before during and after cc

[Dawn Anderson]

Was looking through what seems like thousands of pics looking for pups that have survived calcinosis cutis,the dreaded CC.
I think it would be a wonderful addition to the forum if there was a place that we can go directly to and see before cc, during cc and after cc, with info on the pics as to the stage they are in. Example when the CC was first diag and a pic to accompany it then what it looks like at month 1,2,3,4,5 and so on.
I feel that if we had a place to see these pics it would help others understand and see that there is hope, being at the almost 2 month marker with Butters it sure would be nice to see others that have been there and back to having their beautiful coats come back. And when we have enough of them we can start taking a look at the averages based on the type of Cushing's ABH or PDH and the type of treatment that was used and start crunching the stats on the average time it takes to get through the CC.
Having a pic and a ball park average based on the above mentioned categories would be a wonderful tool for cush pups parents to have .
Really hope this is possible , I am pretty good at crunching numbers and if there is anything I can do to help facilitate the process please let me know.

Always willing to help
Dawn and Butters:D

[frijole]

:D Great idea. I'm glad you just volunteered to help make it happen. :D Not all cush dogs have it and to be honest it's just been the last few years that we have seen alot of it so I am certainly no expert on it. Looking forward to what others think. Kim

[Renee]

This is an amazing idea. I will work on putting together some pictures of my girl and try to get some better ones. We are at the stage where some of the sores are large and busted open, while others are still in the beginning stages.

What a horrific thing CC is.

[Renee]

Hi Dawn,

I have created an album that shows varying stages of my girl's CC. I tried as best I could to document at what stage they were in. She has many lesions right now in varying stages, so I will continue to document them with pictures. I have made the album public, so everyone can see it.

[thecoz]

good, clear pictures, Renee.

I've just made my album public as well.

[Dawn Anderson]

Great job on the albums, I will be updateing Butters album soon

[Peety's Fur-mom]

Hi Dawn, I am a member but have not been active for a while. Thought I would look in and see how everyone is doing and see new members and their concerns with their fur babies. So sorry your lil one has CC. It is horrible, We were first introduced to it Jan 3rd of this year. Peety is not Cushing's and we just recently did blood work again with no positive results in that area. Thank God. The CC was dormant for a few months, by that I mean no new break outs and the ones that were there turned into black hard calcium that would not budge and still haven't. About 1 month ago the CC flared it's ugly head again and worse this time. He now is covered with calcium sores, but not open and bleeding. His hair is coming out in clumps. You can see from his album the CC from the first go around. About 2 weeks ago the worse nightmare, Peety's tongue turned white and was hanging out of his mouth. I freaked. The Vet told me his tongue was dead???? and could not offer any reason other than she thought the whole CC thing was probably responsible. Dead, I immediately knew in my gut that he would die from starvation. She put him on antibiotics by syringe and I was feeding and hydrating by syringe just to keep him alive. He lost 5 lbs. I took him to another vet that did not know either what would cause that to happen to the tongue but he showed me the end of his tongue was gone, but it wasn't dead. The color had returned to a normal pink and the swelling was gone. He said there was only a small place that looked like it was healing still. For a few days he would go to his water bowl and just stand there and look at it, but he must have known his tongue was to sore to use. I cried all weekend and had to force feed him, but I was determined he was not going to starve on my watch. I did a lot of praying and we did get a miracle, he started drinking on his own and now he is eating on his own. He has regained almost 2 lbs. One theory is that the calcium that appears on the outside of his body may have manifested itself on the end of his tongue and it just fell off. But I don't really know. I know when I have had a sore tongue how it hurts to eat. So he knew that and now that it is almost healed he has learned to eat and drink again without the tip. He still will not play with his toys but I am hoping after some time he will see that he can. They bring so much joy to him. Apparently the CC is not the only problem. His blood work shows some kidney issues. So we are transitioning to a more appropriate diet for the kidneys. For his CC I am just bathing him in Hibiclens and I use Neosporin on any bad places. He is back to wearing his cone and t-shirt. But I try to leave the cone off as much as possible. His hair had almost grown back from the first go around, but I may have to cut if off again just so I can see all the places that need attention.

Hope you are able to get to a point where the CC subsides and Butters is more comfortable. It really is horrific and this round is worse in that it covers more area, but the sores are not open and bleeding. What are you using to control it? Anything your vet recommends? I actually could not rely on their knowledge, so I just do my own research. I know when Peety is uncomfortable and I will do anything I can to make him comfortable.

Blessings to you both. Pat, Peety's #1 fan

Administrative. Note: For any members who wish to reply directly to Peety's mom with thoughts or suggestions, here is a link to Peety's thread: http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5108

[Renee]

Updating to let everyone know that my album documenting Tobey's CC has been updated with more pictures. I am trying hard to get good pictures of them and document the stage they are in.

[goldengirl88]

Hi Dawn:
I am hoping that you and Butters are getting ready for Christmas, and that the CC is getting better. I am so sorry you have to deal with this after all you two have been thru. I hope you have a Merry Christmas Dawn, with your beautiful Butters. Blessings
Patti

[Renee]

Is this our general About CC thread?

Has anyone ever had one just crack open and start bleeding? Like bad? Sometime in the night, one of Tobey's (the largest one), cracked open and started bleeding. I am afraid to peel it up because of the amount of bleeding, and I don't want to hurt her...I don't understand what would cause it to open up?

