Introducing Doccy question about radiation

[Doccy]

HI, I am new to the forum and wanted to introduce Doc. He's my wonderful 12yo Border Collie. We have just been diagnosed with a functioning pituitary adenoma (brain tumor). He was diagnosed by an MRI. As you can imagine, I'm still spinning. The neurologist said it was functioning so that he has Cushing's. We are going to pursue radiation therapy in order to reduce or kill the tumor. The radiation they recommend is 5 doses in a week's time. I am calling tomorrow to schedule this. Doc's symptoms started in July and we had xrays done and showed arthritis in the spine. We just thought we had an old dog. But, he started to do other things like dropping his neck, getting very quiet, drinking a lot and peeing a lot, dragging his nails on walks, and general confusion. They thought he had degenerative myelopathy, but last week confirmed that it is a tumor. Right now, they want to do the radiation then focus on the after support when they get an idea if he needs steroids or not. I have him on Chinese herbs, he is getting acupuncture, and massage. I am so happy I found this forum and so glad there is a community of people who don't think I'm crazy for what I do for my boy. My question is, does anyone have any experience with the radiation therapy and what to expect afterwards? Thanks and I look forward to being a part of this community.

[Roxee's Dad]

Hi and welcome to you and Doc,

I am sorry for the circumstances that brought you here, but am sure glad you found us. There will be many to come by and welcome you and help you and Doc through this. We have had a few members that have had their pups go through radiation treatment. I am sure they will stop by.

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[Simba's Mom]

Welcome to the family, this site is awesome and you will learn a lot.

[frijole]

Hello. Glad you found us - this is a great resource. First off 85% of cushing's dogs have pituitary form (tumors). They are typically teeny tiny microscopic sized non-cancerous tumors that transmit messed up messages to the adrenal glands telling them to create more cortisol when in fact their bodies have enough already. This is what creates cushings.

A very small % of pituitary tumors are classified as macros (meaning larger) and they grow and become invasive to the brain. This is when we normally see radiation therapy being discussed. If not a macro traditional meds are used to treat (lysodren and trilostane/vetoryl)

Tell us more about your dog, the symptoms and the tests that were done to diagnose. We see alot cases and tests are not fool proof so we like to confirm that cushings is really at play.

I understand your fear as I was there once too. Please know that it is not a death sentence and your dog can lead a normal life with treatment.

We have had members do radiation therapy with some success. It is pretty rare here in the US - more common in Europe.

Since treatment using meds is easy and less expensive than radiation I am wondering why your vet is recommending radiation? I know it might be difficult but since it is so rare - if you don't know the answer to the question you need to ask. It'd be like scheduling a stent to be put into the heart to treat heartburn. I exaggerate a bit but you get my point. I just don't want you to rush into something without fully understanding it.

Generally there is absolutely NO rush to treat cushings as it does not pose immediate health risks - just frustrating with the frequent urination.

It is so frequently MISDIAGNOSED that multiple tests are required to confirm in fact you are looking at cushings. Diabetes and thyroid problems mimic cushings symptoms. When a dog is ill their cortisol is high as their bodies fight other illnesses and can cause false positives on cushings tests.

That is why we IMPLORE new members to share with us all tests done to diagnose.

I've rambled enough - sorry... just really want to make sure we get all the info. Here's a link to some intro info on this disease.

Kim

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=180

[molly muffin]

Hello and welcome.

It sounds like the MRI must have diagnosed a macro tumor if they want to do radiation. Can you confirm that? If it isn't and it is just a very small one, microscopic size, then normally they would treat with either trilostane or lysodren.

You have come to a good site to get support for whole cushings experience. I hope some of the members who have gone through radiation will stop by and give you their take on the issue.

Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[labblab]

As Sharlene says, I'm guessing that the MRI has indicated that your dog's pituitary tumor is large enough to be causing the neurological problems that you are describing, and that is the reason why the radiation is being recommended.

Historically, conventional radiation for these types of tumors involved approx. 12 treatments spread over the time period of a month of so. We are aware that newer, experimental protocols are being introduced at different centers around the country, especially in conjunction with some of the cutting-edge "cyber" treatment technologies. If your specialists are proposing a single 5-day series of treatments, I'm guessing they are talking about one of these newer types of treatments. If so, if it were me, I'd want to know the specifics as far as how many of these procedures have they performed and what has been their success rate.

In the past, the goal of radiation treatment was to reduce the size of the tumor and eliminate the neurological symptoms, as least for a time. Conventional radiation could not remove the tumor entirely, so over time, the tumor did regrow. However, some dogs were free of the need for Cushing's treatment for an extended time period. So this was a bonus in addition to alleviating the neurological problems.

Bottom line, as I say, I'd want to make sure that the specialists who are proposing the radiation treatment are experienced and have had good results with the protocol that they are recommending to you.

Marianne

[SoggyDoggy]

Hi, I can offer no words of advice in regards to radiation, but I can say welcome. And you are right, you found a place where everyone understands and doesn't think you are crazy for treating Doccy. The truth is we are all equally insane and would do anything for our babies, so have no worries, we get it.

