Ashley
04-25-2014, 04:24 PM
To be honest I don't know where to even begin with my dog's story. I lost one of my senior furbabies to cancer a couple of weeks ago so I am maybe being overly emotional about this. I have a shih tzu named Buddy (turned 16 a month ago) who had to have an ultrasound done last year (October 2013) when he became very ill (not eating/lethargic). The ultrasound found a foreign body, but also found his adrenal glands were very enlarged. He had an endoscopy done for the foreign body that went well. The vet said he most likely has cushings. He always had a great appetite, but the few months before October he started to lick the floors constantly, especially after eating and right before. May of last year he started to get frequent eye infections especially on humid days but a few days of some eye drops always cleared things up. I did notice a bit of a pot belly as well last summer, and also on humid days he seemed to really get weak and looked almost drunk. He did seem more lethargic overall, but I thought it was just him getting older. We still went to the park on walks, and on cooler days it was actually hard to keep up with him. His bloodwork Jan. 2013 when he had a dental showed some elevated liver values, and in September 2013 they were even more elevated. I took him to a holistic vet in September who put him on some thyroid supplements and things for his liver. Before he had the endoscopy his bloodwork showed a pretty big improvement in his liver values which I was impressed with since he was on the supplements only a month.
After the endoscopy I spoke to the holistic vet and we decided to try some herbs first for his cushings. He is a dog who becomes very stressed at the vet and hates having anything done to him so we did not do any cushings test at the time.Like I said he had a bit of a pot belly, some eye issues, and lethargy in humid weather especially, his licking the floors, elevated liver values, but he did not have any hair loss at the time, no panting, and no increased water intake or urination. Not long after the endoscopy though he started to have rear muscle weakness where he had a hard time walking on the hardwood floors (outside he was fine), and he started to urinate in the house especially when he would fall. I should add that for 9 years he had been eating a raw food diet but after the endoscopy put him on Wellness canned senior formula. Once in a while I would give him a raw meal, and strangely he seemed to be less weak in the legs after it, but I was scared of giving him raw since he had the cushings. In January of this year he started to get a bit anxious at night which I figured might be some dementia or arthrits pain since it was winter, but it was just a bit of whining and that is all. He also started to get adequan injections which helped a bit. Three months after being on the herbs the vet did a cushings test, and I do not have the results on me but they were something like pre 5/post 42. His liver was values were better than they were back in Sep. 2013 but worse than they were back in Oct. 2013, but his thyroid number was much better. I still decided to keep him on the herbs because I just did not want to start having to do regular bloodwork because of the stress this caused him. His pot belly did get better, he was still not really losing hair (it was getting a little thinner), and the adequan shots did seem to help with his legs a little.He also was not licking the floors anymore, was still drinking normal amounts of water, and eating well. He even got around in the snow okay.
I should also add that last summer he did start to get stuck behind the toilet once in a while, but it seemed more like he was using it to lean on it/resting his neck on it.
The middle of February he got another eye infection, and I noticed him coughing once in a while. After reading about what happens if cushings is not treated, I took the plunge and put him on Trilostane. February 19th he started on 10 mg once a day. The first week on it I was ecstatic, he had all this new energy, had loose stools the first day on the meds only, was still eating fine, and stopped falling on the floors and urinating. The first week of March (2 weeks after starting trilostane) he started to get very anxious at night, pacing, crying, going behind the couch. I took him to the vet the first week of March and for the first time ever I thought I would have to turn around and go back home because he was panting and crying and screaming in the car. I asked the vet if I can give him selegiline along with the trilostane and she said I can. Second week of March he started to pace and fall on his side, walk in circles, he seemed to forget how to use his front legs and would not lift them to get up on his bed, and was even more anxious. He also started to lift/tilt his head back while eating. March 15th I added the selegiline. I do think he was less anxious on it, slept more through the night, and started to use his front legs more and seemed more alert, but the walking in circles continued although he did walk more straight at times.