[goldengirl88]

Oh my goodness how painful that sounds. I hope you can do something with it to help the pain. This CC is just God awful stuff. Have a Merry Christmas. Blessings
Patti

[Renee]

I know many of us are dealing with this....

but this $&%^$*!?%&^$ calcinosis cutis!!!!! What a horrible, horrible side effect of cushings!

I just need to vent. I know it will take time to get better, and it gets worse before it gets better.... I'm still mad! Tobey's sores are spreading, they are cracking open and bleeding, UUUGGGHHHHHHH!

[doxiesrock912]

Poor Tobey,

I can't imagine how painful this is. Hoping for quick healing from here on out.

[Dawn Anderson]

Butters has a spot the keeps cracking open and bleeds. It is on the high spot of her back between what you would call the shoulder blades. I apply pressure and then clean it with hibistat and apply Neosporin to it, that spot seem to get real dry and hard and then is cracks, the Neosporin helps keep it lubed and flexible. It only seems to crack when its to dried out.
Do not peel anything off. I use tea compresses, I leave them on for at least 45 minutes then gentle rub her down with them and if they are loose then they will come off on their own. In my opinion they are like a hard shield protecting the tender under lying skin. So I let them come off naturally. So far only have the 1 spot that give me trouble. Her cc runs from the base of her skull to her tail, her inner thighs, chest, spots on her neck, belly and front legs and as per her Dr.'s as US Davis she also has calcium crystals on the tumor and on other organs.
Its a real challenge to keep them comfortable. Butters really likes
the compresses especially when it come to the gentle rub down, you can see the joy in her face and it softens up what little fur she has left. A ton of dead skin comes off each time and is keeping the smell at bay.
she's not on any other meds, just pain killers, we meet with the IMS and Dr. Kent at Davis on the 6th of January to start running blood work and see where her cortisol levels are since she had the radiation treatment on the 25,26 and 27th of November. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed that they have started to drop, but we will find out.
Am getting pics ready for her album and will post them tomorrow.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas

Dawn & Miss Buttercup:D

[Dawn Anderson]

I know many of us are dealing with this....

but this $&%^$*!?%&^$ calcinosis cutis!!!!! What a horrible, horrible side effect of cushings!

I just need to vent. I know it will take time to get better, and it gets worse before it gets better.... I'm still mad! Tobey's sores are spreading, they are cracking open and bleeding, UUUGGGHHHHHHH!

I completely feel you pain and anger I am also mad as h@&l CC is so cruel, it cuts us all so deeply for there is so little we can do to make it go away any sooner then it does. I tear up all the time because of the CC, not only for my girl but for all the babies that are stricken with it.

I see you live in Alaska, the winter air must be very dry up there. You could try putting the compresses on Tobey an night then apply Neosporin to the spots that give you trouble, and see if that helps him since it seems to be nights that are the worst.

Hang in there and vent any time you need, we are here for you and Tobey.

May god bless you and yours this Christmas
Dawn and Buttercup

[Dawn Anderson]

Just update her album

[molly muffin]

Just wanted everyone to know that Arizona Boston has updated Lucy's album with pictures of her cc today.

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5424&page=7

Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[goldengirl88]

Dawn:
Hoping Butter's is felling better with her toes today. Blessings
Patti

[Arizona Boston]

I just today saw this separate thread, so I'm late to the party.

About 2 1/2 weeks ago I was holding Lucy first thing in the morning and found a spot on her neck that was raw, open and bleeding … I immediately thought something big and fierce had gotten into our yard and attacked her. It looked like there were teeth marks in her.
Then I realized the obvious, she had gotten her back foot up high enough to her neck to be able to scratch off a hunk of plaque. She was due for a visit anyway for her ACTH and was started on a 3 week round of antibiotic.

Right now she seems to be a bit better and I can't isolate any one treatment that has made the difference. The oral antibiotics, the ACTH numbers getting in range, the shampoos, fish oil …all started at the same time.
( and my mothers St Francis statue … it all helps !)
Shelly

[Dawn Anderson]

Awe the poor baby, been down that road with Butters, it must have felt so good as she scratched but the aftermath not so good. The CC IS TRULY the worst part of this whole thing. Cold compresses help ease the burning sensation her skin has.

Dawn & Butters

[Budsters Mom]

There is a before Cushings. however, there is not an after Cushings. Once you have had a Cushing's fur baby, it's never leaves you! Xxxxx

[goldengirl88]

Dawn:
I was so excited when I had something happen at the laser therapists office I thought would help Butters, and Renees's dog, please read my post. I looked it up today too. The cold laser therapy used on Tipper is also used for many skin conditions to heal them. psorsasis, eczema, etc. I think it would be worth your time to call a cold laser therapist in your area and inquire about this for Butters. This could help her heal as it rejuvenates the damaged cells to work again and renew things. Just a thought as I know how you have been struggling with this. Blessings
Patti

[Dawn Anderson]

Thanks Patti, just googled it and when I take Butters in for her blood test in the morning I will ask the vet about it.

Thanks
Dawn and Butters

[Dawn Anderson]

I just updated her album from the pics I took on the monday the 6th when were at Davis. Will take more pics today and post them. I tell myself not to cry when I see the pics because I know that she is slowly oh so slowly improving.

Dawn & Butters

[Dawn Anderson]

posted more pic on her cushings album.