Good luck with everything, I look forward to hearing more about Doccy and his progress.

[Doccy]

Hi Everyone and thanks for the welcome. A little more information:
Doc's tumor is a macrotumor that is causing some pressure. We were diagnosed and will do the treatment at University of Florida. His cortisol is elevated as is his ALT (SGPT) and Alk Phosphatase. The MRI clearly showed the tumor in the pituitary, the ultrasound showed some nodules on liver and spleen (which came back normal). As for the 5x, they feel that they can do the therapy with 5 doses instead of the traditional 20 or 30. They recommend this to cut down on the anesthesia risks. They have a good success rate in shrinking this type of tumor. The mean life expectancy is 18 months with ~68% of dogs living beyond the mean. They are not sure just how "functioning" this tumor is, so they are waiting for any treatment in that regard until they do the radiation. They have put him on Chinese herbs to include an antioxidant formula, arthritis formula, and cancer formula, along with Stasis mansion of the mind. We go down Thursday for the catscan to start the process for the radiation plan. They are giving him 3 months to live with no treatment due the pressure that the tumor is causing on the brain. I'm glad I found this out because he's been essentially living with a headache for months which just kills me. The neurologist is fairly certain we will be dealing with treating cushings after they try to shrink the tumor.

Are there any other questions I should specifically ask them? Any more I need to answer here? My mind is all over the place--we found this out last Thursday (17th).

I am so glad I found this site. Some family and friends have expressed that I'm wasting my time and money and it really is just so hurtful that they can't understand the love that I have for him and that I will do anything to help him. Thanks again for being here to all of you.

[labblab]

I am so happy to hear that Doc is being seen at Florida. The fact that the treatment will be conducted in a university setting puts my mind at ease. And yes, limiting the amount of anesthesia is an enormous plus.

It does make sense to me that they are postponing decisions re: cortisol control until after the procedure. Doc's entire hormonal picture may change radically one the tumor is reduced.

So in honesty, I can't think of any other questions right now. But we will be anxously awaiting any and all updates, because you and Doc will be pioneers for us all as we continue to learn more about newly emerging radiation treatment options. I'm so sorry you are having to deal with this, but we will be right beside you every step of the way!

Marianne

[lulusmom]

We have had a couple of members who moved forward with radiation for their pups. I found one of the threads which I've provided the URL below. This particular pup, Tessie, had radiation in September 2009 at a very senior age of 15 or 16. An MRI done over a year later showed no sign of a pituitary tumor so radiation was a complete success. It was a bit of a recovery but Dottie did get her old Tessie back. Sadly Tess passed of renal failure about two years after radiation.

http://k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=894&highlight=radiation

Glynda

[frijole]

Thanks for the info. I know from reading here that the U of FL has an AWESOME group of vets/surgeons. I am relieved they are involved. Kim

[molly muffin]

Oh yes, I agree with everyone else, very glad that you are having this done at U of F.
It's also true, that you don't know if there will be any cushings symptoms afterwards or not. It depends on how much the radiation shrinks the pituitary tumor and how active that tumor was involved in cortisol production.

It's a good start that things are moving fast since the initial findings last week.

Sharlene and MollyMuffin

[Doccy]

Glynda, thanks for posting the thread about Tess. While she went through a lot, it really was positive to read and Dottie was a hoot. Doc and I are headed to UF tomorrow for the catscan to start the radiation plan and then if all goes well for radiation Monday through Friday. I'm so so so nervous, but in my heart I feel I'm doing the right thing. Thanks to everyone for caring and I'll keep everyone updated with Doc's journey. He's my brave, little bubby.

[molly muffin]

Good Luck!!! We'll all be hoping for the very best!!!

Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[Doccy]

Hi Guys,
Doc and I joined here a couple of weeks ago. We were just diagnosed with a pituitary tumor (macroadenoma). We decided to undergo radiation. He had stereotactic radiation. 5 doses. Everything went well last week. Doc had no issues with anesthesia and he was even really pepping up on Thursday. He tore out his IV chewed up the bandages and put all pieces and IV in his water dish. Then when they opened his kennel on Friday, he threw the water dish at them. Now that is my Doccer. :p I picked him up on Friday and they really are quite surprised at how well he is doing. They are very optimistic. They have put Doc on prednisone to combat the swelling from radiation. He is responding well. He will be on that for 1 month at the current dosage (20mg 1x/day). Doc weighs 50lbs. Then if everything is going well, we will wean him off the pred over the following 2 months. So...he will be on it for at least 3 months. The want to do the ACHT (not sure of spelling) test after he is off prednisone. They are fairly certain the tumor is functioning, but they feel his Cushing's will be mild. But time will tell that. We get another MRI in three months to see if the radiation was successful at shrinking tumor. Sooo....on to my question. He is really drinking, eating, and peeing ALOT. What do you guys do to mitigate this? At night, he is up 2-3 times during the night to pee (he's never done this before) and he pants and seems a little restless (unless he's just eaten). Do you give snacks in the middle of the night? I don't want to make him gain too much weight, so I have taken his normal food amount and I feed him 3x a day with a snack in the evening. Should I give him a snack right before bed and then one of the times he wakes me up? Should I pull his water at some time in the evening? It just seems mean to pull water if he is so thirsty. Not sure what to do here. Also, will this throw off his electrolytes? Thanks for any input. I know being on prednisone seems counterintuitive for cushings, but they said he would need it for the radiation swelling. Thanks everyone and thanks for caring about Doccy.

