Penny has Cushings!!! — Sweet Penny is now free

[PennysDad]

Hi Everyone,

Thank you all for having this site. Whoever had the forethought to set this up an maintain this site, I am sending you lots of love and gratitude.

About a month ago we took one of our dogs, Penny (~8 to 10 year old Pit Bull Mix), to the vet because of the inability for her to make it through the night without peeing! She also had, I would soon learn, many of the symptoms of Cushings: unexplained weight gain, panting, lots of H20 drinking etc...

Well, She has had the ACTH and the low does dexamethasone test and it was confirmed she has cushings...today I just picked up the medication (Vitoryl) and will be starting her on it tonight. She has gone up to 110+ lbs from a "normal" weight for her of around 90lbs.

So far, we have managed this by waking up in the middle of the night to take her out, providing lots or water and lots of love. That is getting old for all of us though.

The vet is starting us on 60mg 2x daily. WOW, this drug is expensive. It does seem as if you can get it online and I guess we are just going to be eating out a little bit less.

Any way, just wanted to come on here once I found this place so I can get support when needed and hopefully show the world the results or proper treatment of this disease!!!!

Love and gratitude to you all, I am more then open for feedback!!!!

Jeff

[Squirt's Mom]

MODERATOR NOTE: Your post has been manually approved so members can start replying to you. Please check your email, possibly your spam or junk folder, for a message from K9Cushing's to which you need to reply so your posts will not be delayed. Thanks and Welcome!

[labblab]

Hello Jeff, and welcome to you and Penny! I apologize that nobody had the chance to write to you yesterday, and I doubly apologize because I am just now needing to head out my door so I cannot write more, myself. :o

But I want you to know we are very glad you've joined us, and I'll be back later on to write a proper reply. ;) :)

Marianne

[PennysDad]

Thanks!! I was feeling a bit lonely, however this place does seem to have quite an active group.

I know that it seems people would like to know the tests results and I will happily get them when we go in for the next test in about 2 weeks. My vet seems to be very comfortable with this whole process and seems confident in how to treat and the possibility of good results with Trilostane and regular testing.

She seems that have a protocol for the tests that includes ACTH test and the occasionally blood work tests for electrolytes and maybe some other stuff. Honestly, I trust her and her experience/expertise.

As far as Penny: She got her second dose this morning. I guess the first hurdle of her having an acute allergic reaction has been passed. Of course, I am back to checking on her constantly and imagining that the medication has already taken effect. She did not seem to be huffing and puffing constantly last night, although in my head I know that the symptoms have not been fixed in the first 2 hours on the medication!

I am giving the med's on food and she is very receptive to just having the pills stuck to the back of her throat and down they go! She has always been a special dog, when we go to the vet for blood work, she sticks her leg out so that its easier for them!

Here is a picture of Penny and her best friend Bradley. (penny is on the left) The are both rescues, Penny I have had for 8 years and we got bradley about 2 years ago.
http://i.imgur.com/1sbo0iX.jpg

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi Jeff,

Welcome to you and Penny! Hopefully you can set me straight here :eek::D is Penny's Vetoryl dose 2 60 mg Vetoryl capsules given once a day for a total of 120 mg or is she getting 120 mg twice a day for a total of 240 mg?

And yes, we love details so if you could get her test results and post them here that would be great. With respect to the blood chemistry and complete blood count (CBC), you need only post the highs and lows and please include the normal reference ranges. Does Penny have any underlying illnesses, if so, what are they and medication is she taking for it?

Yep, Vetoryl has to be given with food to be properly absorbed, and I see that you are doing this, good job! Now, those ACTH stimulation tests coming up, these are performed to monitor her treatment and see where her cortisol is at. These ACTH stimulation tests have to be done 4-6 hours after Penny has had her Vetoryl, ok?

