Test results

[Chloes_Momma]

Is there anyway to post my dogs test results for others to review (without typing each value as there are many?). My 9 year old Maltese/shihtzu may have cushings.

Thank you

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi and welcome to you and your furbaby,

The abnormal values are what we are most interested in seeing so from a blood chemistry panel/CBC only post what is marked abnormal with the reference ranges and units of measurement, for an example; ALT 150 U/L (5-50)...Thanks! Also if there were any test/s for Cushing's performed we would appreciate if you would post those results too.

Could you tell us more about your furbaby such as the symptoms that your furbaby has that led you or your vet to diagnose for Cushing's. How much does your furbaby weigh and is s/he on any other herbs/supplements/medications? Does s/he have any other health issues?

Please know we will help in any way we can so do not hesitate to ask all the questions you want. ;)

Love and hugs, Lori

[Chloes_Momma]

It's funny I found this group a couple of months ago for my chocolate lab Chloe who a different vet suspected had cushings. We did not feel comfortable with this vet and switched. Our new vet firmly disputed the diagnoses and after more tests we found our answers and it was certainly not cushings. She is now on life time medication but significant better.
A month ago my other dog a 9 year old Maltese/ shihtzu rocky stopped wanting/being able to walk. It seemed very sudden but I attributed it to his arthritis and the summer heat. I noticed increased water again attributed to summer. He started developing a rash all over his body and itching so we went to the vet. The vet detected a heart murmur so we did blood tests. She just sent me the results and says she suspects cushings. I am shocked. Below are his results

Hematocrit 0.36. Normal range 0.37-0.56
MCHC. 369. Normal range 320-360 g/l
ALP. 826. Normal range 24-141 u/l

Thank you

[Chloes_Momma]

He weighs 23 pounds also noticed increased appetite very recently. He attacked our other dog this morning and ate all of her food. 3 cups ! He has never done this..
No other known medical problems. Up until Wednesday we thought he was healthy.. :(

[Harley PoMMom]

I thought your usename sounded familiar to me, Ahhh, yes I do remember you and sweet Chloe! If you don't mind me asking, what was the diagnosis for Chloe?

As for Rocky, it sure does seem that he has many symptoms that could be attributed to Cushing's but has any thyroid problem and diabetes been ruled out?

Usually dog's with Cushing's have a high normal Hematocrit but all dogs are different. Have any tests for Cushing's been done? What about an ultrasound? Was an urinalysis performed?

Sorry for all the questions, but I bet you were expecting them! :eek::D

Love and hugs, Lori

[Chloes_Momma]

Chloe was diagnosed with chronic bladder infections, crystals and hormonal in continence.

We are doing a urinalysis tomorrow and if the results are on par with cushings we will be doing more tests for him.

Today he won't walk at all. Breaks my heart. He was so active at the beginning of summer. My poor boy :(

[Chloes_Momma]

No indication of diabetes or thyroid were present in the blood test

[Harley PoMMom]

We are doing a urinalysis tomorrow and if the results are on par with cushings we will be doing more tests for him.


Could you post those urinalysis results when you get them...Thanks!!

[Chloes_Momma]

Urine creatinine/cortisol ratio =39 this is higher than the normal which is 34.
The vet has asked us to do dex testing an would like to start him on Selegine.

Thoughts ?

[Chloes_Momma]

*Can you please merge this thread with the thread listing Rocky's test results please?

Rocky is my 9year old maltese.shihtzu mix. I have had him since 6 weeks old. He is my baby and my best friend. About 2 months ago Rocky started to really slow down while on walks, a month ago he started to refuse to keep walking after only a short distance. 2 weeks ago after being groomed he broke out in a horrible rash on his entire body which resulted in some open sores and hives everywhere. After a few days when it didn't get better with benedryl or steroid I brought him to the vet. The vet did a physical exam and noticed an advanced heart murmur.
Upon this discovery we went ahead and did a full blood analysis to determine the cause - he has just been in less than a year ago for his yearly check up and there was no heart murmur.
The results came back showing his lived to be functioning 8x the normal range.
This lead to a urinealysis - this showed an elevated levels for creatinine/cortisol.

He has also started to consume a lot of water and he is ravenous .. he has even attacked our other 2 dogs multiple times this week to steal their food and he used to be a picky eater.

On Wednesday he is going to the vet for the day for Dex testing.

He does not look well at all - VERY low energy the past 2 weeks and hardly any desire to go out for walks. Back in May he could easily withstand a 1 hour walk and loved running around with the other dogs - today I am lucky if he will go outside to do his business.

The vet has suggested she would like him to start a drug call Selegine if the results of the Dex confirm cushings.
Anyone have experience with this drug?

Thank you

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi,

Yes, my Squirt took Selegiline (Anipryl) for about 9 months and it did help her. However, her story isn't typical for a cush pup.

Selegiline (Anipryl) was the only drug approved to treat canine Cushing's until the advent of Vetoryl (Trilostane). It was originally designed to treat canine cognitive disorders and is still used for that today. Anipryl does work in canine Cushing's but only in a very small percentage of cush pups and it ONLY works for PDH - the pituitary form. 85% of dogs with Cushing's have PDH; of that 85% Selegiline (Anipryl) will work for only about 20-25% (of the 85%). For Anipryl to have any effect, the pituitary tumor must be located in the pars intermedia portion of the pituitary gland. The drug increases dopamine in the brain which can then lower or regulate the ACTH, which is the chemical that tells the adrenal glands to release more cortisol. It works best in pups with mild or borderline elevations in cortisol and mild signs. When Anipryl does work, it seldom works for more than a 3-4 months (Squirt is an aberration) and then the pup will need to start either Lysodren or Vetoryl (Trilostane).

The side effects of Anipryl are fairly mild once the pup adjusts and are primarily digestive. At first, the pup may be restless and not sleep well but this should pass pretty quickly. Nausea, vomiting and intestinal issues are fairly common. Squirt took Pepcid AC then Tagamet when she was on Anipryl for her tummy.

Here are some links on Anipryl -

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_anipryl.html

http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/diseasesall/a/aniprylseniors.htm

http://www.lbah.com/anipryl.htm

http://www.selegiline.com/

http://www.petplace.com/drug-library/selegiline-hcl-anipryl/page1.aspx

http://www.drugs.com/vet/anipryl-5-mg-can.html

And a comment from Dr. Bruyette, who helped develop the drug -


As the developer of Anipryl (selegiline) for the treatment of Cushings disease I think we should clear up a few points. First, like trilostane it is approved by the FDA to treat Cushings in dogs. Lysodren is not. Anipryl was shown to be safe and effective and has been used in thousands of dogs. As a MAO-B inhibitor it works by raising dopamine levels which in turn can lower or modulate ACTH release. Efficacy is lower (40%) than with trilostane or op-DDD Lysodren (70-80%) but side effects are far fewer. Anipryl can be an excellent option for those pet owners unwilling or unable to perform monitoring tests such as ACTH stimulation tests and electrolyte monitoring. It only works for PDH primarily when the tumor is in the pars intermedia. It is metabolized to l-desmethylselegiline and l-amphetamine. The l-isomers have no biologic activity in dogs unlike the d-isomers and this is a common misconception.

Dave Bruyette DVM DACVIM

The misconception he is referring to is the belief that Anipryl metabolizes into an amphetamine that is like speed - it is a different form tho it can cause some restlessness at first. ;)

I hope this helps!
Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

PS. On Rocky's lab work, were the BUN and CREA within normal range?

[molly muffin]

That is awful fast for cushings to suddenly appear! Normally cushings develops very slowly, even over a period of years and you don't realize that there is a problem because things have changed so slowly.

Thyroid-ism is my first thought due to the aggressive food behavior. Although I know you said the T4 was within normal range?

If the LDDS does come back positive, then are you going to do an ACTH? Have you had an ultrasound done to see if something might show up on that?

I'm just throwing thoughts out and cost may be prohibitive, so you would want to choose what to go with.

Hang in there.
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin