, it was a full time job for us, we even took off work for awhile:rolleyes::rolleyes::)

((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))

[mcdavis]

They gave us an antiseptic gel which has to be put on the inside of his eyelid three times a day - he absolutely hates having it done!
My biggest concern at the moment is that the progress test is going to be done by a locum and I just hope they are gentle with him as he's been extremely nervous of people since it happened.

Oh, and no way will we return to the groomer despite her telling me how much he enjoyed his visit there!!

[frijole]

OK do me a favor.. you keep a very close eye on his eye because if it looks worse or does not heal or you don't see progress please don't wait but go back or to a specialist. Don't mess around. I didn't know then what I know now and I waited too long before going to a specialist and wish I had gone right away. I just didn't know anything about ulcers. Kim

[mcdavis]

OK do me a favor.. you keep a very close eye on his eye because if it looks worse or does not heal or you don't see progress please don't wait but go back or to a specialist. Don't mess around. I didn't know then what I know now and I waited too long before going to a specialist and wish I had gone right away. I just didn't know anything about ulcers. Kim

I'm keeping a very close eye on it (and him). It appears to be getting better as he went from keeping his eye closed all of the time to squinting and now it's open most of the time - sometimes it takes a few minutes after he wakes up, but I think that could be because of the gunk (antiseptic gel) on his eyelashes.
I'm trying to keep the area around his eye clean because the gel does seem to run but my priority is not to hurt him or make things worse.

[molly muffin]

Merry Christmas to you and Hamish!

Have a safe and wonderful new year! Hope that eye continues to improve. :)

Hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[mcdavis]

Merry Christmas to you and Molly Muffin - hope she got lots of great presents!

We just got good news on Hamish's eye - the locum said the ulcer has gone :)

[molly muffin]

What a great Christmas present! Way to go Hamish, obviously his healing abilities are still very good.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[mcdavis]

Arghhhh!!!!! Just when you think you can take a breath!!!!

Recently I noticed that Hamish had started to drink a bit differently, but got distracted by the eye ulcer, however last night he seemed to be having more problems so I risked life and limb to look in his mouth and discovered his hard palate is swollen. I've been googling to see if I can find anything and it looks like it could be gum disease or gingivitis. So, we have an appointment with the vet for next Friday - earliest opportunity given the holidays.

[Trish]

Oh no, hope it is nothing serious and the vet can easily treat. Keep us updated won't you. I hate how sometimes we get on top of something and the next thing rears its ugly head. Terriers are tough though, so onwards and upward!
Trish xx

[addy]

Thinking of you today as you head to the vet.

[molly muffin]

Oh No Hamish! No scaring mom over the holidays. Keep an eye on it and if it looks like it is swelling any further, take him in to Vet ER.
Hope it isn't anything serious either and that it can be fixed quickly.
Now is the appointment today or next Friday?

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[jrepac]

Hope Hamish's eye gets better.
He's awfully cute!
Based on what I've read here, it does not sound like he has cushings, but it's possible he's in the very early stages, I suppose. I went through a similar process when my Aussie was afflicted. Symptoms were quite mild at first, then reached a point when it was clearly Cushings (still on the mild side, but more clearly diagnosed).

But doesn't sound like he is ravenous, his weight at 14lbs is not excessive, and a handful of pee accidents may not equate with Cushings...even the liver values are not excessive.

The UC CR test is the best starting point and quite inexpensive. If that does not rule out Cushings, ACTH makes sense; usually between 200-300 dollars.

I'll cross my fingers for you.

Jeff & the Girls

[mcdavis]

Hamish's appointment is now Wednesday - the vets has been really busy with the holidays but the staff are trying to help us if they get cancellations. The swelling in his mouth doesn't appear to be getting worse, however we are checking it almost hourly just to be sure.

We have experimented with different bowls and cups to help him eat and drink and he seems to be managing quite well, although it takes him longer than it used to.

My plan is to focus on his mouth and get that resolved before starting any testing for Cushings, especially as it seems like he would be early stages. He has pee'd overnight every night for the last week, but that could just be a weakening of his bladder.

Actually that reminds me - I seem to remember reading that with Cushings the pee is clear - is that correct? Hamish's pee is, as my OH said, very yellow!

