LRose88
12-09-2012, 10:51 PM
Hi,
I am hoping to gain some insight on my dog Bo and the symptoms he's been having and whether or not it sounds like he has Cushings.
We got Bo from a rescue 3 years ago and he just turned 11. He is half pomeranian and half corgi. He has always had skin and fur issues. He had these spots of black/brown little speckles on his skin (like some sort of greasy deposits that would eventually flake off), pretty much in random spots all around his body. When we first got him his fur was dry and wasn't growing in many parts of his body. It took a whole year for him to get his full coat in, which was beautiful.
Last summer (2011) he had some hot spots on both sides by his thighs and on his tail. We had to cut the fur off these areas in order for them to heal. The fur on his sides grew back but the fur on his tail still hasn't grown back completely.
Maybe about 3-4 months ago I noticed the black speckles were more greasy looking and spreading. I called the vet and they told me to keep an eye on it and call them if it changed. A couple weeks after that I noticed the fur in the areas with the black speckles was thinning. If you pulled on it, chunks would come out. It wasn't completely bald in those spots, just thinning. This was mostly on his torso region and around his neck where his collar was. Again, I called the vet and they didn't seem concerned. They said if he's acting otherwise normally (which he was) that they did think it was necessary to bring him in.
On Thanksgiving I noticed a very large area with black spots that was flaking off. I started trying to clean the chunks out and all his hair in that area came out and was bald. This happened in a few more areas as well. This is on his shoulder region. The areas of hair loss ranged in size from large (about the size of a golf ball) to small (smaller than the size of a dime). These areas now have no fur and no longer any black/brown speckles except around the very outer edges of the hair loss. I called the vet the next day and went in for an appointment.
The vet did a skin scraping and looked at it under the microscope and didn't find anything. They then set up a test for ringworm to be done (fungal culture I think?) which would take a while to get back. They also mentioned other causes of the hair loss including his pomeranian breed, allergies, Cushings, or other diseases. They just called me a couple days ago and said the ringworm test was negative. So, they wanted to go ahead and schedule the Cushings test in which they would take his blood, give him an injection, then take his blood an hour later. Depending on his body's response to the injection they can tell if he has Cushings or not. I asked questions about Cushings and its prognosis and treatment, and was a bit confused and upset why now the vet is saying she thinks its "likely" he has Cushings when before she didn't say that and he only really has the one, maybe two, symptoms. The next day I called back to ask what the injection was and if there was any possibility Bo would be allergic to it or have a negative reaction. I was told I am not allowed to ask any more questions about Bo or the Cushings test and would have to schedule another appointment if I wanted to do so. We have been going to this vet for years and have literally spent thousands of dollars there, I think they can answer one more, simple question. I started crying but they just kept repeating, "We have been told not to answer any more questions of yours without scheduling another appointment." This is one of the only natural vets in my area and there have been several times they have done ridiculous things and I have considered leaving, but didn't because there weren't any other options for holistic vets. Needless to say I am not spending another penny there. That was the last straw. We will be going back to a holistic vet we saw several years ago who closed her clinic with another doctor to go back to school and has now opened her own clinic.
I have read posts on here and you all seem so kind and helpful. I was hoping you could let me know what you think of Bo's symptoms and if it sounds like he has Cushings.
Here is some other notes about Bo that might be helpful:
-He has been taking Standard Process Canine Thyroid support since we got him (I can't remember if its for hyper-, or hypo-thyroidism)
-He eats a grain-free diet
-In the last few months I have also noticed Bo's coat is more greasy and has an odor to it. He has never been greasy or smelly before.
-He has also have more ear wax production in the last couple months, and has been licking his feet more
-He got his blood tested about 5 months ago and it was all normal
-He has a grade 2 heart murmur that hasn't changed since the vet first found it
-Probably about 3-4 months ago he urinated in the house about 5 times in one week. He will go inside if he REALLY needs to, but this was unlike him. I was about to bring a urine sample to the vet but couldn't get enough from him. But over the weekend no more accidents and no more since then either.