Vetoryl is expensive and some members do have their dog's dosage compounded which can save money, many of our members use Diamondback: http://www.diamondbackdrugs.com/?gclid=CLex9MXS-sgCFVIbgQodFFQFtw

I am also providing a link to our Resource Thread where you can find a wealth of info regarding Cushing's: http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=10

Here is a link to info about Vetoryl/Trilostane: http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=185

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask them ;)

Hugs, Lori

[PennysDad]

Thanks for the info! I will see if I can get all of the tests to put up here. And her dose is 60mg two times per day (120mg/24 hrs). We have only completed the first 30 hrs on the medication, but without a doubt her panting is less. Maybe it's just the energy that Katie and I are sending her!!!!

And other then the weight gain which seems to be a result of the cushings she is really healthy. Actually, in all the years I have had her, this is the first thing that has ever been wrong with her!! (Other then her broken tail tip from wagging it so much when she was bein rescued from Florida to where I got her in VT!!!!)

She went through a lot with me over the years, I got her in college, struggled with addiction and alcoholism and she has been my guardian angel as I have just celebrated 3 years sober!! It is not a stretch and I can quite literally say that she has saved my life several times in many different ways. In just so grateful that I am able to provode and afford the proper care for her as she enters her twilight years!!! I feel the lessons she has to teach me are not nearly over yet.

Thank you for being here, I can not tell you the comfort that Katie and I both have knowing that you are all here!

Jeff

[mytil]

Hey Jeff,
I wanted to say that your Penny and her sidekick are so sweet - thanks for posting the photo.

Lori and Marianne have things started off so I will not repeat but keep us posted.

Terry

[PennysDad]

Thanks, I am going to try to keep this as a running update, so if anything seems good/bad/indifferent...maybe someone will be able to help.

Penny continues to be fine taking the medication. I know it has not been very long, but last night was the first night in months where penny did not come up to me in bed and nudge me for a middle of the night take out! When I woke up and it was 6:30AM, I could not believe my eyes! Then, to walk out of the bedroom and not see any pee, wow! Maybe it is a fluke, but its seems like the medicine has started to work very quickly.

It is also very clear that her panting has decreased. She was panting this morning after a 20 min walk, but that is very likely from being out of shape!!! It is amazing to be able to lay with her on the couch and not hear so much huffing and puffing.

I am going to look into the pharmacies that compound to see if it is more reasonable, however, $116 a month for the medication, which is about what it seems to be now does not seem completely unreasonable.

Wishing you all a nice friday...

Jeff

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi Jeff,

Congratulations on your 3 years of sobriety, that is an awesome accomplishment!!!

Dechra, the makers of Vetoryl, do recommend a starting dose of 1mg per pound of a dog's weight, so, for Penny's weight of 110+lbs her Vetoryl dose of 120 mg is reasonable. And generally, symptoms take about 2 weeks to improve so the fact you are seeing improvement so fast is a good thing, but do keep an eye on her for signs that her cortisol falls too low. If you see her having any one of these adverse effects: vomiting, diarrhea, inappetence, lethargy, or she just isn't acting herself, stop the Vetoryl and get in contact with her vet. Vetoryl does have a short half-life so usually stopping the Vetoryl is enough; however if no improvement is seen after discontinuing the Vetoryl an ACTH stimulation test is needed. Did the vet give you a prescription for any prednisone? When a dog is showing symptoms of low cortisol prednisone is given because it mimics the effect of cortisol in a dog's system.

Keep us updated, and I am sure in your very capable hands Penny will do fine.

Hugs, Lori

[PennysDad]

No prednisone script. However our vet is 24 hours so maybe if we call with symptoms, they handle it that way.

So happy this place exists, and we have gone another dose without an accident!!!

[Harley PoMMom]

I'm glad to hear that Penny's vet is open 24 hours, that hard to find these days, where I live almost all the vets close at night and in case of an emergency one has to take their pet to an animal emergency hospital.

You're doing a fantastic job!

Hugs, Lori

[molly muffin]

Hi Jeff and Katie and Penny and Bradley.

Wow a 24 hour vet! Aren't you lucky. I have an Emergency vet that I can get to but sure wish my regular vet close by was open for full time care if needed.

How is Penny doing now? Hopefully those night time wake up calls will be a thing of the past soon.

And welcome to the forum too!

Keep an eye out for any differences you might notice still, not eating, diarrhea, lethargy, etc. We never know how any dog will react, and even past that initial no allergic reaction to the medication, being vigilant about those key indicators can make all the difference.

[PennysDad]

Yes, we live on the edge of Philadelphia, USA...we have round the clock vets everywhere. It is quite the blessing!

Any penny appears to be doing incredible! I took her for a drive last night and no panting! Usually, she couldn't be in the car without instantly starting to pant.

Also, no night time accidents since the day we started the medicine. We actually got stuck running around yesterday and we were out of the house from 8:45 AM all the way to 5:45 PM...and no accidents!! Its really amazing.

Her appetite has also came back to normal, she eats when we feed her and isn't randomly starving like has been going on in the past! It is amazing how blind I can go to subtle progressive changes until they go back to "normal". And her poop is most definitely solid.

SO all signs are pointing up.

Sending you all lots of love and positive vibes

Jeff

[molly muffin]

That is great that you have plenty around you that you can go to if needed at any hour of the day.

Glad to hear she is doing so much better too. :)

[PennysDad]

Hi Everyone.

Just checking in. Today I should hear from the vet and find out when we are going to do the 14 day test.

I continue to be amazed at the changes in Penny in such a short time. Her accidents have stopped (although she Did poop in the house two nights ago, but that was because rain and going to the bathroom outside has never sat well with her!). Her appatite has begun inching towards normal(she eats her food when we give it to her, and isn't begging for food regularly). The panting has stopped (unless she is REALL excited).

The most shocking change has been her willingness to cuddle with the family. Usually, she would only sit on the couch when we were gone or occasionally just with Katie, but recently, she has just been hanging on the couch with the three of us. It has been a welcome change. It also seems like it is easier for her to step up onto the couch.

Overall, we are all doing well. Spent some time looking through the forum this morning and saw how many people have lost their dogs to eventual, unrelated issues. It made me cry, and it made me happy. Too early for those emotions!!!

Thank you all for everything!

[Squirt's Mom]

awwww, I remember when my Squirt started acting like her old self. Sure makes the heart Sing, huh? :)

[PennysDad]

It is incredible. She is such a special girl.

Here are some bonus pic's of her!

http://i.imgur.com/95xHnbu.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/t9K5WXB.jpg

[My sweet Ginger]

- Hi Jeff,

Congratulations on your 3 years of sobriety, that is an awesome accomplishment!!!

Dechra, the makers of Vetoryl, do recommend a starting dose of 1mg per pound of a dog's weight, so, for Penny's weight of 110+lbs her Vetoryl dose of 120 mg is reasonable. And generally, symptoms take about 2 weeks to improve so the fact you are seeing improvement so fast is a good thing, but do keep an eye on her for signs that her cortisol falls too low. If you see her having any one of these adverse effects: vomiting, diarrhea, inappetence, lethargy, or she just isn't acting herself, stop the Vetoryl and get in contact with her vet. Vetoryl does have a short half-life so usually stopping the Vetoryl is enough; however if no improvement is seen after discontinuing the Vetoryl an ACTH stimulation test is needed. Did the vet give you a prescription for any prednisone? When a dog is showing symptoms of low cortisol prednisone is given because it mimics the effect of cortisol in a dog's system.

Keep us updated, and I am sure in your very capable hands Penny will do fine.

Hugs, Lori -



Jeff, I'm reposting Lori's earlier post just to remind you how crucial it can be for you to keep a very close eye on Penny's demeanor as she seems to be amazingly receptive to Vetoryl. The only thing I'd add to the list of adverse signs would be hind leg weakness and swaying or wobbliness.
It is awesome that she's responding to the drug so fast so good and we want to make sure that's where she stays from her on. I've read that large pups are more receptive to Vetoryl than small pups. Penny's dosage is quite close to 1mg/lb tho still a tad bit over the recommendation.
I'm concerned for two reasons. I'm a born worrywart :o and I've seen too many pups (1 pup is too many for me ) initially doing 'Great!' and went into an Addisonian crisis literally overnight.
In Penny's case I'd consider getting Penny's ACTH done on day 10 instead of day 14 to check the trend of her cortisol as it is recommended between day 10-14.

Jeff, does Penny take her Vetoryl at night or morning? In your first post you mentioned she was getting her first dose that night. If she gets it at night that may create a problem for you on the day of ACTH as the test has to be completed in 4-6 hrs after Vetoryl (with food of course) even tho you have 24hr care available. :rolleyes:

Now I don't mean to be a buzz killer here. I just want you to be aware of all things, good and bad about this wonderful drug as our pup's safety is above all else. Please, keep us posted. Thank you, Song

PS: Penny looks like such a good girl. I've never heard of a pup who voluntarily sticks their leg out to be poked. :D:rolleyes::o

[labblab]

Hi again, Jeff! Penny looks like a sweetheart, as best as I can tell. But I am having trouble viewing your embedded photos :o. I can see them fine on my tablet, but at the expense of being able to easily view your written words. On my desktop, I can read the posts, but I can't view the photos very well because they end up being really oversized.

Now I am the first to admit that I am a total technology stooge, so maybe there's something I could be doing differently, myself, to ease the viewing! But if other folks are having the same problems as me, one thing you could do would be to create a photo album on your profile page via your personal Control Panel, and upload your photos to your album rather than embedding them in your replies. Just a thought, but I'm thinking other folks may be experiencing the same problem. And we want to be able to both read your replies and see sweet Penny with equal ease!

Marianne

[PennysDad]

Thanks Guys: I will deff make a photo album soon. I have so many pictures I can share!!!

And Song: thanks, I am very cautiously optimistic at this point. We have an eye on her when were home and a camera on her when were not! I have a lot of faith in my vet. I am assuming that the 1.1 mg/lb is within the vets comfort range. She is deff experienced and has a team of specialists and other vets who also reviewed the results. I will be getting the call from her today about when we are going in for the follow up. If the cortisol did crash, I would be at the vet almost immediately, so maybe that is why they are comfortable doing it the way they are.

Either way, thank you all so much for the support and feedback. Its such a nice comfort to have this place.

Jeff

[PennysDad]

Hello everyone,

I spoke with the Vet last night and she was very happy with Penny's progress. She also brought the senior Vet on the line, as she knows I am quite the worrier!! He is a specialized internist vet, and seemed like he knew more then I could even take in!

They said they did not want to rush the first test, as in their experience, when symptoms resolve so quickly, there is no need for a follow up for 3-4 weeks. Part of me wanted to say: how dare you?!?!? and the other part of me thought: Awesome!!! That test is so much money!!!

However, I am going to defer to their experience and education. Between that and a careful watch over Penny, I am sure things will be fine.

On a side note, I have been reading around this place and I am always running across the inevitable passing of someones dog. Wow, the amount of emotion I have around this is just incredible. I am taking comfort in the idea that this entire process has made me so much more present with Penny. Regardless of how much longer I have with Penny, I am enjoying the time with her more then ever. I just hope that she lets us know when it is time.;..we had a long talk the other night and I am confident she will let me know!

Sending you all love.

Jeff

[labblab]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks so much for the report, and I'm so glad that Penny is doing so well! :) :) My Cushpup is also one who saw rapid improvement, and I'll never forget how grateful I was to see those positive changes.

It does seem to be the case that some clinicians are leaning more towards waiting a bit longer for the initial ACTH testing, as long as a dog is clinically looking quite well. Dechra has not changed their recommendation for a first test at the 10-14 day mark, but over the years, they have changed their recommendation re: dosing changes at that time. Unless cortisol levels have dropped too low, they no longer recommend any dosing changes (i.e., no increases) until closer to a month after starting treatment. As you probably already know, this is because cortisol levels tend to drift downward in the early days, even when dosage levels remain unchanged.

So that 10-14 day test is really most importantly for safety's sake -- to make sure cortisol isn't dropping too low. As such, I do believe it becomes a judgement call on the part of vets as to whether they feel comfortable with waiting a bit longer to test. Since Penny is outwardly doing so well, it seems as though your vets are comfortable with giving the drug a bit more time to stabilize prior to testing so that you'll have a better idea as to whether any dosing increase is warranted.

Since you are watching her so closely and since emergency help is so readily available to you should you need it, I will trust that everything will continue to go well for your sweet girl. Again, I'm just so glad to hear how much she is improving.

And yes, being a member of our family here means we share the pain as well as the joy :o. But thank goodness for the support that is so freely given by our wonderful members. So many people in the world have no idea as to the depth of connection that is possible between man and animal. It is such a gift to participate in a group like this, where the love and the bond is so appreciated and so honored.

Best wishes,
Marianne

[PennysDad]

Thanks for the feedback, so nice to hear that the vet has internal reasoning behind her decisions!

It has been amazing to watch and wonderful to be in touch with people who understand that our animals are family.

Thanks for everything.

[molly muffin]

I think there is a sound basis for testing at the 3 week mark as long as Penny is doing well. Dates can always be brought up sooner if needed.

It's true, the emotional response generated on the forum can be very overwhelming at times. I have always said we should be heavily invested in Kleenex stock!!
The positive thing though, is that the dogs on treatment often had a longer life span and more time to be shared (and for us to get to know and therefore miss later) than they would have had without treatment.

We all are devastated any time one is lost and it Does I agree, make you more aware, more closely associated with your own furbaby.

[PennysDad]

Hi everyone!

So we have had an up and down last week or so.

Penny started having accidents at night. None during the day, 8+ hours...but at night she would pee again.

All the other symptoms stayed at bay, water drinking seemed reasonable but a bit up. Coat is getting full and smooth, panting only occurs at reasonable times etc..

After talking with our vet, she recommended putting the test off for another 2 weeks or so (as apparently she really only uses that test to check for levels that are too low and wouldn't increase the dose from just one test sit the clinical signs are clear). She also has me giving the full dose (120mg) early evening to see if that will help. And alas, two days with no accidents.

She also wants a urine sample to check for a low grade UTI.

Other then that, all things are good here. I am more present with Penny then ever and incredibly grateful for each and every day with her.

Thank you all for being here!!

Jeff

[molly muffin]

This is where having a 24 hour vet can come in handy since when you do the ACTH test, it needs to be done 4 - 6 hours after giving the medication (with food). Most of us couldn't even consider a full night time dose due to that factor, so again, very lucky to have that available to you.

Very glad to hear that Penny is no longer having accidents.

[PennysDad]

Thanks!! Its amazing to have such a wonderful vet and people here.

So the accidents were coming back. This seems like it is going to take some time to dial in the correct dosage.

I spoke with the Vet yesterday. She said we are going to go up to 60mg in the AM, 120mg in the PM.

Day one of that was today. I guess we will find out. She said to try it for 4-7 days and then we will talk about what to do. As usual, keep an eye out for the "OD" symptoms and see how it works. She seems happy at the moment!!

Thank you all, I will keep you updated.

[labblab]

Hello again from me! As you already know, I am not a vet myself. But in good conscience, I have to tell you my concern about your vet's decision to increase Penny's dose by a full 50% without having performed a single monitoring ACTH test yet after almost a full month of treatment. I really believe this is a dangerous thing to do, and it really is contrary to the recommendations of both Dechra and also the specialists with whom we're familiar who routinely handle Cushing's patients.

My further worry is your vet's decision to give the larger of the divided daily doses in the evening. Again, this is directly contrary to the recommendations of Dechra:


Once daily administration is recommended. However, if clinical signs are not controlled for the full day, twice daily dosing may be needed.
To switch from a once daily dose to a twice daily dose, the total daily dose should be divided into 2 portions given 12 hours apart.
It is not necessary for the portions to be equal.
If applicable, the larger dose should be administered in the morning and the smaller dose in the evening. For example, a dog receiving 90 mg would receive 60 mg in the morning, and 30 mg in evening.

