3 year old Poodle cross

[Precious 1]

Hi my 3 year old Poodle cross, is now undergoing testing for k9 Cushings. Everything I have read so far regarding Cushings seems to show that he more than likely has cushings but only the test results will confirm which he as tomorrow....
Also, I am concerned because what I have read about the disease and the blood test required, refers to the blood testing should be done in stress free environment... My little boy Buddie, is very neurotic and hates being without me or without family members so the test my not be conclusive... does anyone have a suggestion on an easier way to have the blood test done, rather than me dropping him at the vets for the day! :(
He is my joy, neurotic joy! but joy none the less I am very concerned that as he is only 3 and may have to live with cushings for the rest of his life.

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi and welcome to you and Buddie! :)

Some vets will allow you to take your dog out of the clinic between draws. You can ask if that is possible and if so, take him for a ride, to the park, for a walk, home if close enough, or just out in the yard of the clinic. Since you are just getting started with testing, start a habit today. Tell your vet that from now on you will want copies of the actual test results for anything done with your boy to keep in a file at home. Not the invoice that says what they did, but the actual results for what they did. This way you will have all his info in hand should you ever need to see a different vet. You can take it with you on vacation, etc. just in case. Also having that info on hand will allow you to answer all the million questions we will be asking! ;):D

Starting a daily diary or journal of his behaviors is also a great idea. Note changes in drinking, peeing and pooping, sleep patterns, moods, anything you see. This will be of great help over time to see patterns and help you know when something is working or not. It will also be of benefit to your vet since you and they need to be a team working together every step of the way.

Let us know how things go today and get ready to play 20 Questions very soon! The more you can tell us about your sweet boy the better - we LOVE details!

I know this is so very scary but I want you to know this is not a death sentence. Cushing's can be managed and the pup live out their expected lifespan and beyond. You and Buddie are part of our family here and you will never be alone again. Never hesitate to ask questions or talk to us about any concerns you may have. You can laugh, cry, and scream - and we will be right beside you. I'm glad you found us and look forward to getting to know you both better.

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

[lulusmom]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Tell your vet that you are worried that Buddie's stress levels will skew the test results and that you think he would be much better if you were to stay with him in between blood draws. We've had many members do this and it was much easier for their dogs.

Can you please tell us what symptoms Buddie has? Can you also get copies of testing that has already been done and post the results here? You need only post the high and low blood values and please include the normal reference ranges. The more information you can give us, the better we can offer appropriate feedback.

We all know how stressful times like this can be so please know that we are here to help you in any way we can. Please be sure to check out our Helpful Resource section. There is a ton of information there, including a great thread for folks new to the disease.

Glynda

[Trixie]

I'm very new here too and don't have much info to offer, but have so appreciated all the very kind support and great wealth of knowledge from everyone on this board. I want to tell you I went through leaving my dog for testing just yesterday. Just thinking about leaving her gave us a few days of major anxiety, but we got through it and the dog did fine. (that's what they told me at the vet) ;)
She has never spent an entire day at the vets until yesterday. I watched the clock most of the day. It was a great relief when we could go pick her up. Now waiting for the test results though seems like Cushing's is where we are headed. So more nerves to deal with but one thing at a time. Good luck moving ahead to the next step..you'll have lots of help here. Barbara

[molly muffin]

Hello and welcome from me too.
One of the first things to know is that cushings is one of the hardest problems to get a firm diagnosis on. So many things can mimic it, like diabetes, thryoid, even kidney problems.
What made your vet suspect cushings? What sort of symptoms does Buddie have? Was his glucose ever checked? How about T4?
We do ask tons of questions and we also are worry warts. :)
I'm so glad you found us.
If there is one thing that I would ask you to do it is to become as knowledgeable as possible about cushings or any other problem that Buddie may encounter. You are his voice, his advocate, his everything in this life. You have to know almost as much as a vet does about these things, like testing protocols for any medicine and what test results will mean to you and Buddie. Knowledge is your greatest asset. :) This forum is an excellent resource to us to help gain that knowledge and any question you have we will try to answer to the best of our abilities and if we don't know it, then there is a probably a way to find the answer. :)
I'm so glad you found us. Hang in there and like leslie says, while scary when you first hear it cushings is not the end all, it is just a bump on lifes road and a natural life span may be lived out with proper treatment.
Definitely see if you can spend the time between testing with your Buddie.

Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[Budsters Mom]

Hello and welcome from me too,:)

You have come to the right place! There is a huge arsenal of K9Cushing's angels to help and stay with you every step of the way. They love details, test results, any information you can get your hands on. The more the better.

So again welcome to you and Buddie:). I have a Buddy too! :)

Kathy and Buddy:)