[labblab]

Just wanted to let you know I've added your newest reply to your original thread. This way, all your history and treatment info will be housed in one place. ;)

Marianne

[NoonelovesmelikeNorman]

I just want to say welcome to the group. It sounds like Doc's surgery went well, however, the symptoms sound very cushing like. I am too new and not qualied to give any advice or suggestions, I will leave that to the others who are more qualified than me. Just wanted to welcome you to the forum. It is such a wonderful supportive group with a wealth of knowledge.:D
Hoping you find the answers and a good solution so Doc may get back to being a healthy happy pup.

(((Hugs)))

Sharon, Norman and Millie

[Doccy]

Thanks Marianne. I wondered about that and wasn't sure if I needed to do a new thread or not. Thanks Sharon, Norman, and Millie. He is so much more himself that I truly feel blessed and I'm just living in the joy of having my pup back no matter how long or short it lasts. :-)

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi Guys,
Sooo....on to my question. He is really drinking, eating, and peeing ALOT. What do you guys do to mitigate this? At night, he is up 2-3 times during the night to pee (he's never done this before) and he pants and seems a little restless (unless he's just eaten).

For the increased urination, would pee pads be adequate?


Do you give snacks in the middle of the night? I don't want to make him gain too much weight, so I have taken his normal food amount and I feed him 3x a day with a snack in the evening. Should I give him a snack right before bed and then one of the times he wakes me up?

You could give some low fat snacks such as carrots and/or frozen green beans.


Should I pull his water at some time in the evening? It just seems mean to pull water if he is so thirsty. Not sure what to do here. Also, will this throw off his electrolytes? Thanks for any input. I know being on prednisone seems counterintuitive for cushings, but they said he would need it for the radiation swelling. Thanks everyone and thanks for caring about Doccy.

One never wants to restrict water, dogs that have Cushing's or that are on prednisone do have increased thirst and urination because the kidneys are working harder. Since the kidneys are doing more work (peeing) the dog needs to drink more water to keep up.

Glad to hear that Doc is doing well and you both will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Love and hugs,
Lori

[Doccy]

Hi Lori,
Thanks for the reply. I have a washable pee pad and I will try to see if he'll use that. He's always been adverse to getting on anything like a towel or bed, but I'm sure I could train him to the pee pad. Right now, I'll just get up at night as needed and let him out. Thanks for the tip on the carrots and green beans. I'm not pulling his water and he seems to be "thirstier" some days. He also drinks more at work (he goes to work with me) than at home. We're just adjusting to our new schedule. Hopefully when they start backing him down, this will get better. Thanks again!

[gabelle1995]

Hi Doccy. You'd asked what might be causing the excessive thirst, hunger, etc after the radiation treatment. You mentioned that he's on prednisone to reduce swelling. That can also cause all of these symptoms you describe. (My furbaby Dudley had all of these symptoms when he was on Prednisone for a herniated disc; in fact, I think he drank more water on the Pred than when he was diagnosed with Cushings.) Once you have weaned him off of the steroids, assess his symptoms again with your vet to see if you need to treat for Cushings.

[Boriss McCall]

Hi,
I am so excited for you & Doccy. Seems like things are going really well. I love hearing this!!

Amy

[Squirt's Mom]

I missed your post that the radiation had been completed! :o That is great news and I LOVED the bit about Doccy throwing his water bowl at them! :D:p LOL That is priceless!

I so hope the radiation was a success and accomplishes what we all want to see - that tumor shrunk to nuttin'! ;) It's great that he is feeling so well so soon after the procedure and I hope that trend continues.

With the pred on board, you can expect those cush signs unfortunately but Lori gave some great answers, as usual, to your questions. Don't hesitate to ask anytime...someone is bound to have some input. ;)

Keep in touch and let us know how things are going.
Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

[Doccy]

Thanks everyone. Doc is doing well. He's been a bit wobbly, but they said to expect his same neurological signs as before. The goal is to stop the tumor from growing. The hope is to kill the bugger. I'm just dealing with the extra bathroom breaks. He's had some accidents in the house, but that is what my carpet shampoo machine is for. He has been really good about getting me up gently to go out in the night and I am just going to adjust to what I need to adjust to. The drinking and eating seem to wax and wane. We have our 2 week follow-up this Thursday. The real news won't come until we get an MRI in 3 months. Hopefully they will start to wean off of the pred in about 2 weeks, so I may see a lessening of the symptoms, but really in the end, I'll just do what I have to do. BTW, it never would have occurred to me to give frozen green beans. I love this site for all the great advice! (and support).

