Kayla - 11 y/o JRT on Trilostane

[dogmad]

Hi
My JRT Kayla is nearly 11 and is on Trilostane for Cushings she is totally obessed with food all the time and it is becoming a real problem I am going to talk to my vet about it as it's driving me crazy.

[labblab]

Greetings! I have only a moment to write, but you'll see that I've moved your reply so as create a new thread for you and Kayla. This way, it will be much easier for our members to reply to you directly.

Can you please give us more specifics about Kayla's health history? It will help us a great deal to find out about symptoms that led to Cushing's testing, the diagnostic process and test results, Kayla's weight and trilostane dosing history, and results of monitoring ACTH tests since starting on trilostane.

Thanks so much for this additional info!
Marianne

[dogmad]

Hi i have a 10 year old JRT with cushings disease she is on Trilostane but us getting ravenous winching and crying all the time for food she is also on gastro intestinal dried food. Has any one else had or does have this problem its driving me crazy.

[Harley PoMMom]

A ravenous appetite is very common in dogs with Cushing's, that excess cortisol their body is producing is making them feel like that, poor babies can't help it, they feel starving all the time. If she is not diabetic, how about giving her some frozen green beans or some carrots, these could help to satisfy her hunger.

It would help us a great deal if you would tell us more about Kayla's health history and her Cushing's journey...thanks!

Hugs, Lori

[labblab]

Hi again! Part of the reason why we are asking for results of monitoring tests since starting on the trilostane is to make sure that Kayla's cortisol is truly within therapeutic limits. If not, that could explain why her hunger remains uncontrolled. So if you will share more specifics about her treatment, that will be great!

Marianne

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi Dogmad,

You have to talk to us, answer our questions, before we can help your baby. We don't have any info on which to base feedback. So please engage with us so we can help.

I hope your name, Dogmad, means you are mad about dogs in general? and not so mad at Kayla for things she cannot help that you chose a name reflecting that anger? Our babies pick up on our emotions and react accordingly. So if anger has become part of your emotional makeup these days, Kayla is reacting to that. ;) It is easy to become frustrated when we don't know what's going on or how to help...but you now have access to the best help available IF you will talk with us. ;)

Looking forward to hearing much more about Kayla very soon!
Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

[dogmad]

Hi
Thank you for replying.
My name dogmad means I love dogs I could never be mad at my dogs. Kayla was diagnosed with Cushings Disease 12 months ago she had 2 blood tests and was then put on Trilostane 31mg a day but has not had any more tests. Both of my dogs have a raw carrot every day. Kayla was also put put on Hills Science Gastro Intestinal dried food as her poos were very sloppy and slimy, this diet is working for her no meat though. I have just bought her a slo bowl which hopefully will stop her eating so fast. A lady from the RSPCA suggested I give Kayla some rice in the morning as this will fill her up. I am wondering if the medication needs to be changed I will talk to my vet this week as both my dogs are due for vaccinations. Kayla has also lost more hair as you can see the black end of her tail she also had a tumour removed from her paw a few weeks ago which my vet said it didn't look too good, other than all this she is still full of energy

[labblab]

Hi again, and I apologize for the delay in getting back with you. Thank you so much for this additional info. But now, after learning that Kayla has never had any monitoring blood testing during this past year since starting the trilostane -- that makes me feel very worried! In terms of Kayla's safety, it is very dangerous to administer this drug without making sure that cortisol levels are not dropping too low. Conversely, if the cortisol is running too high, it is no surprise at all if Cushing's symptoms remain or worsen (which sounds like Kayla's dilemma right now).

Current recommendations are to start treatment using a formula of 1 mg. per pound of a dog's weight (or 2 mg. per kg.). But this is really just a shot in the dark because dogs metabolize the drug very differently and the necessity for subsequent dosage adjustment is common (both up and down). This is why the manufacturers of brandname Vetoryl recommend monitoring ACTH testing after two weeks of starting treatment, again at a month, and then every three months thereafter.

