ad8871
05-18-2015, 06:17 PM
Our 10 year old boxer boy was diagnosed Cushing's a couple months ago after going through 4 different vets who couldn't sort him out. I told the first vet it was Cushing's from the beginning but we had to get all those thousands of dollars of tests out of the way to get the official dx. The internist said his 8-hour test results came back pretty high.
Anyway, he's 65 lb. Internist started him on Vetoryl 60mg 2x daily. It seems to really help him. But I'm concerned with the last few days. His eating and drinking basically stopped, and he is laying on the couch and doesn't get up for much at all. At first he was trembling pretty bad but this seems to be easing up.
I'm sure he's reacting to his Vetoryl dose and his steroid levels are too low.
It may have been risky, but I didn't rush him to the doggy ER - just several hundred dollars more tests to figure out what I already know. I stopped Vetoryl after yesterday morning's dose and he was slightly more active this morning - but not much. Trembling seems to have subsided. I will check him again when I get home from work.
Anyway, just here to ask a couple questions:
1. Are these symptoms consistent with Addisonian crisis that you've seen in other dogs? - mainly severe lethargy, trembling, and greatly reduced eating/drinking.
2. Given that he's still alive after a day and a half with no Vetoryl, and seems to be slowly improving, can I let his natural cortisol hyperdrive machine boost his steroid levels naturally to full recovery (and get a smaller Vetoryl dose started eventually) rather than taking him in to get a steroid boost? In other words, can Addisonian crisis correct itself or does it need intervention? My understanding is Vetoryl doesn't kill off adrenal cells, so if I stop treatment, his cortisol should jump up quite a bit.
3. Anything I can do to help him balance his hydration and electrolytes at home?
Thanks in advance folks.
Anyway, he's 65 lb. Internist started him on Vetoryl 60mg 2x daily. It seems to really help him. But I'm concerned with the last few days. His eating and drinking basically stopped, and he is laying on the couch and doesn't get up for much at all. At first he was trembling pretty bad but this seems to be easing up.
I'm sure he's reacting to his Vetoryl dose and his steroid levels are too low.
It may have been risky, but I didn't rush him to the doggy ER - just several hundred dollars more tests to figure out what I already know. I stopped Vetoryl after yesterday morning's dose and he was slightly more active this morning - but not much. Trembling seems to have subsided. I will check him again when I get home from work.
Anyway, just here to ask a couple questions:
1. Are these symptoms consistent with Addisonian crisis that you've seen in other dogs? - mainly severe lethargy, trembling, and greatly reduced eating/drinking.
2. Given that he's still alive after a day and a half with no Vetoryl, and seems to be slowly improving, can I let his natural cortisol hyperdrive machine boost his steroid levels naturally to full recovery (and get a smaller Vetoryl dose started eventually) rather than taking him in to get a steroid boost? In other words, can Addisonian crisis correct itself or does it need intervention? My understanding is Vetoryl doesn't kill off adrenal cells, so if I stop treatment, his cortisol should jump up quite a bit.
3. Anything I can do to help him balance his hydration and electrolytes at home?
Thanks in advance folks.