How much diagnostic work is worthwhile?

[Chickade]

My dog drinks about 10 times as much as she used to. Her belly is distended. Her coat is dull though she has lots of hair as she is a chow mix. She is 11. I took her to one vet because she was licking her vulva. She had a course of clyndomycin and the licking stopped though the urinalysis was normal. The drinking continued so I had a geriatric panel done and it was normal. She gave me a prescription for a drug to treat incontinence. I paid 250 for the visits and tests. I gave up on that vet.

I went to the next vet who suggested cushings but did an identical blood panel even though she had the results of the geriatric panel from the first vet in her hands.

She wanted to do 500.00 more tests above the 150 I paid for that visit. At least she had a diagnosis in mind but If she hadn't done an identical panel I might have trusted her.

It looks like if I get conventional treatment I'm going to be spending another 600 for the tests and vet appointments and 300 every 3 months minimum for treatment that might not prolong my dogs life.

I'm thinking of spending all that cash on a raw food diet and TCM.

Or I could ask forum members to help me make good choices for my beloved dog.

What are your thoughts?

[frijole]

:D We get your frustration!

Don't spend one cent on cushing's tests yet. If the blood panel results are all normal then either your dog is in early stages of it OR there's something else going on.

Please post the results from the blood panel - only type anything that is above or below normal. We will need you to also type the range for normal as each lab varies.

With that we can better help you. It could be thryoid issues (cheap to treat) or simply a urinary track infection. So glad you found us. Kim

[molly muffin]

Hello and welcome from me too. :)

If you happen to have urinalysis results that might show specific gravity and any protein, etc, that could be helpful to know too.
It's true, cushings is a slow progressive disease, and there are a number of things that need to be ruled out first, since it's so hard to get a firm diagnosis on.
The blood and any other test results will help us to give you better feedback.

Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[Budsters Mom]

Hello and welcome from me too,:)

First of all, what is your fur baby's name?
I know you're scared, overwhelmed, frustrated and worried about your baby and finances. I know this because you are me not too long ago.

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. These lovely angels know tons more about Cushing's treatment then my vet knows, that is for sure! Please do not be afraid to ask questions and seek answers. None of this is fun, but it does get easier and less overwhelming.:p

So again welcome to you and your precious fur baby. Please keep talking to us. We would love to help in anyway that we can.

Kathy and Buddy :)

[Squirt's Mom]

If the drug you were given for incontinence is Proin, I would throw it away now. My Squirt was on it for several months recently and had a seizure 3 weeks ago and has been very ill following. She has been displaying some restlessness and anxiety at night, very rapid panting, would pop up out of a sound sleep like a bee had stung her, her appetite has been off, she has lost over 2 lbs, her pain level has increased dramatically, she has vomited and had some loose stools to name a few of things that have been happening. She was 15 the end of Feb and I kept putting these things down to age then a friend told me about the Proin.

Not all pups will have an adverse reaction but there are reports of many pups suffering as my Squirt has and several have died after taking Proin. Some info on Proin -


http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AnimalV.../UCM296349.pdf


Table 6: Adverse reactions in the 28-day placebo-controlled clinical study
Adverse Reactions
PROIN
-
treated (N=123) (first number)
Placebo (N=61) (second number)

Emesis 20.3% 8.2%
Hypertension (≥ 160 mm Hg) 19.5% 14.7%
Anorexia 16.3% 3.3%
Body weight loss (≥5%) 16.1% 6.8%
Proteinuria 13.0% 8.2%
Anxiety/aggression/behavior change 9.7% 3.2%
Diarrhea 7.3% 9.8%
Polydipsia 6.5% 9.8%
Lethargy 5.7% 1.6%
Musculoskeletal disorder .2% 1.6%
Insomnia/sleep disorder 2.5% 0.0%

http://www.livestrong.com/article/25...ects-of-proin/


Allergic Reaction

Dogs that are allergic to phenylpropanolamine or any of the components of Prion should not be treated with this medication. Improper use of Proin by hypersensitive dogs may induce a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. Symptoms of a hypersensitive reaction in dogs include weakness, seizures, pale gums, facial swelling and difficulty breathing. Dogs who exhibit any of these side effects after taking a dose of Prion should be transported to an emergency veterinarian clinic immediately.

I have bought her diapers instead. I'd rather clean up after her than ever give her this drug again. I repeat - just because Squirt has reacted so badly apparently, that does not mean your baby will but I wouldn't chance it if it were me. ;)

[Chickade]

Wow,this is wonderful to get so many replies so soon! Yes I threw the incontinence drug away, didn't even try it since my dog is not incontinent. Her name is Dorje, and she is a beautiful chow mix livestock guardian dog. She works at my suburban farm guarding the chickens and everyone else.

http://swchenkinphd.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2009-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2010-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=1

I don't have the test results but on Monday I will get the vet to fax them to me. There are two blood analyses and two urinalyses. They will be posted shortly. Now I feel much less overwhelmed. I have many types of friends on forums and am delighted to find this one, which for me right now is the most important. Sarah

[Budsters Mom]

Now I would like to officially welcome you by name, Sarah and Dorje,

So WELCOME! :):)

You can't help but feel loved and cared for after finding this group!:p
They are an amazing group of angels, who will be there for you every step of your journey.

Hugs,
Kathy and Buddy - Lizard Hunter! :)

[SoggyDoggy]

Hi Sarah and a welcome to you and Dorje from me too!

Everyone here completely understands the frustration with vets and the cost factors involved, so anytime you want to have a whinge, go right ahead :D If only we were all independently multimillionaires it would be fine, truth is we aren't so it's a case of trying to do the best we can.

Anyhow, as soon as you manage to get hold of those blood results, do post them up, (along with the reference ranges) and the amazing folks that frequent the boards will be able to give you some directions to look in. They may also recommend some further tests to pursue, but at least you could get an idea of where to start. The most important factor I have learned is finding a good and knowledgable vet who is open to communication and willing to learn/exchange their knowledge. In fact, if you are at all able, when the time comes for diagnostic testing, try to see an Internal Medicine Specialist (IMS). I would highly recommend it. There are many of us here who in hindsight wish we had started there, it may cost a little more to start with, but those of us who have gone the local vet pathway first often end up thinking it would have been cheaper to start with the experts in the long run. That's just something to keep in mind, but first, grab hold of those blood results and let's try work out where to go next.

For now, please give big cuddles and kisses to Dorje for us! (A friend of mine has a chow too, what softies they can be!:D)