-I wouldn't say he has increased water consumption or a "ravenous" appetite. He likes food, but doesn't seem extreme about it.
-He has been getting more tired these last few months on his walks. But he also has luxating patellas in both back legs, which can slow him down sometimes. But sometimes he walks our full route just fine without being tired.
-Sometimes I have noticed he does pant harder than before while on a walk or afterwards. But he never pants when not active or just at rest.
-Since he is half corgi, he is short and stout. The vet said his belly looks "somewhat" like a dog with Cushings, but I really think it's just his corgi build.
-The hair loss seems to be spreading, with some spots just thinning and some bald. It is mostly on his neck, shoulders and back, and on the back of his hind legs near his butt
-Other than the things noted here, he has been his normal goofy self. Still plays the same and does the silly things with momma (me) that he always has.
I have spent countless hours reading on different diseases in dogs and trying to find the black speckle spots that seem to be associated with his hair loss. I couldn't find anything like it online, until last night.
The 2nd picture in this article (the closeup of the skin) looks EXATLY like what Bo's brown spots/speckles look like and his fur loss. http://www.cantonpomeranians.com/stories/24029
The picture on the right is what the greasy brown/black speckles that appear on his skin look like (but his come up within his fur, not on a bald spot like this picture) and the picture on the left is what it looks like after the brown stuff flakes off and the hair loss has occurred. You can see how there is still a small outer ridge of brown where the spots used to be. I think the article is saying the diagnosis of the dog in the picture was "Candid Parapsilosis." So a yeast infection in the skin. I read some more on this and it can happen on its own, but I also saw that it could be related to other issues in dogs, like Cushings.
So, I would so appreciate your help with this. What do you think of everything I described of Bo? Does your dog have these brown spots with hairloss? Does it sound like Cushings to you?
I am so desperate for an answer, but scared too. We just lost our 17 1/2 year old kitty this year from cancer and also lost our 14 year old golden retriever this year from kidney failure. I don't know if I could handle it if my little boy was diagnosed with something serious like Cushings… :(
Thank you (and sorry this is super long).
Lanae
I am hoping to gain some insight on my dog Bo and the symptoms he's been having and whether or not it sounds like he has Cushings.
We got Bo from a rescue 3 years ago and he just turned 11. He is half pomeranian and half corgi. He has always had skin and fur issues. He had these spots of black/brown little speckles on his skin (like some sort of greasy deposits that would eventually flake off), pretty much in random spots all around his body. When we first got him his fur was dry and wasn't growing in many parts of his body. It took a whole year for him to get his full coat in, which was beautiful.
Last summer (2011) he had some hot spots on both sides by his thighs and on his tail. We had to cut the fur off these areas in order for them to heal. The fur on his sides grew back but the fur on his tail still hasn't grown back completely.
Maybe about 3-4 months ago I noticed the black speckles were more greasy looking and spreading. I called the vet and they told me to keep an eye on it and call them if it changed. A couple weeks after that I noticed the fur in the areas with the black speckles was thinning. If you pulled on it, chunks would come out. It wasn't completely bald in those spots, just thinning. This was mostly on his torso region and around his neck where his collar was. Again, I called the vet and they didn't seem concerned. They said if he's acting otherwise normally (which he was) that they did think it was necessary to bring him in.
On Thanksgiving I noticed a very large area with black spots that was flaking off. I started trying to clean the chunks out and all his hair in that area came out and was bald. This happened in a few more areas as well. This is on his shoulder region. The areas of hair loss ranged in size from large (about the size of a golf ball) to small (smaller than the size of a dime). These areas now have no fur and no longer any black/brown speckles except around the very outer edges of the hair loss. I called the vet the next day and went in for an appointment.