Since Kayla has never been tested during this past year, you are really very lucky that apparently her cortisol has never dropped too low, leading to Addisonian crisis. But it also may be the case that her Cushing's has never really been adequately controlled, either. You really do need to request that your vet perform a monitoring ACTH stimulation test immediately. From those results, you will know whether Kayla needs a dosing increase. Here's a link to Dechra's U.S. Product Insert for Vetoryl that discusses the monitoring testing in greater detail:

http://www.dechra-us.com/files/dechraUSA/downloads/Product%20inserts/Vetoryl.pdf

Please do let us know how your vet visit goes.

Marianne

[molly muffin]

I would definitely have an ACTH test done to see where her cortisol levels are at now. The persistent hunger, suggests that she is currently not controlled and the dose needs to be adjusted but you need to know what the cortisol is before even thinking of adjustments.

[dogmad]

Hi I have a 11 year old femal JRT who has had Cushings Disease for the last 15 months. Kayla is on 40 mg of Trilostane daily (it has just been increased from 31mg) as she was still ravenous. Everyday Kayla starts winching at 1 pm on the dot-she gets a raw carrot every afternoon but even after this she still cries for her dinner and also after her dinner my vet said to give her more vegies, I am not sure about this as she is on Royal Canine Gastro Intestinal dried dog food no meat. Does anyone else have this problem I am not sure what else I can give her even as I type I can hear her crying to my husband, I know it's not her fault but it is becoming stressful not just for us but for Kayla also. I would appreciate any advice.

[Harley PoMMom]

By winching, you mean that she is begging for food, right? Some members give their dog frozen green beans to help with that increased appetite.

Hugs, Lori

[labblab]

Hi again from me, too. In reading back through your thread, I see that when we spoke last, Kayla had never had any monitoring ACTH blood testing performed in order to find out whether her current dose of trilostane is right for her. I'm sorry to be repeating myself :o, but that information is critically important. It may simply be the case that she needs a bigger dose of medication and then her symptoms will resolve. That would be a really easy "fix." But it is not safe to increase the trilostane without first doing that blood testing. So can you please, please come back to us so that we can talk more about that testing?

Marianne

[molly muffin]

Quite often when they seem more controlled in the morning than in the evening, instead of giving medication once a day, you split the dose and give it twice a day.
So, instead of 40 once a day, you would give 20mg morning and 20mg evening. This helps to keep control throughout the day.

Have you had no testing done prior to increasing the medication or did you get an ACTH done before?

[dogmad]

Hi
When I spoke to my vet about the hunger he just increased the medication from 31mg a day to 40 mg a day no tests also Kayla is on Royal Canin gastro intestinal dried dog food which is very expensive and as a pensioner just manage the food and medication. When I go over to my vets next week for more biscuits I will ask about the blood tests. I have being going to my vets for 15 years as he works from home and does not charge like a wounded bull. I don't know about begging for food but she cries for her carrot every day and then 10 minutes after that she cries and winches for her dinner this goes on for a couple of hours it seems as though her appetite peaks from 1pm to 3 pm. I am going to try splitting her meals up and see if that works. Is anybody else's dog on special food?

[Harley PoMMom]

Is the Royal Canin gastro intestinal dried dog food a low fat dog food?

[judymaggie]

Lori -- Kayla's Mom will have to tell us which Royal Canin gastrointestinal dry food she is giving Kayla. They have a low fat version which is less than 4% fat but they also have a high energy with 18% fat and a high fiber with 14% fat.

I give Abbie the low fat canned food mixed in with her dry food. The canned only has 1% fat.

[dogmad]

I will check which food it is as I have to go this week to get another bag.

[molly muffin]

My dog is on a low protein and she always is hungrier in the evening than in the morning but she has never been a huge eater except for her treats which she is ways ready for.