March 26th another cushings test was done (due to him getting so stressed vet said it was okay not to do more often). His results were pre 10/post 27. At the time the vet said his circling might be due to his pituary tumor. I was devastated and wondered since this came on so suddenly after he went on the trilostane if it was caused by it. The vet said to up his trilostane to 20 mg a day. I did not do so right away b/c I was so confused.
March 30th he started to spit his food out a little but still always ended up eating it, but since this was the first time ever he spit his food out like that I thought maybe it was due to the selegiline and I stopped giving it to him (he was on it 2 weeks only) especially since I thought it was a tumor causing his behavior.
April 4th he went and had acupuncture, and that night I noticed his ear was leaking smelly discharge and blood. I called the emergency vet but was told he can just go to regular vet in the morning. I decided to wait until the next morning since he actually ate that night, and just seemed a lot calmer, not pacing, and seemed to feel better all while all this stuff was leaking out if his ear. The next day I took him to not his regular vet but one near my home, and was told he had a very bad middle ear infection with a ruptured ear drum. I was upset my poor baby had been suffering all along with this, but happy that might be the cause of his pacing/circling. She gave him antibiotics and some kind of injection (steroid maybe?). He seemed better for a few days, more calm, eating well, but then after a few days started to not want to eat again, and anxious again. After taking baytril for two weeks I took him for a recheck to his regular vet (april17th) and it was decided he need his ear flushed. he was sedated and a lot of debris was flushed out of his ear (his ear drum healed but ruptured again due to all the debris possibly left in ear.). I also increased his trilostane to 20 mg a day on April 14th because the vet told me that cushings is known to cause all kinds of infections and I thought it would help. His culture from the ear came back with some bacteria and yeast.
It has been a week since his ear was flushed, and almost 2 weeks since he has been on the increased dose of trilostane. The other day we had a very humid day and both his eyes are now horrible (putting drops in them). He is still circling, although not falling on his side as much (is that in improvement?). He can also now get up on his own when he does fall down as opposed to just laying there like was was previously.He was much worse on the humid day the other day with his leg weakness, but pretty good otherwise. He is not walking/bumping into things as much like he was a few weeks ago, no more head pressing on things, when he gets into a corner he is able to find his way out of it much easier than a few weeks ago as well, but having hard time lifting his front legs again as if he does not know how (this was better when he was taking selegiline). A week ago he refused to eat his canned and wanted to eat the raw food I was feeding my other guys so I put him back on that. The fist couple of days he ate it normally, but now he is refusing that too. He will eat treats, and the other night I put a bit of sardines in his food so he ate that, but would not eat the sardines the next morning. I made scrambled eggs for him last night and he licked the plate clean. This is very not like him to refuse any food though. I am not sure if he is still in pain from the ear, if he does have dementia and it is getting worse, or if it his tumor, or if it the trilostane. The vet did tell me ear issues can cause neurological symptoms that might take a while to go away if ever. At this point I am stopping the trilostane today to see if he gets better, but at the same time I know he might get worse if I stop. I don't know what to do. I am not used to him not wanting to eat. He is drinking water normally(he actually seems to be in less pain when moving head down to drink water compared to a few weeks ago) and like I said will eagerly take a treat and still loving his glycoflex chews (chewing on them a little more carefully though).IS it possible his ears are still painful so it is hurting him to eat and that is why he is being so picky? Is this still maybe the reason he is still circling? I would think if it was a tumor than he would be getting worse but like I said he is not falling to the side as much. Now when he does fall he can actually quickly catch him self before falling to the side. He is still going to the bathroom outside. I also noticed that the other day when it was humid he did seem worse, so maybe it is the yeast causing all these issues sine yeast thrives in moisture. I have not slept, I cant eat, and I feel like my life is on hold and I am waiting for him to get better. The vet does not think the trilostane caused this. Is it possible when the trilostane lowered his cortilsol levels his ear infection/yeast issue got worse? I also wonder since he was on raw all those years then going to a grain food might have made the yeast growth worse? I also admit to giving him bagels recently which is not something he is used to eating. I'm scared of doing the wrong thing and him getting worse. I'm scared of the fact he is being so picky with his food. He has loved food all his life and I always said when he stops wanting to eat is when I know he is not well.
Buddy is not experiencing any head tremors, when I bend his foot he puts it back in position right away, is very aware when I take out his treats and eats those eagerly. He lets me know when he has to go to the bathroom and goes outside. Can ear issues really cause all this or does this sound like a tumor with some dementia maybe as well?
As of now he is just circling, gets anxious at times, and not wanting to eat his regular food as much unless I do something enticing to it. It is like there is a gravitational pull to one side of his body. The vet said they usually circle in the direction the ear is infected, but he is doing it in the opposite direction.
After the endoscopy I spoke to the holistic vet and we decided to try some herbs first for his cushings. He is a dog who becomes very stressed at the vet and hates having anything done to him so we did not do any cushings test at the time.Like I said he had a bit of a pot belly, some eye issues, and lethargy in humid weather especially, his licking the floors, elevated liver values, but he did not have any hair loss at the time, no panting, and no increased water intake or urination. Not long after the endoscopy though he started to have rear muscle weakness where he had a hard time walking on the hardwood floors (outside he was fine), and he started to urinate in the house especially when he would fall. I should add that for 9 years he had been eating a raw food diet but after the endoscopy put him on Wellness canned senior formula. Once in a while I would give him a raw meal, and strangely he seemed to be less weak in the legs after it, but I was scared of giving him raw since he had the cushings. In January of this year he started to get a bit anxious at night which I figured might be some dementia or arthrits pain since it was winter, but it was just a bit of whining and that is all. He also started to get adequan injections which helped a bit. Three months after being on the herbs the vet did a cushings test, and I do not have the results on me but they were something like pre 5/post 42. His liver was values were better than they were back in Sep. 2013 but worse than they were back in Oct. 2013, but his thyroid number was much better. I still decided to keep him on the herbs because I just did not want to start having to do regular bloodwork because of the stress this caused him. His pot belly did get better, he was still not really losing hair (it was getting a little thinner), and the adequan shots did seem to help with his legs a little.He also was not licking the floors anymore, was still drinking normal amounts of water, and eating well. He even got around in the snow okay.
I should also add that last summer he did start to get stuck behind the toilet once in a while, but it seemed more like he was using it to lean on it/resting his neck on it.
The middle of February he got another eye infection, and I noticed him coughing once in a while. After reading about what happens if cushings is not treated, I took the plunge and put him on Trilostane. February 19th he started on 10 mg once a day. The first week on it I was ecstatic, he had all this new energy, had loose stools the first day on the meds only, was still eating fine, and stopped falling on the floors and urinating. The first week of March (2 weeks after starting trilostane) he started to get very anxious at night, pacing, crying, going behind the couch. I took him to the vet the first week of March and for the first time ever I thought I would have to turn around and go back home because he was panting and crying and screaming in the car. I asked the vet if I can give him selegiline along with the trilostane and she said I can. Second week of March he started to pace and fall on his side, walk in circles, he seemed to forget how to use his front legs and would not lift them to get up on his bed, and was even more anxious. He also started to lift/tilt his head back while eating. March 15th I added the selegiline. I do think he was less anxious on it, slept more through the night, and started to use his front legs more and seemed more alert, but the walking in circles continued although he did walk more straight at times.
March 26th another cushings test was done (due to him getting so stressed vet said it was okay not to do more often). His results were pre 10/post 27. At the time the vet said his circling might be due to his pituary tumor. I was devastated and wondered since this came on so suddenly after he went on the trilostane if it was caused by it. The vet said to up his trilostane to 20 mg a day. I did not do so right away b/c I was so confused.
March 30th he started to spit his food out a little but still always ended up eating it, but since this was the first time ever he spit his food out like that I thought maybe it was due to the selegiline and I stopped giving it to him (he was on it 2 weeks only) especially since I thought it was a tumor causing his behavior.
