Newly diagnosed:-(

[Firegirl13]

Our 10yo lab/newfie x has just been diagnosed with Cushings.
They are going to Rx Vetoryl and the side effects look daunting!
She started drinking a lot of water a few weeks ago and had a couple of "accidents".
She also started to beg(never before) and stealing cat food(also never before).
The Dr did all day tests and we got the results this morning.

What to think.....what to do?
The medication looks really expensive for a 66lb dog.

[Roxee's Dad]

Hi and welcome to you and your pup :)

How much does she weigh and how much Vetoryl (Trilostane) did the vet prescribe? Regarding the possible side effects, It is important especially in the first few months to watch for possible side effect. Did the vet tell you what to watch for? Lethargy, diarrhea, loss of appetite.

It would be great if you would get copies of all the test performed that led to the diagnosis of cushings and post them here. Especially interesting would be UC/CR , LDDS (8 hour test) , ACTH (2 hour test) any abnormal results on a CBC blood test such as ALKP?

Many of us to save cost get our prescriptions from an on line pharmacy. Usually the compounded version of Vetoryl which is known as Trilostane.

Looking forward to hearing more about your pup and the testing results.:)

Edit to add.. just saw she weighs 66 lbs.

[addy]

Hi and Welcome,

John has you off to a good start asking our usual 20 questions;)
What other symptoms does your pup have? I assume a urinary tract infection was ruled out.

Cushings is a hard disease to diagnose because no one test is perfect and can yield false negatives and false positives. A big part of diagnosing the disease is reviewing history and symptoms. yes, the drugs we use to help our dogs can have serious side effects. Starting at a low dose can help minimize some of them so usually 1 mg. per pound is a good starting point when using Trilostane/Vetoryl.

The more you can tell us, the more input we can give. Listing your dog's tests and any abnormal results along with the lab's normal reference range is a huge bonus for us.

Glad you found us.

[Firegirl13]

Thank you for the responses and advice!!
I will get the information re:tests. They were just done yesterday.
She had the 8 hour and two hour plus two urinalysis the previous week.

Our dog, Keera, also has a change in her coat in a line down her back-color and texture; beginning g pot belly and some muscle "softness" in her hind quarters.

She has always been a fit and active dog with out major health problems.

Our vet hasn't dosed yet .....we see her on Thursday for prescription and info.
I was wondering about a naturopathic/holistic veterinarian.
Can anyone comment on this?

[Budsters Mom]

Hello and welcome from me too:)
You have come to the right place! There are many K9Cushing's angels standing by 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. We will do all we can to help. So again welcome to you and Keera.

Hugs,
Kathy

[molly muffin]

Hello and welcome from me too.

We'll be interested in those urinalysis reports in addition to the blood work.
You'll want to make sure that the blood glucose is in an normal range and same thing for thyroid as they can both mimic cushings symptoms. Always rule everything else out first.
Then remember to start conservative with dosage if using vetoryl. Current recommendations and a safe start is 1mg/1lb. You can always go up if needed, but don't want to risk a crisis by giving too much since every dog reacts differently to any given medication.

Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[Simba's Mom]

Hello and welcome, you have found an awesome site, so much info and encouragement along the way, settle in and get comfortable, we are all here for you and your furbaby....