[molly muffin]

Great news. I too hope it is gone at the 3 month MRI. Do they think the neurological signs will ever disappear if the tumor goes?
Yes, once weaned off the prednisone then hopefully the water/peeing will slow down too.

Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[scoora]

Jessica-Hope everything is still going great with Doc. How did the 2 week check up go?

[Trish]

This is really interesting, hope all is going well with Doc and his post treatment recovery, love to hear how he is doing and hope the checkup went well!
Trish

[Doccy]

Hi Everyone,
Doc is doing really well with his treatment. We had the 2-week follow-up on Valentine's Day. He is exceeding their expectations and they are very surprised and happy with how well he is doing. He is pretty much back to his old self. He stills has a little bit of atxia on uneven surfaces, but otherwise he is alert, playful, and energetic. He does have a yeast issue on his paws so I have to wash twice a week with oatmeal shampoo, and he is having some pain with arthritis that we are treating with Tramadol (1/2 dose). He's still on prednisone and we will start backing that off this week maybe. We are at a critical time as he may start to have some swelling, but overall he seems ok for now. We go back beginning of May to get blood tests and another MRI to see if the tumor has shrunk. They said not to be dismayed if it hasn't shrunk that the fact that he has reversed most of his neurological symptoms is good. We'll see. I'm afraid to jump for joy that it will all be taken away from me, but I am so happy. I can't say enough about the staff and care at UF. They are top notch and they really do care. I'm happy we were able to go there. Turns out they and University of Colorado are the only ones who do the stereotactic radiation. I just feel blessed right now and each and everyday I get to spend with my Doccers.

[Squirt's Mom]

What a great update on Doccy! :):cool::) I can only imagine how happy you are to see him acting so much better and I hope the test that is coming up gives you more reason to rejoice. Keep in touch and let us know how things are going.

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

[Doccy]

Doc has had a really dry nose the last few days. I don't think it is an infection but I want to treat it before it cracks and becomes one. Do any of you have any suggestions for what to put on it? Olive oil? Afraid to put vaseline on it because it is petroleum based and he's sure to lick it off. Thanks!

Moderator's Note: I have merged your latest update on Doc into Doc's original thread. We, normally, like to keep all posts on a pup in a single thread as it makes it easier for other member's to refer back to the pup's history, if needed.

[Harley PoMMom]

Although I think the vaseline would be fine, Vit E could be used.

[Mel-Tia]

I would just keep dotting water on Tia's nose and that seemed to do the trick. I don't know if it means they are dehydrated but I noticed it more after she hadnt had a drink for a while

[Doccy]

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the advice on Doc's nose. I did put some Vit. E on his nose and it seemed to help, even though he licked it off. On other news, we backed off the prednisone by 1/4 pill (1 pill is 20mg). He seems to be doing fine, but is a touch more quiet. Not sure if it is his arthritis or pressure from the tumor. Trying not to obsess since he is alert, wanting to play, walk, etc. Having to keep him in check with activities because of the arthritis. But, just wanted to give an update. We are one month since radiation and now we are starting the slow progression of getting off pred. Have a follow-up with UF in a week and every two weeks until another MRI in May. In any event, thanks everyone for the great advice and for the support.

[molly muffin]

awww, poor Doc. Hope he feels better. It's always a bit hard when you start lowering the prednisone. They get use to it, they feel good with it, so it's an adjustment with each decrease. :( I know I had my golden on it for a very long time, any decrease and she didn't feel like herself. Hopefully the decrease stages will pass quickly. He's come so far and is doing so well. He's an amazing guy.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly muffin

[Doccy]

Hi Guys,
Just wanted to give everyone an update. We've progressed to the second stage of backing down the Pred. He's on 1/2 pill each day now. He seems to be doing ok. I've started giving him Tramadol each night for his arthritis and he is responding well. I have to constantly keep asking him to "rest". His old Border Collie self is back (obsession with toys). His peeing/drinking symptoms seem to be come and go given the day but the eating and desire to eat are still there very strong. Haha. His nose is still dry, but it is getting better. On our last visit to UF, they talked to me about the weight loss, (they want him to lose 4 pounds). I had to laugh and said to them that they must think he is doing well if they are getting on to me about his weight. The Dr. laughed back and said it was true. I take it day by day, but am still very grateful for this board and all the support on here.:D

[Simba's Mom]

I was just reading some of your posts and wondered if you could kinda explain what you mean when you said your pup drops his neck. Simba will turn his head in a odd way sometimes so wondered if that was the same..

[molly muffin]

Such awesome news!! So happy to hear that Doc is on track. Love that!

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[Squirt's Mom]

YAY! Doc and Mom! :):cool::):cool: That is so good to hear and I hope he continues to improve each day that passes. I can just imagine how happy it must make you to see him playing with his toys again. That is just wonderful! :)

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

[scoora]

Great news about Doc. Hope it keeps getting better.