April 4th he went and had acupuncture, and that night I noticed his ear was leaking smelly discharge and blood. I called the emergency vet but was told he can just go to regular vet in the morning. I decided to wait until the next morning since he actually ate that night, and just seemed a lot calmer, not pacing, and seemed to feel better all while all this stuff was leaking out if his ear. The next day I took him to not his regular vet but one near my home, and was told he had a very bad middle ear infection with a ruptured ear drum. I was upset my poor baby had been suffering all along with this, but happy that might be the cause of his pacing/circling. She gave him antibiotics and some kind of injection (steroid maybe?). He seemed better for a few days, more calm, eating well, but then after a few days started to not want to eat again, and anxious again. After taking baytril for two weeks I took him for a recheck to his regular vet (april17th) and it was decided he need his ear flushed. he was sedated and a lot of debris was flushed out of his ear (his ear drum healed but ruptured again due to all the debris possibly left in ear.). I also increased his trilostane to 20 mg a day on April 14th because the vet told me that cushings is known to cause all kinds of infections and I thought it would help. His culture from the ear came back with some bacteria and yeast.
It has been a week since his ear was flushed, and almost 2 weeks since he has been on the increased dose of trilostane. The other day we had a very humid day and both his eyes are now horrible (putting drops in them). He is still circling, although not falling on his side as much (is that in improvement?). He can also now get up on his own when he does fall down as opposed to just laying there like was was previously.He was much worse on the humid day the other day with his leg weakness, but pretty good otherwise. He is not walking/bumping into things as much like he was a few weeks ago, no more head pressing on things, when he gets into a corner he is able to find his way out of it much easier than a few weeks ago as well, but having hard time lifting his front legs again as if he does not know how (this was better when he was taking selegiline). A week ago he refused to eat his canned and wanted to eat the raw food I was feeding my other guys so I put him back on that. The fist couple of days he ate it normally, but now he is refusing that too. He will eat treats, and the other night I put a bit of sardines in his food so he ate that, but would not eat the sardines the next morning. I made scrambled eggs for him last night and he licked the plate clean. This is very not like him to refuse any food though. I am not sure if he is still in pain from the ear, if he does have dementia and it is getting worse, or if it his tumor, or if it the trilostane. The vet did tell me ear issues can cause neurological symptoms that might take a while to go away if ever. At this point I am stopping the trilostane today to see if he gets better, but at the same time I know he might get worse if I stop. I don't know what to do. I am not used to him not wanting to eat. He is drinking water normally(he actually seems to be in less pain when moving head down to drink water compared to a few weeks ago) and like I said will eagerly take a treat and still loving his glycoflex chews (chewing on them a little more carefully though).IS it possible his ears are still painful so it is hurting him to eat and that is why he is being so picky? Is this still maybe the reason he is still circling? I would think if it was a tumor than he would be getting worse but like I said he is not falling to the side as much. Now when he does fall he can actually quickly catch him self before falling to the side. He is still going to the bathroom outside. I also noticed that the other day when it was humid he did seem worse, so maybe it is the yeast causing all these issues sine yeast thrives in moisture. I have not slept, I cant eat, and I feel like my life is on hold and I am waiting for him to get better. The vet does not think the trilostane caused this. Is it possible when the trilostane lowered his cortilsol levels his ear infection/yeast issue got worse? I also wonder since he was on raw all those years then going to a grain food might have made the yeast growth worse? I also admit to giving him bagels recently which is not something he is used to eating. I'm scared of doing the wrong thing and him getting worse. I'm scared of the fact he is being so picky with his food. He has loved food all his life and I always said when he stops wanting to eat is when I know he is not well.
Buddy is not experiencing any head tremors, when I bend his foot he puts it back in position right away, is very aware when I take out his treats and eats those eagerly. He lets me know when he has to go to the bathroom and goes outside. Can ear issues really cause all this or does this sound like a tumor with some dementia maybe as well?
As of now he is just circling, gets anxious at times, and not wanting to eat his regular food as much unless I do something enticing to it. It is like there is a gravitational pull to one side of his body. The vet said they usually circle in the direction the ear is infected, but he is doing it in the opposite direction.