The good news is that his eye definitely seems to be OK now - I used the antiseptic gel for a few days after the vet gave the all clear just to be sure and he's not been squinting.

p.s. sorry if the above is disjointed or mis-spelled - Hamish is currently fast asleep on my right arm.

[mcdavis]

Unfortunately I have some very sad news as Hamish contracted a liver infection at the weekend which caused his health to deteriorate very rapidly and we had to say goodbye to him, however he will live forever in our hearts and in the wonderful memories we have from the time we were lucky enough to spend with him.

[Harley PoMMom]

I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved Hamish. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

Godspeed sweet Hamish

[Cyn719]

I am so sorry about Hamish.....you will always have the happy memories with you.....sending you lots of love support and strength..

Love and prayers

Cindy and Bailey xo

[molly muffin]

I'm shocked! This is so heartbreaking to hear and my heart just goes out to you and your family. He will always be your beloved Hamish.
Love,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[mytil]

I am so very sorry this happened so suddenly!!!! My heart is with you.

(((hugs)))
Terry

[Squirt's Mom]

Oh, honey,

I am so sorry to read this about Hamish. Even tho I haven't contributed to his thread I have kept up with his story. We are never ready to lose our babies and there is no good way for it to happen. I have lost them suddenly, and lost them after prolonged illnesses - it doesn't matter. We find ourselves with a huge hole in our Souls.

Hamish was lucky to have you on his side. It is obvious how very much he is loved and I know he carried that love with him as he crossed The Bridge. Today he is well, strong, and running in the Rainbow Fields with many new and old friends who were there to greet him. Hamish will always be with you, always watching over you. In time, he will be one of those to greet you as you cross over and tho it seems like an eternity for us who are left behind, for them it is only a few seconds that we are apart.

We are here for you anytime, honey. Please feel free to talk, to vent, to simply cry with us. We understand and are holding you gently in our arms.

Our deepest sympathies,
Leslie, Squirt, Trinket, Brick and our Angels Ruby, Crystal, and Tasha



Weep not for me though I am gone, into that gentle night.
Grieve if you will, but not for long, upon my soul's sweet flight.
I am at peace, my soul's at rest; There is no need for tears.
For with your love I was so blessed for all those many years.
There is no pain, I suffer not, the fear now all is gone.
Put now these things out of your thoughts, in your memory I live on.
Remember not my fight for breath, remember not the strife...
Please do not dwell upon my death, but celebrate my life.

[mcdavis]

Thank you so much everyone for your kind words, thoughts and prayers - they are greatly appreciated and it's helpful to know that there are people who understand what you are feeling.

We are trying to celebrate Hamish's life because he was always such a happy lively dog who lived life at 110% and we know that he would hate to see us sad, but it's difficult when everywhere you look and everything you do reminds you of him and makes you want him back.

He was actually the retirement gift I'd always promised my Dad, and only came to live with us after my parents passed away. In the 7.5 years he lived with us he created so many happy memories and we miss him so very much, but it was time for him to return to my Dad.

[molly muffin]

What a wonderful way to try and look at the life of Hamish and his passing, as he is returning to run and play with your dad. Just as it was always meant to be.
I know it's hard though and we all know it and just try to each find our own way to deal with the loss.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[addy]

I was so stunned to read the news. I am so very sorry. Their time with us is so short.

Please come here and talk to us whenever you need to. We are always here for you.

((((((((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))))))))))

[milosmom]

i too have been reading your story and we all understand the heart shattering experience that losing your baby causes.i too have gained such comfort here at this forum in the last few months.you can post here at anytime and there will always be eyes to read your posts and respond.sending you love,light,peace andxoxox patty(milo)meka ...

[Boriss McCall]

I am so sorry to read about Hamish. I know it really hurts.:(
Big Hugs

[Bo's Mom]

My heart if breaking for you and your family about the loss of you Hamish. Please know we are here to comfort and to listen of all the forever sweet memories you have of your baby. (((HUGS)))

[SoggyDoggy]

So sorry to hear about Hamish, its a horrible thing to loose such a precious friend. Hugs from me, soggy kisses from Fraser.

[Trish]

So sorry to read about Hamish, what a shock for you all. Happy though imagining your Dad's joy to have his pal with him! Sending love and hugs for you at this sad time.
Trish xx

[BreeandDaisy]

So sorry to read about Hamish's passing. Even the photo shows what an active life he had. No doubt he couldn't have been happier. For some reason I thought I had seen you on the board for quite some time, but it appears I am wrong. Guess some people just connect so well you think they have been around longer.