[Doccy]

HI Letti and Simba,
By dropping his head, he would lower his head below his shoulders as he walked. The neurologist said that it can be a sign of neurological problems, headaches, or just not feeling well. It was noticeable for Doc since he holds his head high with alert ears usually when walking or going anywhere. Not sure what you mean by "odd"way but I can tell you that Doc was not "turning" his head. It just appeared like his head was too heavy for him to lift. After his radiation, he's been on prednisone for swelling and I give him tramadol at night for his arthritis. He's not doing the head droop thing anymore. Have you talked with your vet about the head turning? Sending good vibrations Simba's way!

Hugs,
Jessica and Doc

[Trish]

Good luck with Doc's diet! Those few pounds sure make a difference with their arthritis problems. My boy needs to lose just a few too, less snacks I think! Pleased to hear he is doing well, so happy for you!
Trish

[Simba's Mom]

Glad to hear Doc is doing better, thanku for explaining the head drop and glad Doc is not doing it anymore...I will mention it to my vet, next time we go in, it's prob just me worrying!!! Take care and glad things are looking up!!

[Doccy]

HI Guys,
Just wanted to check in and let you know that Doc is doing well. He had his last prednisone pill 2 days ago and I'm watching like a hawk to see if he is ok without it. Hopefully he does well and we can put him on an anti-inflammatory for the arthritis in a few weeks. We had a small Easter trip to my parents (his grandparents who spoil him more than I do :D ). He did get ahold of his pill pockets and ate part of the bag and all the pockets when we went to dinner one night. He threw-up twice (some bits of bag) and then pooped the part with the ingredient list out the next day. First time I've been able to read his poo. Haha. He didn't have any issues after that so we left it at that.

We go down to UF in May to see if we shrunk the tumor, crossing fingers!! Just wanted to give an update and let everyone know that I'm so grateful for the support and I'm praying for all of you and your pups.

Jessica and the Docorama.

[molly muffin]

HI Guys,
He threw-up twice (some bits of bag) and then pooped the part with the ingredient list out the next day. First time I've been able to read his poo. Haha. He didn't have any issues after that so we left it at that.



:eek::eek::D:D

Cracked me up!!!!

Hope the tumor has shrunk and all is well on your trip to UF.

Hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[Doccy]

HI Guys,
We have a new development. Doc has been having very minor nose bleeds from his left nostril. It is only about 2-3 drops about twice a day since Friday (3 days ago). I've had his blood tested for platelets (normal), CBC (normal), and blood pressure (180 (high) but not enough to cause the bleeds). They gave him phenylephrine (OTC spray). I only give it to him when blood present. It seems to be when we wake up in the morning (from night before). We have an MRI in May to see if brain tumor shrunk, now we'll have to look for nasal tumor. :-(

They told me to keep Doc quiet. So...I've gotten lots of dirty looks this weekend and I have to keep reminding him that I'm the shepherd and make the rules. In any event, he's otherwise ok. Good appetite, etc. We've been off the prednisone for almost 2 weeks.

Do any of you have any experience with nosebleeds?

[Harley PoMMom]

Just wondering out loud here...do you think that the radiation has dried up his nose and it is bleeding because of that. And if this is the case, maybe a saline solution would help???

Sending huge and loving, Lori

[Doccy]

Thanks for wondering out loud. I wondered that too. I called UF in total freak out mode and they said unlikely that the radiation did this, but I didn't ask about saline as a comfort thing for the nose if it was just dry. I'm going to call and see if I can use it just in case it is dry. They said since it is only a couple of drops, one nostril, and so spread out (12 hours apart usually), they said it was not emergent and I could either come in to them or have local vet evaluate him. So, I went to my local vet--he's the one that did all the bloodwork, etc. He wants to see if it gets better (seems to be going that direction) and basically wait until I go down to UF in May for a full workup. Basically, all we have left to do is a skull xray and he said that the next step after that is MRI. Since I already have that on the books, to wait for that MRI and have it all done together. If it doesn't clear up by Thursday, then to move up my appt. at UF and add it to the MRI workup. I just know it is not normal and wondered if anyone else has experienced this. It's just scary seeing blood near your baby.

[molly muffin]

Hi, goodness, something else to worry about. Hopefully it isn't anything serious.
Did they check Doc for high BP? That can cause nose bleed too.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[scoora]

Jessica, Hopefully it isn't anything and it clears up real soon. Keep us posted on how Doc's doing.
Big hugs

[Doccy]

HI Guys,
Just wanted to give an update on Doccy. His nosebleeds stopped just as suddenly as it came on. Still no answer to what it was. We are still scheduled for the MRI next Monday and we'll look at the nasal cavity as well. However, now he has a UTI. So....we're on antibiotics for that. :( I feel bad for him because I get those all the time and they suck. Not like he can just take a warm bath and let it all go. Haha. Otherwise, we're doing well and he's playing lots and eating well. We'll probably get the go ahead to do the ACTH testing after the MRI. Waiting for the prednisone to be out of his body completely. Just wanted to thank everyone again for the support. This is a wonderful site. You guys TOTALLY understand the love and dedication to our babies.

