Please help - suspected cushings (staffie)

[Samantha.k]

great site, im new here so thanks for having me!

I have a rescue staffie, her name is Roxy Roo and I adopted her 3 years ago (she is now approx 6 yrs old)... she is my life - but I'm so worried about her.

Roxy Roo has always been a hungry dog and I put this down to her miserable start in life...however more recently she has been ravenous, hunting for food, stealing, barking at me for for food, picking up ANYTHING on the street etc. her appetite is insatiable.

She has never drunk a lot of water but this has increased over recent months, I would say she drinks about a pint a day...not excessive, but more than she used to...she has started immediately drinking after food, which is dry.

She has always loved her walks but recently this has changed. She gets excited when I say 'walkies" but after minutes of walking (sometime 2 sometimes 20) she sits down and refused to move, she is always keen to turn around and come home after she has done her business, which is unusual.

She has stopped jumping into the car, waiting to be lifted.

She recently had a bald patch on her foot, which was scraped by the vet but no infection/mites were detected... The vet gave her a course of advocate and it has virtually healed now.

Roxy Roo seems lethargic in between walks, I can tell something is wrong, she seems unhappy in herself almost depressed and deflated.

She does not pee in the house ever but she sometimes wakes me in the night, and goes repeatedly on our walks (maybe 4-8 times in an hour).

The biggest concern is her weight gain, she has put on 3 kg in 4 months, she is now 20kg. She is fed a light kibble by Burns, I weigh her food and have stopped treats etc. her fat is around her belly and shoulders,her legs have always been a bit spindly so she is a barrelled.

I have taken her to the vets about these symptoms, he felt that her weight gain was causing arthritis, which was why she did not want to walk or jump. He prescribed metacam, but after two weeks we established that this made no difference to her desire to walk.

She has been for a weigh in every fortnight for the last 8 weeks, her weight has plateaued but she has not lost (200g loss overall) despite me weighing her food and increased walks etc.

She also has a repeated anal gland issue which the vet attributes to her being overweight. She is quite gassy at times too.

Tonight we went to the vets again - he has told me to reduce her food further (to the equivalent of a 14kg dog (she is 20kg/should be 17kg) and maintain lots if exercise, he told me to come back in a month. We have stopped the metacam as it had no effect.

I am worried, I feel this is going on too long and wondered whether I should insist on blood tests or other tests. The vet has briefly talked about the possibility of cushings but seems reluctant to test, believing she will eventually lose weight but I am finding this a struggle as I can see how hungry she is.

I can't bear the thought of Roxy Roo suffering or being unwell and me not doing anything about it...what would you do considering the symptoms...should I be more insistent about testing her now or wait another month? If now, what tests should I ask for to start with?

Many thanks for your advice

Sam (and Roxy Roo)

[Renee]

Welcome here.

Thank you for adopting!! :)

I would insist, at the very least, to have a full blood workup done. This may give you more clues and help you on this path to finding out what's wrong. A blood panel can show some of the more typical abnormalities you might see in a cushings dog, or it could point you towards other possibilities. I think thyroid could be likely for RoxyRoo.

Also, you may want to consider a new vet, if your vet is unwilling to work with you and help you find the answers.

One thing you can give RoxyRoo to help her feel fuller / satisfied with food is canned or fresh or frozen green beans. These are very, very low calories, full of fiber & water, and can help her feel not so deprived.

[goldengirl88]

Welcome from Tipper and I too. I am so sorry your baby is having problems. I can tell you this much. If you know the dog well and you think there is a problem there probably is. Trust your gut and get a vet that will start doing some diagnostic blood work and testing to see what is wrong. It could be something else, but always trust your gut instinct, my vet put me off till I forced him to test my dog, and she did have Cushings as I told him. That is not saying that is what your dog has, but obviously there is something wrong. Blessings
Patti

[molly muffin]

Hi Welcome to you and Roxy Roo, what a great name :)

I agree, a full blood panel needs to be done. Specifically you want to know what is high or low, rule out diabetes and thyroid (so make sure that is included on the panel) and you could do a an ACTH to see where cortisol levels are at. Or an LDDS to see if she suprresses cortisol production or not. Based on the symptoms I would want to have these done and you should get copies of all lab results too.
Then you'll at least have an idea of what is going on and where to go to next.
You do know your dog, so if you think something is wrong, then Patti is right, there probably is and we need to figure out what and get it fixed. :)
Renee had a good suggestion with the green beans that could help especially while trying to get this figured out.
If your vet isn't comfortable with testing and treatment, or no experience, then ask for a referral to a specialist who does have experience. You will want someone who knows what they are doing with treatment anyhow.
Please ask any questions you might have.

Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[Dawn Anderson]

Hello and welcome,
You've come to the right place for info and support whether or not Roxy roo has cushings or not.
Let me start with shame on the vet for not being more proactive in the care of your baby. As soon as you brought her in the 1st time to address her issues the vet should have done a complete blood work up and compared it to her blood work that should be done the year before ( on a yearly basis )( my girl has always had blood work done during her yearly physicals) and look for any abnormal changes. Lots of people don't think about getting blood work done each year when there pups are healthy but it is very important to do, just like we need to do for ourselves.
If your vet is rubbing you the wrong way and your gut tells you that you are not confident in his or her skills then its time for a change in vets.
Everyone here is dealing with different aspects of cushings and other glandular conditions. They are so helpful in helping you to understand what the tests are and what the results mean in a way that is easy to understand. They will ask lots of ?'s so be ready. Get the blood work done asap and get a copy of the actual results and create a file for her and if you can get a complete copy of her history from her vet and put it in the file and keep it handy so you can refer to it when ever needed . If you do change vets then you will be able to make a copy for her new vet.