The vet did a skin scraping and looked at it under the microscope and didn't find anything. They then set up a test for ringworm to be done (fungal culture I think?) which would take a while to get back. They also mentioned other causes of the hair loss including his pomeranian breed, allergies, Cushings, or other diseases. They just called me a couple days ago and said the ringworm test was negative. So, they wanted to go ahead and schedule the Cushings test in which they would take his blood, give him an injection, then take his blood an hour later. Depending on his body's response to the injection they can tell if he has Cushings or not. I asked questions about Cushings and its prognosis and treatment, and was a bit confused and upset why now the vet is saying she thinks its "likely" he has Cushings when before she didn't say that and he only really has the one, maybe two, symptoms. The next day I called back to ask what the injection was and if there was any possibility Bo would be allergic to it or have a negative reaction. I was told I am not allowed to ask any more questions about Bo or the Cushings test and would have to schedule another appointment if I wanted to do so. We have been going to this vet for years and have literally spent thousands of dollars there, I think they can answer one more, simple question. I started crying but they just kept repeating, "We have been told not to answer any more questions of yours without scheduling another appointment." This is one of the only natural vets in my area and there have been several times they have done ridiculous things and I have considered leaving, but didn't because there weren't any other options for holistic vets. Needless to say I am not spending another penny there. That was the last straw. We will be going back to a holistic vet we saw several years ago who closed her clinic with another doctor to go back to school and has now opened her own clinic.
I have read posts on here and you all seem so kind and helpful. I was hoping you could let me know what you think of Bo's symptoms and if it sounds like he has Cushings.
Here is some other notes about Bo that might be helpful:
-He has been taking Standard Process Canine Thyroid support since we got him (I can't remember if its for hyper-, or hypo-thyroidism)
-He eats a grain-free diet
-In the last few months I have also noticed Bo's coat is more greasy and has an odor to it. He has never been greasy or smelly before.
-He has also have more ear wax production in the last couple months, and has been licking his feet more
-He got his blood tested about 5 months ago and it was all normal
-He has a grade 2 heart murmur that hasn't changed since the vet first found it
-Probably about 3-4 months ago he urinated in the house about 5 times in one week. He will go inside if he REALLY needs to, but this was unlike him. I was about to bring a urine sample to the vet but couldn't get enough from him. But over the weekend no more accidents and no more since then either.
-I wouldn't say he has increased water consumption or a "ravenous" appetite. He likes food, but doesn't seem extreme about it.
-He has been getting more tired these last few months on his walks. But he also has luxating patellas in both back legs, which can slow him down sometimes. But sometimes he walks our full route just fine without being tired.
-Sometimes I have noticed he does pant harder than before while on a walk or afterwards. But he never pants when not active or just at rest.
-Since he is half corgi, he is short and stout. The vet said his belly looks "somewhat" like a dog with Cushings, but I really think it's just his corgi build.
-The hair loss seems to be spreading, with some spots just thinning and some bald. It is mostly on his neck, shoulders and back, and on the back of his hind legs near his butt
-Other than the things noted here, he has been his normal goofy self. Still plays the same and does the silly things with momma (me) that he always has.
I have spent countless hours reading on different diseases in dogs and trying to find the black speckle spots that seem to be associated with his hair loss. I couldn't find anything like it online, until last night.
The 2nd picture in this article (the closeup of the skin) looks EXATLY like what Bo's brown spots/speckles look like and his fur loss. http://www.cantonpomeranians.com/stories/24029
The picture on the right is what the greasy brown/black speckles that appear on his skin look like (but his come up within his fur, not on a bald spot like this picture) and the picture on the left is what it looks like after the brown stuff flakes off and the hair loss has occurred. You can see how there is still a small outer ridge of brown where the spots used to be. I think the article is saying the diagnosis of the dog in the picture was "Candid Parapsilosis." So a yeast infection in the skin. I read some more on this and it can happen on its own, but I also saw that it could be related to other issues in dogs, like Cushings.
So, I would so appreciate your help with this. What do you think of everything I described of Bo? Does your dog have these brown spots with hairloss? Does it sound like Cushings to you?
I am so desperate for an answer, but scared too. We just lost our 17 1/2 year old kitty this year from cancer and also lost our 14 year old golden retriever this year from kidney failure. I don't know if I could handle it if my little boy was diagnosed with something serious like Cushings… :(
Thank you (and sorry this is super long).
Lanae