[molly muffin]

Other than the UTI, it all sounds really good. I agree, poor guy, nothing feels good about a UTI. :( Hopefully he'll get over it really quickly. I'm sure his MRI will be awesome too. :) Maybe it just was a scratch up there? Or could he have sniffed in something that caused an irritation, which might have been a sore and scabbed? So many possibilities and most of them are not anything serious, so we'll just go with that. :)

Good luck!
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[Trish]

Hi there, pleased to hear the nose bleeds settled. UTIs are a curse aren't they, poor Doc. Fingers crossed for a good report on the MRI, will be great to hear that tumour has shrunk away! :)

[Doccy]

Well, the nosebleed is back. He had one last night, worse than the previous ones, but still not a "gusher". Basically about a 1/2 Tbsp. on the carpet. He was licking and licking and licking last night (overnight) and I thought he was licking a hotspot on his feet (he does that sometimes). Well, now I know it was the blood on his nose. I feel so bad for him with it. And I feel awful for not getting up to check. So far today no blood. He also won't take his tramadol (for pain for his arthritis) with food (I had it compounded into a liquid). So, now I have to squirt down his throat. He HATES it. I hate having to do it, but he seems to do so much better a couple of hours later. Sigh.

[molly muffin]

Oh drat. I'm sorry the nose bleed is back. :( Well, at least it won't be long now till you can have it checked out and maybe find out what is going on for sure. Hopefully just something simple to clear up.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[Boriss McCall]

I know that must be a little scary. I have never had a dog with a nose bleed except once. Boriss got head butted by our other dog on an accident & his nose bleed like a faucet. very scary... I just did what you do with humans & held the cold rag over it.
I know you are ready to get some answers.

[Simba's Mom]

Praying you get answers soon!

[Doccy]

HI Guys,
Just wanted to check in and let you all know that....WE SHRUNK THE TUMOR!!!!! :D:D:D:D

It is about 20% smaller in diameter and is much less dense. UF is really positive about it continuing to shrink and said that a victory for them was to retard the growth, but the shrinkage is a real win for us. So, we got Doc a "I kicked my brain tumor's ass" dragon toy. Haha.

As far as the nosebleeds, they have no answers. The catscan showed nothing, bloodtests normal, so we are treating for allergies with anti-histamine. He hasn't had one sense.

Just wanted to share the good news with everyone.

[Harley PoMMom]

Oh MY!!! This is GREAT news!!! So very happy for you both! YAAA!!!

[molly muffin]

That is the BEST news ever!!!! Congratulations! Way to go Doc. Allergies, well, there you go. They can sure do a number on humans and pets.

Yay!!! Hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[lulusmom]

Awesome news! Thanks for letting us know.

[scoora]

Jessica, That is fantastic news that the tumor shrunk! So glad to hear that.

[Boriss McCall]

I LOVE this news!! that is so great. Yay Doccy!!!!

[Budsters Mom]

No better news than that! :DWay to go Docs! :) I am so happy for you!:)

Hugs,
Kathy and Buddy:cool:

[Trish]

Wow 20% smaller, that is great news!! So pleased for Doc. I guess the radiation keeps on working for a while so it might be getting even smaller. Glad to hear the nose bleeds are nothing to worry about I was wondering if it could have been a side effect of the radiotherapy as sometimes the surround tissue can become a little more friable and prone to bleeding.

Fingers crossed Doc continues to do well :)

[Tina]

Oh my gosh, so happy to read this wonderful news. Way to go Doc!!!

Hugs,
Tina and Jasper

[Doccy]

Thanks everyone. Doc continues to do well and is really back to his old self. The nosebleeds are gone. We were on anti-histamine for 1.5 weeks and now as needed. He hasn't had one since. They were stumped by it (blood, u/s, x-ray, catscan, and MRI showed nothing). Fortunately, he had one while he was there so they could see what exactly was happening. They now think it is either allergies or a capillary that burst and was slow to heal. They were also curious that he has had zero regrowth of his shaved spots since January. They tested for that as well. We have to give a few months and if no hair growth, go back down for another consult. But the internal med. doctor says it can take 6-8 months after radiation to see some growth. As for the radiation, it will continue to work for another 6 months or so, so they think we have a good chance of up to 40% further shrinkage. Crossing fingers.

Next step is ACTH (might have that backwards) testing. Since his symptoms are so mild, they don't think we should treat for anything so I've been procrastinating a bit on that. I just want him to have a good chunk of time without doctors, medicine, etc. Just so you guys know, I've continued the chinese herbs at UF's recommendation.

Thank you all so much for the support and prayers. It just helps so much to be able to reach out to a community or people that really understand the value of our babies. I don't feel like the "crazy dog lady" on here!! Thanks again.

I just want to thank all of you. This is such a great site!