Stay positive and focused as best as possible and we will be here for you and Roxy Roo(love the name)

Dawn and Miss Buttercup

[Samantha.k]

Thank you so much for the responses. The practice I go to is excellent, however this particular vet is new to the practice and newly qualified, so I will insist on seeing previous vet there who is very experienced.

I will also insist on the full blood count testing for the the thyroid, diabetes and cortisone as advised.

I will post the results here for advice..thank you.

Also thanks for the green bean tip...she has just had a her breakfast (weighed) and then immediately sat looking at her food cupboard crying....this is heartbreaking but I have been doing everything possible this last 8 weeks to get some weight off, so will continue to be disciplined with her diet. Bless her. Hopefully green beans will help to take the edge off....can I use other green veg too (broccoli, cabbage, peas etc) ....or is there something specific about the beans?

By the way thanks again for the caring words, it really, really makes the difference...although I adopted Roxy Roo she actually rescued me and I can't bear to think that she might be poorly or in pain. Although I have had her three years she is my first dog and things like this are still a learning curve for me... I will keep you updated :-)

Sam

[goldengirl88]

Hoping all works out and that you get the results back and find out what is troubling your baby. We will all be waiting to hear the results. Good luck to you both. Blessings
Patti

[molly muffin]

Oh good I'm glad that you have options at the vet clinic you are going to and I think that getting Roxy Roo tested will help in figuring out what is going on.

These are some ideas for food additions:

http://trupanion.com/pet-health/fruits-and-veggies-for-pets


Fruit

Be sure to wash all fruits and remove seeds and pits before feeding to pets.

Apple
Apricot
Banana
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Mango
Oranges
Pear
Pineapple
Raspberries
Strawberries
Watermelon

Steer clear of: Grapes and raisins can cause kidney damage for cats and dogs, so avoid feeding these entirely. Citrus fruits like lemons, limes, and grapefruit as well as persimmons can cause upset stomach.
Vegetables

Consider steaming or boiling cruciferous veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, as they are much easier to digest when they are cooked.

Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumber
Green beans
Lettuce
Pumpkin
Spinach
Sweet potato
Spinach
Lettuce
Asparagus

Steer clear of: Never feed your pet onions or garlic as they are toxic in all forms: cooked, raw, and even onion powder. These cause damage to the red blood cells, ultimately causing them to burst. Rhubarb and wild mushrooms also contain toxins. We suggest avoiding corn as it is a common allergen among pets.

http://www.petmd.com/dog/nutrition/evr_multi_healthy_snacks


Yes:

Apples - without seeds or core (apple seeds contain chemical compounds that are poisonous to animals)
Blueberries
Strawberries
Watermelon - without seeds
Frozen bananas
Green beans
Carrots - raw or cooked
Sweet potato – cooked, cubed or mashed without butter or seasoning; regular potatoes are also good, but in limited amounts since they are high in sugar and can increase weight
Squash, zucchini
Lettuce
Spinach
Popcorn - unsalted and unbuttered
Catnip or cat grass



No:

Grapes and raisins - contain chemical compounds that are toxic to dogs
Garlic and onions – both have chemical properties that can be toxic, and even life threatening to dogs and cats
Tomatoes
Avocado
Mushrooms – particularly wild mushrooms
Fruits with pits, such as peaches, cherries, and plums – in some cases the pit can be toxic, or can simply present a choking hazard
Nuts – particularly macadamia nuts, which are toxic to pets


This is another good site with tips:
http://www.pawsforreaction.com/fruitveggiesfordogs.html#sthash.TRFhImbq.dpbs

That should give you some ideas.
Pumpkin be careful with, as it can be used to help when a dog has diarrhea and it can also cause it in too large of quantities. It is excellent to have though if your dog gets gastro upsets.

Sharlene and Molly Muffin

[Renee]

Sharlene shared some very good information... but, go easy on the fruit and veggies that are high in natural sugar. Those natural sugars can add more calories.

The reason green beans are such a go-to for weight loss is because they have minimal natural sugars, and are so very low calorie.

[Samantha.k]

This is all really good advice, interestingly I have been on a diet since the new year (with Roxy Roo) as I put on a bit over Xmas - I might start steaming some extra veggies for the both of us! Awwww.. I like that idea. I will let you know what the vet says...thanks again x

[Samantha.k]

That's paws for reaction site is great Sharlene, I used give Roxy Roo a banana mashed in her kong (before her diet started) and she eats berries in the summer, but never thought of some of the stuff on there, thanks :)

I got a tin of green beans today but am going to get fresh tomorrow

[molly muffin]

I like that site too. My molly and me usually share a banana (she gets about 2 - 3 bite size pieces is all), she loves it.
Molly isn't fond of green beans unless they are in something with flavor, like chicken or beef, etc. On their own, she will attack and kill them, throw them in the air and pounce, but not eat them.

There are a lot of good ideas for supplementing the food. Just don't over do anything with too much natural sugar.

hugs,
Sharlene and molly muffin

[goldengirl88]

Just checking in to see how your baby is today. Hoping you get some idea of what is going on when the blood results come back. Blessings
Patti