13 y/o Lhasa - Terrified to start treatment

[linmar50]

Please can you help, I have a 13 year old Lhasa apso which have just been diagnosed with cushions and i am terrified of starting him on vetoryl 30mg after reading what can happen with side effects I would hate any thing to happen to him after myself giving him these capsules, my mind is in turmoil of what to do is it better to just care and support him the best I can in his old age or do I give him the drug and take a chance.

[goldengirl88]

Hello:
Welcome to the forum. There are many experienced people on here to help you. I know the drug is scary, but the consequences of not giving it are scarier to me. I believe my precious Tipper would not be here if not for this drug. Has your dog been tested yet?? The members will want you to post the results so they can begin helping you. How much does you dog weigh? 30 mg seems like the high end of the dosage you would be giving. I always use caution and start with a low mg and work up from there if the dog needs it. My dog started out on 10 mg and is now 30. I believe if I would have given her 30 to start out- we would have had many problems. These are powerful drugs and need your vigilance at all times. Good Luck to you and God Bless you and your baby.

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi sweetie and welcome to you and your baby! :)

Yes, this can be quite scary at first but as you learn more it becomes less daunting and frightening. The one thing you need to hear today is that Cushing's nor it's treatments are a death sentence, AND Cushing's is a very slowly progressing condition so there is rarely the need to rush into treatment. You have plenty of time to chat with us a little while and become a bit more comfortable with what lies ahead.

To start we will ask you lots of nosy questions but this is to help us see the big picture and give more meaningful feedback. So here we go -

How much does your baby weigh?

Does he have any other health issues that you are aware of?

What tests were done to diagnose the Cushing's?

Were diabetes and hypothyroidism ruled out?

Would you mind getting copies of all those tests and posting the actual results here for us to see?

Is he neutered?

What signs are you seeing - changes in behavior, drinking, eating, sleeping and so on?

Is he taking any other meds, supplements, herbs, ect?

That enough for now? :p

Take a deep breath, sit back and relax just a bit, because you are in great hands now. There is no need to start the Vetoryl today if you are uncomfortable. You can talk with folks here a bit, read some of the threads, and then start treatment. FYI, Trilostane and Vetoryl are the same drug so if you read about a pup on Trilo, they are taking the same drug as Vetoryl, just in a compounded form.

I'm glad you found us and look forward to learning more as time passes.
Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

Some links for you -

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=185

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

[frijole]

Leslie is right - don't rush if you are terrified. Knowledge is power. Get up to speed with what cushings is and how the drugs work. Provide us with the info she requested so we can help confirm the diagnosis is accurate and the dosage is right. Deep breaths. You are not alone on the journey - we'll help. Hang in there, kim

[molly muffin]

Hi and welcome from me too. I have a lhasa/shihtzu mix that I have yet to start on any drugs, because I can't lock down a firm diagnosis. Leslie has asked all the pertinent questions, so if you can go through those and answer them that is a start. I too was asked to start on 30mg vetroyl, and a specialist immediately knocked that down,, so again, I probably wouldn't start there. There are so many different variables that have to be considered.
I'd add, has a UTI been checked for (culture) and does your dog have any arthritis in the hind legs.

Welcome to the forum, where we Know that knowledge is power.

Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[addy]

Hi and Welcome,

My appx 12 year old Lhasa Apso started Vetoryl (trilostane) June 2011. I was as terrified as you when she was tentatively diagnosed on her birthday in 2010. We waited a year to start treatment as her symptoms were mild and she was having colitis issues which we needed to first resolve.

You have to be comfortable with your dog's treatment so we are here to help you do just that.

But first we need more info so take a deep breath and lets try to get all those dang questions answered:)

I am so glad you found us.

[Simba's Mom]

Hello from Letti and Simba, it's ok to be terrified about this cushings stuff but knowing more will help. I'm still learning and have been on here since november, it's alot to take in. Remember you are not alone, we all understand your fears and worries, and we all love our fur babies so much. Simba is a 10 yr old mini doxie, although he's not so mini :) He was started on 20mg of tristo and now is on 25mg. His little pot belly is gone, his panting and thrist have been way better. I still see some symptoms, but overall I am glad I decided to treat him. With a great vet and this forum, I can do this, and so can you...Take care and breathe, we all are here for you!

[scottieraica]

Leslie is right - don't rush if you are terrified. Knowledge is power. Get up to speed with what cushings is and how the drugs work. Provide us with the info she requested so we can help confirm the diagnosis is accurate and the dosage is right. Deep breaths. You are not alone on the journey - we'll help. Hang in there, kim
Hi...
I'm having the same fear and really liked your post!
I am just making my own research about VETORYL and I'm really scared!

http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/archives/fdaDrugInfo.cfm?archiveid=11916

[SoggyDoggy]

Hi and welcome from me too.

