Is it Cushings? is it something else?

[tinkiebean2]

My dog Tinks has been acting weird lately - sitting down really fast, biting at her back feet, ravenous for food and has brown spots on her otherwise pink belly. So I took her to the vet and they suggested allergies, but I had given her Benedryl and rubbed her feet with puppy cortisone, so I told them it had to be something else. They took blood and one of her levels were high so they suggested possibly Cushings, but we'd have to do the ultrasound and 8 hour blood test. We just did that on Friday. I picked her up and the doctor said her liver was enlarged (they thought maybe cancer :( ) . But the glands that produce Cortisol were perfectly normal, so they didn't think it was Cushings, but sent her ultrasound to a specialist. I get a call yesterday from another doctor there (her vet was off), and she told me that the blood work came back and it's consistent with Cushings and that the specialist reviewed her ultrasound and said to have her tested for Cushings. Okay, so now, here I am with two separate answers from two doctors in the same office!!!!! I have just spent well over $1,000 and I'm confused about what to do. Why are her adrenal glands completely normal if she has Cushings?
I want to talk to her doctor tomorrow, but what else should I ask her? I want to know why the glands are okay. And I think I should ask what kind of Cushings she has? And the kind of medicine she has to go on is something with a V and they told me it will be $90 for a months supply. She's ten years old and 17 lbs. Does this sound normal to anyone?
Is there something else I should be asking the doctors?
Thanks so much!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

[molly muffin]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Okay, so you had the LDDS, do you have the results of that? I think you said that was positive?
Also do you have the results of the bloodwork, so you can post the abnormal High or Low results with the ranges?

It is possible that the adrenal glands are a normal size at this point. We have seen that with some other dogs.

If you are thinking of starting vetroyl, then do not start at more than 1mg/1lb, so that would be 17mg for a 17lb dog. Now Vetroyl comes in 10/30/60/120 mg. However, you can get it compounded trilostane, at 17mgs. (it is also usually cheaper than the namebrand vetroyl) A compounding pharmacy such as Diamondback (we have members who use this) can do any compound amount, other than the amount that vetroyl comes in.

This is the new article on the lower dosage in case you need to print it out and take it in to your vet:

http://www.vetsonline.com/news/product-news/140722-new-lower-starting-dose-for-vetoryl.html


I'd ask about thyroid (if that is normal) I'd ask about glucose levels (verify it's not diabetes), and get copies of all test results if you haven't already.

Some of the others will be stopping by to give their input also.

[tinkiebean2]

Thank you for responding. I will get all of her results and post them. I'm going to pick up her blood & ultrasound results after work today. I'm so nervous because I've read so much about these medications that I just don't want her becoming sick from them, so thank you for telling me about the compounding pharmacy. I also think I have a compounding pharmacy in my area - I have to check with a friend of mine. But I printed out that dosage information, and I will talk to the doctor about it.
Keep those answers coming. I need all the help I can get! Thanks sooooooo much!

[Squirt's Mom]

Was Tinks using the cortisone cream on his feet when the LDDS was given? How much time had passed between the last usage of the cream and the LDDS? Are you using this cream for anything on your body or anyone else in the house Tinks would come in contact with? Creams containing steroids have been known to cause Cushing's signs and false-positives on the testing so the timing of the cream use and the tests is important. ;)

I'm glad you're here and want you to know that you and Tinks are not alone. We will be with you every step of the way. Never hesitate to ask questions or simply talk - we are here, your new family.

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

[tinkiebean2]

My dog Tinks, who will be 11 in June, has been diagnosed with Cushings since October 2014. She was taking 30 mg of Vetoryl once a day until a month ago when I noticed her acting crazier than normal and panting and trying to fight the other dog for her food. We had just moved, so I was on the hunt for a good vet after 3 failed attempts at a doctor addressing her disease. I finally found a specialist (WOW) and he increased her meds (after bloodwork) to 30 mg of Vetoryl twice a day. Now, she is acting up again. Panting, very antsy, drinking more than usual, seeming needier than normal. So I made her an appointment for tomorrow and she'll do another blood test and the doctor will reevaluate her bloodwork on Wednesday. I'm curious, because she's 17 lbs, what is the normal dosage for Vetoryl for a dog this size? I'm sure the doctor won't over medicate her, but I'd like to go there with some kind of knowledge of what is good and what I DON'T want to do to her. Can anyone help? I've read a ton of blog posts (on other sites) and articles and they are just getting me upset because most of them say that a dog with Cushings will only live about 2 years. So I have to stop reading that stuff. I need help to do what is best for her! Thanks for any offers of advice you can give.

[LtlBtyRam]

I'm not the best at the technical stuff. I can tell you my dog weighs about 12 pounds and she is on 32 milligrams twice a day. Others may be along to speak more about the technical side later.
Angela

[Harley PoMMom]

You will see that I've merged your new post into your original thread about Tinks. This way, we will be able to keep track of her entire health and treatment history all in one place.

Was an ACTH stimulation test performed before her dose was raised to 30mg BID, and if so, please get those results and post them here.

The initial dosing is based on weight and is usually continued until the 30 day mark when an ACTH stimulation test is done, a decision to adjust the dose will be made from those results and taking in account the dog's symptoms.

How are her symptoms now? Is she eating and drinking normally? Any vomiting or diarrhea?

Do not believe that 2 year thing, there is every reason to believe that with treatment, she can enjoy a good quality of life and live out her expected life span.

Hugs, Lori

[tinkiebean2]

Thank you both so much!
I will post her results in the morning, as they are in my car so I never forget to take them with me to the doctor! I will be dropping her off in the AM for a few hours for testing. But I have her original tests and I will post those.
Thank you so much for your help! I couldn't remember if I had posted her information here when she was first diagnosed..I never saved the website..lol. Glad I got back to the place I need to be!!
Have a good sleep :)

[molly muffin]

Did you get the results of the tests so you could post them?

How is she doing now?