Yorkie mix being diagnosed with possible cushing's?

[Rosemary]

Hi everyone! My name is Rosemary and I wish I didn't have to join your forum.... but here I am. :(

So I have a geriatric blind yorkie mix named Maisie. She is at least 14 years old. The vet told us when we got her from the pound that she was at least 11 and we have had her for 3 and a half years.

Anyways, lately she has been super hungry, drinking a ton, and peeing everywhere. She used to seem to be able to see shadows..... but now... nothing. Another strange thing is her bark..... it is now harsh and deep compared to last winter. She has been losing weight, but we started feeding her junk dog food (she is picky and doesn't like alot of foods out there) several times per day and she gained back what she lost. She has a pot belly, but doesn't have worms. She also seems to have arthritis, because on rainy days and in the winter, she seems very stiff. She has been having good days and bad days so I knew it was time to take her in and discuss life quality with my vet.

We figured she maybe was having heart problems because of the change in her bark. Nope.... heart sounds great. Then we though she for sure had diabetes because of the hunger, drinking and excessive peeing. Nope.... but her BUN level was elevated. Everything else has checked out fine.*

Now my vet is saying she may have cushing's disease. I have to take in a stool sample, Maisie also has to have a fasted blood test next week, and we are currently monitoring how much water she is drinking in a day.*

If she does turn out to have cushing's, will she be ok with medication? How long can she live as long as she is medicated? Is the medication going to be expensive? I can barely afford the tests, (actually I can't.... but we are selling stuff and coming up with the cash) and it seems like the vet is doing testing by elimination. I have been trying to read about it, but it is a hard disease to understand. My vet tells me that Maisie has alot of life and is not ready to go to the rainbow bridge yet......

I love Maisie more than anything, and I want to help her. How long can a dog live with this? Will she be in pain? Right now she just seems hungry, thirsty, and some days she seems lethargic.

[Roxee's Dad]

Hi Rosemary and welcome to you and Maisie,

Cushings, if that is what Massie has, can cause all kinds of havoc if left uncontrolled. Massie has many of the indicators and further testing will help ensure a proper diagnosis.

if it is cushings and when properly treated and monitored, you should see an improvement in Massie. :) Many others will stop by to welcome you and share their experiences :)

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[Junior's Mom]

Welcome Rosemary and Maisie. You will find lots of helpful, caring people here. They will ask you lots of questions too.
While treating cushings has great success with watchful parents and vets, lowering the cortisol can unmask or make worse arthritis.

[Rosemary]

Thanks for the welcome. We are still in the beginning stages of getting a diagnosis..... but my vet is saying that the signs are there. I am worried about her arthritis getting worse. I can't believe all the problems that this disease can cause. I do know that I am going to have to get copies of the tests done so far so I can let you guys know. It is very comforting to be a member of this forum where I can ask questions.......

Roxee's Dad.... I don't see an email from this forum in my spam or regular email box. Maybe it hasn't come through yet?

[Roxee's Dad]

Roxee's Dad.... I don't see an email from this forum in my spam or regular email box. Maybe it hasn't come through yet?

No worries, it may be a bit before it comes through or possibly an admin will pop in and go ahead and approve it. It's just a safeguard to keep spammers out :)

Weekends can be a bit slow around here but go ahead and ask all the questions you want :) and don't forget to browse our "Helpful Resources for Owners of Cushing's Dogs " section. The more you know and are prepared, the less stress for you and Massie.

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=10



A lot of good information there :)

[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, but be ready for lots of questions! So again, welcome to you and Maisie.

[Woodydog]

Hi and welcome. There are a lot of knowledgable people here. I'm new as well and went thru the same but Woody tested negative for cushiness.

[goldengirl88]

Welcome:
I don't have a lot of time this morning, just wanted to tell you it is a possibility since Yorkies' do have trachea problems and that the change in barking sound could be due to that or larynx problems where the nerve becomes paralyzed. Blessings
Patti

[addy]

Hi and Welcome,

It is possible as we lower a Cush pup's cortisol (which acts like prednisone to the pup- they self medicate, so to speak) it is possible you may see a worsening in arthritis, allergies, etc.

Treating Cushings is not a cure for the disease. Treatment is meant to alleviate symptoms to provide a better quality of life. Cush pups can be pone to may health issues, SARDS, diabetes, pancreatitis, hypothyroidism, blood clots. With proper treatment a dog should be able to live out a normal life span. That is not to say issues cant come up once treatment begins but Cushings is seldom an emergency to start treatment so you have plenty of time to make sure of the diagnosis and develop a plan.

Glad you found us.

[Rosemary]

Thanks for the welcome. :) I have been doing alot of reading here and am starting to understand the disease more. Tomorrow Maisie goes in for her fasted blood test. My vet is doing the thyroid t4, and the ACTH..... we are also taking in a stool sample cor good measure. My vet said it is still possible that we are in the very beginnings of kidney problems and we are catching it early. She said that she doesn't think it would be DI because her urine is concentrated like it should be. We monitered how much Maisie drank over the weekend and it was about 1 and a half cups per day. My vet said it should be more aroumd 3/4 cup.... so we will see what her other bloodwork shows.

[Trixie]

Hi Rosemary,
I hope your next vet appt brings some answers for Maisie. All the Cushing's stuff is quite overwhelming. Everyone here will help a great deal if you end up with a positive diagnosis. You may end up finding out that Maisie doesn't have Cushing's, as many of the symptoms are prevalent in other conditions.
My dog was diagnosed last April. She is doing well on the medication. It all takes time and it's not without worries, but it's going fine so far.
The experts here will help you once you get copies of your blood work and any other tests and post the numbers here. This board is a life saver!
Maisie is so cute! :p Hope she's feeling okay.

Barbara