I totally understand the fear! I too read far and wide when being warned that my gorgeous boy could have cushings, and I was far more afraid of Trilostane (Vetoryl) than the other drug Lysodren. I read some horrible reports, but when I read the studies a little more closely, found out that the really horribly bits tended to only happen to healthy dogs (as they were the early studies) that were given massive doses. (this is also why we are fanatical about making sure the diagnosis is correct before treatment begins) For the majority, a correct dosing schedule is a good thing. This is why vets who know what they are doing with this drug will follow the published advice and start at the low end of the scale.

If you are able to answer Leslie's (Squirt's Mom) questions above, we will be able to double check for you and give you some extra advice.

It is essential that you don't start on a dose too high. My vet initially started my boy at the high end of the scale for his weight. I questioned the dose repeatedly to be told it was a cost saving move as that was the dose they found most dogs settled on. He weighs 22 pounds and was put on 60mg. :eek: After his first ACTH test, the results came back unsurprisingly low and I stopped the treatment. I then went to an Internal Med Specialist who agreed his dose was too high and put him on a much lower dose. Since then, we have had no issues at all. He has returned to the energetic playful boy I knew years ago (and he is 13.5 years old!) Note though, this stuff up was the vets fault, not the drug. (I will also note that we have since changed vet, but when it comes to his cushings, will now only deal with the IMS anyway)

The reason I am telling you this, is that you need to be very comfortable that your vet knows what they are doing with the drugs and that they start at an appropriate dose. At the first sign that they may be unsure, see a specialist if you can - or even better, just go there first. It is so much more reassuring to deal with someone who really knows about this disease and it's treatments. They will be able to answer any questions face to face and will be able to give your boy a thorough going over. We will always of course be here to answer any questions as well, and again you are getting years of accumulated experience here, but without physically seeing your boy, it is obviously harder.

The biggest thing when starting treatment, is to watch him like a hawk. There will be signs that he is doing well or not so well, but if you watch and monitor him, you will know if he is getting into trouble. By starting with a lower dose for the weight range, you will be less likely to run into those troubles, however be aware that it may also take longer to stabilise him and therefore cost a bit more too (with the extra monitoring tests).

It is scary, and you are allowed to be afraid, but if you use caution and observe closely, you are doing everything you can. Just remember, there is no rush to start, and if you see something wrong, withhold a dose. That is the great thing about trilostane, you can stop it suddenly and it is gone from the system within 8-12 hours. It's like a built in safety net. Also make sure you have some prednisolone on hand (your vet should tell you about this and give you some before treatment begins) just so that you have an emergency back up should something go wrong.

Perhaps if you have specific fears about it you could also note them here so that we could maybe address them individually? It may help you with your decision, but overall, again if you could answer Leslie's questions above, we will be able to double check the need for you before you go any further.

[Squirt's Mom]

Hijacking for a second - ;)

Scottieraica, we would love to hear about your Scottie and your cushing's journey so far. You can go to the main page for Questions and Discussions, click
New Thread" and start telling us about your sweet baby. We are happy to help in any way we can.

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

PS. If you need help starting a thread, send me a PM and I will walk you through it.

[NoonelovesmelikeNorman]

Hello and welcome to you and your pup!

I am relatively new to cushings, my Norman was diagnosed in Dec after a few months of symptom. This site is full of very knowledgeable people who are way more qualifed to give you advice so I will leave them to guide you. The best advice I can give is to start a folder, get copies of all work done on you pup and post it on the site. Knowledge is power, yes, it can be scary but with the support of the group...you and your pup can make it through this journey. Take notes, track the urine output/drinking, and anything that is out of the norm.... With the medication your pup can regain a better quality of life. I wish you the best with finding a great vet that will work with you and make the transition of starting meds a smooth one. Keep us posted.

Big (((((((HUGS))))))) from Sharon, Norman and Millie,

[scottieraica]

Thank you, I will! :)

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi,

I noticed on Holly's thread you said your Scottie has Atypical Cushing's. Is this a new baby with Cushing's as this thread you have a Lhasa with conventional Cushing's. Conventional Cushing's means the cortisol is elevated. Atypical Cushing's means the cortisol is normal but there are elevations in one or more of the intermediate hormones. So, do you have two babies with Cushing's, a Scottie with Atypical and a Lhasa with conventional Cushing's?

If so, feel free to start a new thread for your Scottie. I would be easier to keep all their info separate as well as the comments since they have different forms.

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang