Baby Girl Amber has Cushings

[mlawrence38]

Our baby girl Amber was just diagnosed with Cushings last week. We are truly heartbroken. As we all know so well, she is just like my only child. I have been scouring the internet reading as much as I can about Cushings in dogs. We can afford the medicine but cannot afford all the tests that are involved in monitoring same. So, we are seriously watching and waiting. This is awful. This is the second hardest thing I have had to do in my life. The first was when my Mother died and now this. I am just out of my mind with worry. Amber can still jump onto her favorite chair and into out bed at night. I usually fall asleep watching her breathe. Can anyone tell me about that, the breathing that is? Her breaths are short and quick. Also, before I borrow money for a UTI test, can anyone talk to me about symptoms for same? I watch her every time she goes out to use the bathroom and she seems to go very well. She does not drip and her vagina area is NOT red at all. I can see some muscle mass deterioration but not a lot right now. Has anyone out there NOT been able to afford all the testing, etc. and can tell me about how long their baby lived? Amber is a 12 year old beagle. She will be celebrating 12 years on Saturday!! Thank you for ANY and ALL information you may have for me. Love, Amber's Mom

[DTullos]

Welcome and hugs to you and Amber. Kiley Bear and I are new here also. The people here have been great at answering my questions.

I wanted to suggest you look for local groups that help with vet bills. We live in Texas and there are several vets around us that will allow one to pay off bills or even suggest local programs or groups that help out.

Good luck and have a great day
Diana & Kiley Bear

[mcdavis]

Welcome to you and Amber.
There are some extremely knowledgeable people on here, and the first thing they will ask is for you to post the results of the tests which have been used to diagnose Amber's Cushings. Also which Cushings symptoms Amber has, and what medication the vet is prescribing.

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi Amber's Mom, welcome to you and Amber! :)

Boy do I remember those days in our early journey. I thought my world was ending. I had never heard of Cushing's and the look on our vet's face when she delivered the verdict was enough to let me know this wasn't the best we had hoped for. Then I got on the internet and REALLY fell apart. I found several groups and talking to them made me feel even worse. Then I found our family here. By the time I found them, I was a complete basket case. A dear friend later told me she could see an image of a woman with her hair standing on end, as if she had a finger in a light socket. She kindly left out the parts about my bulging eyes and flying slobber! :p

This kind bunch of folk took my hands and gently led me along until I could breath again and then they started to teach me what I needed to know in order to be the best advocate possible for my baby girl. Over 6 years later, I still can't really claim to be sane but I didn't start out that way either :D but I no longer fear Cushing's. In fact, if I could choose an illness it would be Cushing's. ;) We will help you as much as we can so you can learn about this disease, too.

So, the first thing I want you to know is that this is NOT necessarily a death sentence. Cush pups can and do live out their normal lifespan and beyond with proper treatment.

Yes, the diagnostic phase can be expensive as can the subsequent monitoring once treatment starts. BUT there are ways to save and place that can help. Check out our Helpful Resource Section for a thread on financial aid. One thing to consider is which treatment to chose - there are two that we KNOW work. Vetoryl (Trilostane) and Lysodren (Mitotane). However, before we talk about that, we would really like to see the test results that were used to arrive at the diagnosis. Your vet should have done lab work and we will want to see those results as well - they will show things like ALP, BUN, CHOL, etc. The cush tests will be one of or a combination of the LDDS, HDDS, ACTH, and ultrasound.

Cushing's is one of, if not THE, most difficult canine condition to correctly diagnose because so many other conditions share the same signs plus other conditions can cause false positives on the tests. So we like to see those test results and play 20 Questions. ;) So here we go -

What prompted the testing in the first place?

Does Amber have any other conditions that you know of? IF so, what?

Is she on any other meds, herbs, supplements, etc.? If so, what?

Of the following common Cushing's signs, which ones are you seeing in Amber, if any?

• increased/excessive water consumption (polydipsia)
• increased/excessive urination (polyuria)
• urinary accidents in previously housetrained dogs
• increased/excessive appetite (polyphagia)
• appearance of food stealing/guarding, begging, trash dumping, etc.
• sagging, bloated, pot-bellied appearance
• weight gain or its appearance, due to fat redistribution
• loss of muscle mass, giving the appearance of weight loss
• bony, skull-like appearance of head
• exercise intolerance, lethargy, general or hind-leg weakness
• new reluctance to jump on furniture or people
• excess panting, seeking cool surfaces to rest on
• symmetrically thinning hair or baldness (alopecia) on torso
• other coat changes like dullness, dryness
• slow regrowth of hair after clipping
• thin, wrinkled, fragile, and/or darkly pigmented skin
• easily damaged/bruised skin that heals slowly
• hard, calcified lumps in the skin (calcinosis cutis)
• susceptibility to infections (especially skin and urinary)
• diabetes, pancreatitis, seizures

Now, to answer a couple of your questions -


Also, before I borrow money for a UTI test, can anyone talk to me about symptoms for same?

A pup with a UTI will usually pee frequently and drink more than usual. The urine will be dark in color and have a strong, unpleasant odor. Don't worry if the neighbors think you're nuts for squatting and sniffing pee while dabbing at it with a white paper towel - they get used to it, trust me. :p


and can tell me about how long their baby lived?

This is the question we all have when we get here and the answer is not something concrete. Most cush pups live long happy lives with treatment. Some develop other conditions unrelated to Cushing's and pass before their time. We have had one member report their baby lived 12 years after treatment and one of our Admins' babies lived nearly 10. My own baby was 10 when diagnosed and turned 16 this past Feb. Cushing's is a very slowly progressing condition so no need to rush into anything most of the time. But again, let's not get the cart before the horse. Let us see those test results and answer our questions so we have a better idea of the whole picture. ;)

The bottom line is this - you already have the very best medicine available in your home....your love for Amber. That love will guide you to make the best decisions possible for your sweet girl. AND ya'll now have a brand new family to walk by your side the whole way. We will do all we can to help you no matter what course you ultimately decide. You are NOT alone.

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

[Trixie]

I'm sorry to read about your Amber. I know how upsetting it is to have anything wrong with your dog. I felt terrible too when I found out my dog had Cushings.
My dog Trixie was diagnosed a year ago when she was 9. It is an expensive disease but mostly in the beginning, after that it does get a little less crazy. There are also online places to get the medication at much better prices than the vet usually gives.

If you can somehow figure out the finances your dog can do very well on the medication. Any chance the vet will let you pay off a little each month on the testing part? I know that's probably doubtful, but maybe you could ask. Have you looked into Care Credit?

Trixie had all the Cushings symptoms and after a year on medication is doing great now.
She had very rapid breathing too...when she was lying on her side she would breathe so fast, like she just came in from runnig around.
Cushings can cause enlarged liver and high blood pressure...either one or both can contribute to the fast breathing. YOu may also notice your dog is panting a lot even when they are at rest. Their body temp is also raised due to the high cortisol level so it does help if you can keep your dog cool, it may help to slow the breathing down some. They will often gravitate to the bare floor where its cooler for them.
All that bad stuff can go away...
Leslie covered all the important stuff in her post..I just wanted to say we all felt as you do at the start of this but don't let everything you read make you feel like your dog is doomed.
By the way..my dog's birthday is on Saturday too!! Happy Birthday to Amber!!
Barbara

[kmazurak]

Very sorry to hear about your Amber. From my experience the best test to determine how advanced the disease it is to do an MRI to determine the size of the pituitary gland brain tumor. However MRI's are expensive.

When my Jersey was diagnosed in November 2013 with pituitary dependent cushings he soon started on Trilostane. I was able to find a pharmacy that was able to make the generic version so it made it more affordable. He was doing very well on the medication and most of the cushings symptoms disappeared. Unfortunately he started to have what I called "freezing" episodes. He would get stiff and almost kind of freeze.

In March 2014 he had a grand mal seizure and passed away. After later research I realized that the so called "freezing" episodes he was having were probably mini seizures. I also heard that many dogs that underwent radiation therapy were able to shrink the brain tumor as well as reduce the symptoms . I now think that would have been a better solution for my dog as the medication reduced the symptoms but did nothing for the tumor and in the end that is why he lost his life.

I spent alot of money on the original tests to determine he had cushings but when I look back he had all the classic signs so I am not sure why they didn't think of testing for cushings first. Once you get on the right does of Trilostane then you only have to do blood work once a year.

All the best to you!

[Renee]

... as the medication reduced the symptoms but did nothing for the tumor and in the end that is why he lost his life.

I spent alot of money on the original tests to determine he had cushings but when I look back he had all the classic signs so I am not sure why they didn't think of testing for cushings first. Once you get on the right does of Trilostane then you only have to do blood work once a year.

Hi, I just wanted to point out a few incorrect statements here. First, none of the medications will do anything for the tumor that causes cushings. There is no true 'cure' except to remove the tumor, if possible, such as in the case of an adrenal tumor. The medications are for management of symptoms only.

Second, the testing for cushings is usually preceded by other testing because so many other diseases can mimic the symptoms of cushings. I think a good vet will go through a battery of testing before arriving at a cushings diagnosis.

Third, the management of trilostane requires the stim test every 3 months, not just annually, once the correct therapeutic range has been achieved. This is per Dechra.

[Renee]

I think a lot of people have given some very good advice here, and I hope you are able to learn as much as possible, so you can help your baby feel better.

Cushings can be quite an investment in the beginning, but after you've gotten everything in the correct ranges, the maintenance is much less expensive. Care credit and other programs to help with vet bills are a good idea.

Ruling out a UTI is a very good first step too, as is ruling out any other illnesses. I would suggest you get a culture done, as it will be much more accurate and worth the money.

By the way - I just love your dogs name, Amber. That is my daughters name. :D

[flynnandian]

Has anyone out there NOT been able to afford all the testing, etc. and can tell me about how long their baby lived?

here is a person that can not afford testing etc.
my 13 year old dog is on vetoryl. i started low and increased the meds slowly, till i did not see any symptoms of cushing anymore.
don't buy it at the vets but ask on this forum about cheaper ways to buy the drug.
i just watch him carefully, no testing though. he is doing fine!
the only thing else he gets is an omega 3 fish oil capsule.

[mlawrence38]

Thank you Renee for the information. It will help. I will certainly look into the Care program you spoke about. The program would have to cover everything cause I am on disability and my husband gets a very small Social Security check. My family has helped us so much recently, house insurance, etc. that I just cannot ask for more right now. But, I am considering asking my brother for $ to get a UTI culture done. It will cost $130.00. UGH!! I think he will do it. A noticed a lot of tiny black dots on Amber's vagina last night. I know that this can be caused by Cushings but on her vagina??? Her pot belly has gotten a tad bigger and I can see the hair loss on her legs and hind end area. I am having such a very hard time watching someone I love so dearly slowly pass away. I just don't know if she is in pain. The vet does not think so. How does one ever know, unless there is a cry for same and Amber does not do that. Her breathing is short and quick. I wonder if that is from the pot belly condition. It bothers me so to watch her. I try to stay busy but then when I/we leave home to run errands I worry about her so. Thank you so much for taking time to talk with me as I know you are facing the same terrible things.
Sincerely and thankful, Catherine (Amber's Mommy)

[mlawrence38]

Dear All, Thank you so much for all the information. I am certainly going to look into the Care information. Regarding Leslie's information: I will try to get the test results for you next week when I might see the doctor. It will depend on whether or not my brother will help us with a UTI culture and Amber will get that done. I have to wait and see. I will try to answer all the questions you have. Give me a day or so and I will post them all. I just cannot tell you enough how sad I am. Thank you again. Sincerely, Catherine (Amber's Mommy)

[Squirt's Mom]

We so understand your sadness, Catherine. We have strong soft shoulders any time you need a place to vent, to cry, to laugh or to scream. We've all been there and know what you are going through. Please know, we are family, human and pup. ;)

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

[goldengirl88]

Please do not be sad, I know this is overwhelming, but we are all here to help you thru it. We have all been where you are and I know it is scary. This is the best place to be for help with this. Blessings
Patti

[molly muffin]

Hello Catherine and welcome to you and Amber.

What symptoms exactly does Amber have? Is she drinking and peeing Tons, is she ravenously hungry?

Has your vet mentioned if her urine is dilute? It is harder to tell if there is a UTI if the urine is dilute than if it is concentrated (very yellow). Sometimes if it is concentrated then a check for bacteria, without a culture would work, but if very dilute then a UTI won't show up.

You can run into your vets and just pick up copies of the lab reports and say you want to review it and keep a copy in your own files from now on of all Ambers testing.
Next, care credit might work, carecredit.com It's an option anyhow. Also, do check at the vets and see if there are any help programs available, as I know here in Canada there is a program for lower income people to help out on testing.

It will be okay, cushing is a slow progressing disease, so you have time to figure things out and it isn't a death sentence. Ask your vet what she honestly thinks and make sure she understands about the funds not being available. See if she has any options for you.

Again, welcome
Sharlene and molly muffin