Help for Alfie

[diggydog]

Can't believe I am posting yet again about another of my dogs!

I am currently waiting on results for my wee girl schnapps but in the mean time really struggling with my diabetic dog Alfie.

Alfie has been diabetic for 5years.
He was diagnosed with a probable left brain neuro focal lymphoma last December.
He had some seizure activity and impaired neuro function.
Alfie is 10 1\2 and I decided that a really expensive MRI was not a good option as there is no treatment that would cure him.
We started him on daily oral prednisolone late december, he was only on 3mg a day and managed his diabetes really well all things considered.
I tried a few times to reduce his steroid but each time his neuro function decreased and he had trouble walking.
In the last few months he has had a major increase in drinking and urinating combined with puss filled skin blisters. All this I put down to the steroids so decided again to try reduce them.
This time round his neuro function remained stable and I managed to wean him off totally.
Despite now being off the steroids for 2 weeks his symptoms remain but now he also has huge hair loss on his tail his uncontrolled hunger also remains as well as his skin problems.
His insulin needs increased x3 when he started the steroids but despite being off them his insulin needs r still the same and he could really do with another increase.

Natalie over at k9diabetes wonders if he has developed Cushings.

Does anyone have experience of a dog coming off long term oral steroids?
Should I just give it a bit more time off the steroids and am I just expecting too much too soon or should I consider an ACTH for him.

How long would he need to be off oral steroids before we could do an ACTH??

Thanks!
A very overwhelmed Allison x

[Junior's Mom]

I don't know anything about diabetes, but long term steroid use can cause cushings. The symptoms should resolve once your dog is off the steroids. I don't know how long that would take. There are many experts on here that will answer better than I. I hope Alfie feels better soon.
Tracey

[diggydog]

Its worth mentioning that in the 2 weeks he has been off steroids his symptoms have been getting worse. The hair loss only started this week and his insulin needs have increased this week as well.

[mytil]

Hi and welcome to our site. I am sorry your both are facing yet another issue.

I have just a second and sorry for a few questions here - I would suspect also the long term steroid use but I would certainly see about testing to check the cortisol levels. But having said that, I am not sure with the increase in insulin recently this could skew the test results. What does your vet say about this? What other symptoms do you see other than increased urination and drinking? Any increase in appetite?

These skin blisters - have they healed?

Also the hair loss could be just a residual part of the steroid use and the "old hair" is being shed before new can grow.

Has your Alfie been checked for any thyroid problems?

Keep us posted.
Terry

[Squirt's Mom]

I'm not sure 2 weeks is near long enough for the effects of the steroids to improve. I tried yesterday to find a time for this with dogs who had been on long-term steroid treatment but didn't find anything that said in X-number of days/weeks/months improvements should be seen.

In Iatrogenic, the cortisol isn't the only thing that is effected. Aldosterone can also get out of whack and needs to be checked. The test for Iatrogenic is the ACTH - a blunted response on the ACTH is indicative of Iatrogenic. The aldosterone may require supplementation til it is back in range. If I were you, I would ask my vet for an ACTH and if there is an alternative to the steroids in case Alfie's neuro signs do come back as it is slowly ceased. Steroids MUST slowly be weaned away to avoid serious ramifications - but I'm sure you already know this. ;)

[Junior's Mom]

Hi Alison. How is your pup doing? Have you found answers to any of your questions yet?

[doxiesrock912]

Two weeks isn't a lot of time. I would give Alfie more time. Track everything on a daily dairy so that you can see if symptoms lesson.