I am terribly sorry to read of your loss. Any time is bad, but this time of year always seems worse. My thoughts are with you and it sounds like you have much of his life to celebrate. He seemed to enjoy each day - and you were a huge part of that. Take care of yourself. Have some good cries and anything else you need. He will be waiting for you at the rainbow bridge, so you had better plan on taking that kayak with you!

[Tina]

Oh my gosh, I am shocked to read the news about Hamish and am so sorry for your loss. The part about being reunited with your Dad is very touching, but still a heartbreaking loss for you.

Hugs,

Tina

[mcdavis]

Thank you again for all of your kind words. We haven't been members for very long but this really is a wonderful group of people - words really cannot describe the help and support that you provide. I'm going keep reading your posts as I want to know how your gorgeous pups are getting on, and I'll try to offer help, despite my incredibly limited knowledge, whenever I can.

It's hard to believe that it's been a week since we said goodbye to Hamish - we miss him so very much, we still talk to him and expect to see him wherever we look. Last night I had some jobs to do so hubby was alone for around an hour - he was bereft when I returned - said that even when Hamish was asleep he kept us company with his snores.

I took his unused medicines back to the vets today and his beds, blankets, and food to the SPCA. It was hard because I don't want him to think I'm trying to get rid of him (I've kept his favourite stuff), but I told myself that they are just things and I want to them to be used by other dogs who really need them.

[cairncrazy24]

Your Hamish was gorgeous! I commend you on giving his things to other dogs for use! I too have a cairn terrier.. they are truly the best of the terriers! Sending hugs to your family on the loss of Hamish....

[molly muffin]

I can't believe it has been a week either. :(
He was such a cutie too and so full of personality. I don't think it could be anything other than a big hole in the lives he touched. I love those little snoring sounds. It's comforting without even realizing that it's occurring if that makes any sense.
Some other lucky little dogs will have some comfy beds, thanks to Hamish and you.
I'm glad you'll be around and we'll see you comment sometimes too. We're pretty addictive you know. LOL

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[mcdavis]

Just checking in to see how everyone's doing and was reading about blankets with Buddy's smell. I didn't want to hijack that thread, but today I smelt Hamish around the house. Not on anything specific but just around a few areas. It was so unexpected, maybe because it's not long now until the day when he would have turned 16?
I love Henry, but he's an individual and he will never replace Hamish who I miss every day.

[Budsters Mom]

You can hijack my thread anytime there is something you can relate to. We are all in this together, finding the strength to go on. Smelling Hamish today was truly a gift. Rejoice in it.:) Big hugs,

[molly muffin]

I think memories can bring back smells, sounds, pictures of how things were. Just like smells can trigger memories. Gosh, Hamish was going to be 16. :) He was a great little guy.
You are right, each one is individual and unique and we love them for those very qualities that make them who they are.
Hugs!
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[Squirt's Mom]

Smells can be so powerful and can transport us to other times. I have a couple of my daughter's blankets and it was probably 3 years before I could bring myself to wash them because her scent would be gone. Her stuffed animals she collected will never be washed. ;) Crys' harness is in a box in the closet and I will sniff it from time to time as it brings her closer for a minute. I smelled Old Spice in the store once, the after shave my dad wore my whole life, and I turned expecting to see him there.

Kathy is right, I believe. This was a gift from Hamish telling you he is never away from your side and still watching over you as you watched over him. Just his reminder that he loves you as much today as ever.

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

[goldengirl88]

So sorry to hear about your baby. So many on here are thinking of you and hoping you get thru this. Smells are powerful tools to bring back memories of someone or something. God Bless You and Hamish
Patti

[mcdavis]

I think memories can bring back smells, sounds, pictures of how things were. Just like smells can trigger memories. Gosh, Hamish was going to be 16. :) He was a great little guy.
You are right, each one is individual and unique and we love them for those very qualities that make them who they are.
Hugs!
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

I'd always told Hamish that I wanted him to get to 17 but sadly it wasn't to be. I know how lucky we were that we had the time we did with him, and have so many happy memories. It's going to be hard around his birthday, but I miss him every day.