[Fellasmom]

Such great news!!!Will keep Doccy in my prayers that he continues to show such great improvement!!
Patty

[molly muffin]

Thanks for the great update on Doccy. So glad to hear that he is doing well and the tumor might shrink even more! Great news that. Yep, I bet you are right, allergies or a slow healing capillary, actually both. Allergies causing the irritation. I hear that allergies have been really bad all over this spring.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[Trish]

Yes this is great news! It is so good for other members to read about Doc's success and good outcome when they are considering options for their pets, hopefully this option will be right for another dog and they can get a lot of hope reading your thread!! :D:D GO DOC!!!! :):)

[molly muffin]

Hi Jessica. I was wondering if you have a moment if you can tell us how Doc is doing? We have another dog on the forum who has just completed a series of three radiation treatments at the University of Davis, California.
As you can imagine it's a scary prospect when you are just starting out on the journey and not sure how things are going to progress.
I hope things are still going really well for Doccy and you.

Hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[Doccy]

HI Guys,
I posted on Dawn's thread regarding Buttercup. I want to post on this one to update you on Doc. He is doing FANTASTIC! The big news is that we had blood tests about 3 weeks ago and all of his numbers (including liver numbers) were in the healthy normal range. All Cushing's symptoms are gone! Doc is back to going potting about every 4 hours during the day and holding it about 9 hours at night. His drinking and eating are totally normal. No pot belly. All of his hair has grown back. It took about 4 months for the leg hair to grow, about 8 months for the belly hair to grow and the stripe down the back of his head grew back right before Christmas (so 10 months post radiation). With all the hair, once it started to grow it was like an out of control Chia pet. But....it is bunny like soft. Not sure what that is all about. He has had a skin infection that I thought looked like mange (mainly on his ear) a couple of months ago, but the vet said it was Staph. We were on antibiotics for 3 weeks and it cleared up. Other than that we are dealing with occasional dandruff and his arthritis. I have taken him off the Chinese herbs because it seemed they suddenly started causing very loose stool. Right now, I give him fish oil and MSM/Glucosamine.

As of Feb 4th, we will be 1 year post radiation which means we have reached the median survival time. I am so grateful that we were close enough to UF to get this treatment and that they did such a wonderful job. Doc is his normal Border Collie self. He wants to play ALL THE TIME. I indulge him as much as I can and he and I are just enjoying what time we have together.

I promise I will do better at staying on these forums. I hope that Doc's story is one of hope for others and I will be happy to help anyone with questions. Again, sorry for such a long absence.

[molly muffin]

Jessica, so great to hear from you! I'm beyond thrilled to hear that Doc is doing so well. That radiation treatment sure can be a real life saver when you know you're dealing with a macro tumor.
Isn't that funny about the hair being bunny soft. They say that texture and sometimes color even can change when it comes back in. I guess you got the soft texture. :)
So glad that everything is back to normal and that Doc is playing like his normal self. Long may it continue!
You really do give hope to the others who will and are following in your footsteps.

hugs
Sharlene and molly muffin

[Trish]

Hi Jessica

Wow that update was just awesome to read, so pleased Doc has had a good year and is all furry again and is playing like a doggie should, doesn't that just melt your heart to hear that, well it does me!!! It is going to be so good for new posters considering this treatment to read about this. HOpe you have a party planned to celebrate Feb 4th!! Yay you did good!! Big hugs for you both xxxx

[Dawn Anderson]

Thanks for the up date, hoping that my girl has the same outcome as yours. It reassures me that I did the right thing for her and that she has a real chance of having a good recovery and quality of life.

Thanks again
Dawn & Butters

[scoora]

Jessica,
I am so glad everything is going great for Doc!
It's great to hear from you.

[Doccy]

Thanks everyone. Sometimes it is hard for me to post the really good stuff because I'm afraid Murphy's Law will somehow take it away. Dawn--if you ever have any questions, let me know. We have not had any of the classic side effects from the radiation. Of course, everything we have had always makes me say..."did the radiation cause this?" LOL. Anyways, the difference between post and pre radiation are mainly skin related (i.e, the bad dandruff and really dry skin). If the radiation were to affect his vision, it would have happened by now, so I'm relatively certain that will not happen. Of course, the radiation is no longer radiating. Not very scientific of me, but they told me that after 6 months, it's done what it is going to do. All I can go on is his behavior and bloodwork. We chose not to do an MRI at 6 months because they really didn't want to put him through if his symptoms were gone. Vicki--thinking of you and Archie tomorrow. I hope all goes well.

[Dawn Anderson]

Hello, was wondering if you had any pics of Doccys CC you could share with me. Buttercup has a fierce case of it and reading your post about Doccys fur growing back gives me hope, have yet to see any before and after cases of CC that are as server as Butters. Anything you can share would be wonderful.

