Diet for a possible early stage Pom

[Jennifer8228]

I am in the process of figuring out if my Pomeranian Yogi has cushings. We went in for routine blood work and one test was extremely high and with my comment to the vet about my dog drinking a bit more water than what I am use to, made him think he has Cushings. The 8 hr test he want me to do is $170 dollars and I want to try some home remedies before jumping the gun. What dog food do you guys recommend so I can help get my pup on the right track before going the medical treatment route? Extremely anxious fur baby mom here! Help!:(

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi and welcome to you and Yogi!

We tend to ask a lot of questions to our new members as this helps us to provide you with more meaningful feedback, so...ready for those questions :eek:

The common clinical symptoms seen in dogs with Cushing's are: excessive drinking and peeing, voracious appetite, panting, loss or thinning of coat, skin issues, muscle wasting/muscle weakness, especially in the hind quarters, exercise intolerant, and difficulty or unable to go up steps or jump on furniture. Yogi's increase in drinking can be caused by other illnesses, such as diabetes, has this been ruled out? Does Yogi display any of the other Cushing's symptoms? Is he taking any other herbs/supplements/medications? Could you get your hands on copies of all tests that were done on your dear boy and post any abnormalities that are listed...e.g....ALT 150U/L (5-50). Was an urinalysis done, and if so, could you post those findings too?

Cushing's is when a dog's system is producing excess amounts of cortisol so as far as homeopathic remedies, no, I am afraid that none have been proven effective in lowering that elevated cortisol to within the therapeutic ranges.

Regarding the diet; there really isn't a "set" diet, a diet needs to be tailored to that individual dog's needs and health issues. However, dogs with Cushing's do lose muscle mass so their feed should have a high quality protein, also Cushing's can make a dog prone to pancreatits so a low fat diet with moderate fiber is suggested.

Cuishing's is not a death sentence for a dog, it is a treatable disease, however for the treatment to work safely and successfully it requires an educated pet owner along with an experienced vet. There are certain protocols that need to be followed and when that doesn't happen is when things can go wrong.

Cushing's is probably the most difficult canine disease to diagnose. Physical symptoms associated with Cushing's are shared by many other diseases, blood and urine abnormalities are shared with other other diseases and the diagnostic tests to measure circulating cortisol are flawed and can yield false positive results in the face of a non adrenal illness or even stress. All of these things make it very challenging to correctly diagnose Cushing's which makes it one of the most misdiagnosed canine diseases.

The best advice I can give you is to do your research on Cushing's, the treatment protocols, and how it is diagnosed. I am providing a link to our Resource forum which has a wealth of information regarding Cushing's and also includes articles written by some of the most renown veterinarians that specialize in endocrinology http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=10

Please know we are here to help in any way we can, and remember you are not alone on this journey.

Hugs, Lori

[molly muffin]

I just want to say hello and welcome to the forum.

Lori has got you started out with some good information about food and specific cushing symptoms.