Thanks
Dawn and Butters

[Doccy]

Dawn,
Doc has not been diagnosed with CC, but he has had some skin issues, mainly really dry and flaking. He did have a problem on his ear that looked like mange. I can put that picture on here. It was so bad that I took one. Would that help? (I've not posted pics before, but I will try to do so). He also had red spots and the vet thought it was staph. We did a 3 week course of antibiotics and it cleared up. His really bad flaky dandruff (big flakes) is still with us. As for the hair regrowth, the radiation can slow it down. Our radiation vet said it could be 6-8 months before we saw any regrowth. When we had the 3 month follow-up MRI, he had zero regrowth. The legs grew in first (where they had his IVs--all four legs had a stripe shaved). His belly came next (that was shaved for ultrasound) and the strip on back of head came last (that was for when we were still diagnosing the tumor and they did a spinal tap for meningitis). He totally blew out his undercoat early this summer and I thought for sure he would look so sparce forever (he blew that out before hair regrowth), but when the hair regrowth started, his undercoat came back. I will upload the images today. Poor Buttercup, the hair may take a bit longer to regrow simply because of the radiation. Doc's hair came back different (really, really soft like a rabbit) and some different coloration (meaning black where there was white).

[Dawn Anderson]

Thank god Doc did not have the dreaded CC,. Any pics you can share would be great, Butters was shaved up in so many places also. The 27 the will make 2 months post radiation, her neurology issues have greatly improved and her vision is getting stronger in her left eye.

Give Doc a hug and a kiss from Butters and I, you guys are inspirational to us.

Dawn and Butters

[Doccy]

Dawn, I'm trying to upload pics of Doc's ear, but the insert image is asking for a url for the pic. I have it on my hard drive. Do you know of a way to insert a regular pic?

[molly muffin]

You should be able to upload a picture from your hard drive directly to a photo album under your profile.

Let us know if you need help setting an album up.

Sharlene and molly muffin

[Doccy]

Thanks Sharlene! I uploaded the album of the sores on Doc's ear. Dawn--I messaged you about the pics.

[goldengirl88]

I saw the pictures of you babies ears. God bless him they look so sore, it makes me want to cry. Hope things get better and the ears start healing up this has to be horrible to deal with this CC. Blessings
Patti

[Doccy]

HI Patti,
Thanks! It cleared right up on the antibiotics but it sure was sore for him and of course I didn't know what it was and scratched some of the scabs. He never said a word, even when I was messing with this ear. The hair is starting to grow back and I hope it is a distant memory for him. Thanks for commenting on his photos. I love the one with Green Dog (his best friend). That is the face I get every time I think about getting on the couch. I remember praying to God that I would play as much as Doc wanted if he would just give me more time with him to prove it, so he is more spoiled than before if that is possible. I'll never tire of looking at that face! :D:p:D

[goldengirl88]

Jessica:
He is certainly a beautiful looking dog. I hope and pray things go well for him and he gets lots of play time. Blessings
Patti

[Doccy]

Well Doc is doing great!! Just thought I would update. The other day he ran out the front door and attempted to herd the deer that come and eat everyday. He chased them for a good bit at full tilt buggy. He hasn't done that in a long time. Just sharing. :D

[molly muffin]

That is so fabulous! Doccy is having a good time it sounds like it. Nothing a herding dog likes better than finding something to herd. (and it's not YOU!) hahahaha
You can share any time at all, we love it!!

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[Dawn Anderson]

Trying to herd the deer, gotta love it. Its so wonderful to read that Doccy is doing so well. Just wanted to let ya know that Docs journey has been truely inspirational and gave us so much hope that the radiation treatment was the key to saving our girl. My hats off to Doc and of course mommy too.

Dawn and Butters

[doxiesrock912]

Great news that Doccy is improving and herding deer :)
The visual made me smile.

[Doccy]

HI Guys,
Just a quick update. Doc is doing great!! Pretty much his spoiled self. His arthritis is giving him some issues, hard to get up and down, but otherwise he is doing really well. He has developed selective hearing, that has been confirmed; when I take him out for his last pee of the night, he doesn't hear me to come in. I open his treat bag, he's right there. He has FINALLY agreed to sleep on a bed. He wouldn't before, but now he sleeps on a twin bed sized memory foam mattress topper next to my side of the bed on the floor. I've probably spent about a thousand dollars on various beds to no avail. I get a foam topper for $15 at target, wrap it in a sheet and he loves it. Go figure. We're going to his grandparents for Easter so he will have a lovely time. Just wanted to let everyone know how he was doing.

[Squirt's Mom]

Great news, Jessica! :cool::cool::cool:

[goldengirl88]

Jessica:
I could not be happier hearing your beautiful boy is doing so well. How are his ears? Hope they are cleared up. Blessings
Patti

[molly muffin]

Doccy is the gift that keeps on giving. What a trooper. So glad he is doing well

hugs
Sharlene and molly muffin

[Doccy]

Patti--his ears have cleared up and you can see no sign of him having a problem. All hair has regrown, matter of fact, he needs a hair cut. I've been hesitant to give it to him but he needs it with summer coming. He is a true gift and I feel so blessed that he has tolerated everything so well. Thanks everyone for your support.

[Trish]

This truly is good news, so pleased to read the latest on Doccy!! Awesome, hope he really enjoys this summer and getting about and having much doggy fun! :)

[goldengirl88]

Wow Doccy is doing exceptional from where he was before. I am glad those ears are better. Blessings
Patti