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

As Sharlene mentioned above, the monitoring ACTH test must be performed 4-6 hours after the single daily dose, or the larger of two unequal daily doses. So unless you are planning to take Penny in to be tested overnight, monitoring results performed earlier in the day will not reflect the true maximal effect of the drug (which is both a safety issue and also a problem when judging the appropriateness of dosing changes).

I really believe Penny needs to be tested before you make a dosing increase! And the testing must be performed 4-6 hours after the larger dose of trilostane is given along with a meal. I am really puzzled as to why your vet is dragging her heels on this most important monitoring. Unfortunately, we have learned from experience here that dogs may not always outwardly exhibit symptoms when their cortisol levels are beginning to dip too low or their blood chemistries are becoming unbalanced. That's why it is important to check the blood levels as well as observe outward behavior. That way, doses can be corrected before the abnormality advances to the point that the dog becomes visibly ill. Penny's nighttime urination may or may not be caused by a cortisol level that is still too high. You cannot assume that cortisol is the sole problem without checking the level. Plus, even when cortisol levels are within therapeutic range, it sometimes just takes a longer time for the urination issues to resolve.

Marianne

[PennysDad]

Thanks!! This is such a tricky disease that is is both wonderful and terrible to have such a supportive for me. I can't say I know the inns and outs of pennies test history or why her vet and the specialist at her office have decided to handle PEnny the way they are.

I do know that I am blessed to have a veterinary's office who are the best in my big city and a specialist Who seems to deal with this regularly.

I am doing my best to trust the professionals who have taking care of my family's pets for so many years.

That said, we scheduled the acth test, overnight for next week.

I will keep you all up to date

[labblab]

I do understand that I am creating additional stress for you at a time that is already difficult, and I am sorry to be doing so.

I do not mean to undermine your relationship with your vet, but I truly believe that it is important for a parent to be as well-informed as possible. That way, you are an empowered partner in your pet's care.

I am very relieved to hear that Penny will be tested soon. Since she will be tested after regular hours, though, you will want to make sure that the techs who are tending to her are aware that they need to make sure that she eats a meal at the same time that she receives her evening dose of Vetoryl. It is essential that the medication be given along with food so that it is metabolized properly.

I would love to tell you that this isn't your responsibility -- that everything will automatically be done properly at the hospital. But I cannot tell you how many times we have discovered, after the fact and many dollars later, that proper protocol has not been followed and the test results are rendered inaccurate.

I surely hope your vet will recognize that any questions you are asking stem from your deep concern over Penny's welfare. Because that is the truth.

Marianne

[molly muffin]

Just checking in to see how Penny is doing?

[PennysDad]

WOW! Amazing how the holidays and an improving dog can make the time fly by!!!

Sorry for so long on an update.

Soo...here is where we are:

Pennys dose is at 120mg PM and 60mg AM...a few days at that dose and the symptoms were almost all gone....except for the peeing.
Penny had had her follow up test and all of her levels were in the ideal range according to our vets office.

The doctor checked for a UTI and bam, situation discovered...

Since, Penny has been on an antibiotic for the UTI and the 120/60 dose....

What a difference. She is her old self, runs when she wants, sleeps when she wants, pees when we go out side, chews on chewy things.

I am so grateful to be at this point, no matter how long it lasts.

The dose may need to go up at some point, down at some point...we will take it as it comes.

Between you all here and the amazing team at my Vet's office, for now, things are under control.

Thank you all, Ill get you some christmas time dog photos soon (we also got a big old fish tank, which is wonderful)

Much love ant gratitude to you all,

Jeff

[Harley PoMMom]

Thanks for coming back and updating us, and I am very happy to hear that Penny is doing so well on her treatment with Vetoryl...YAAAA!!! You are doing a super job with Penny!! ;)

Hey Jeff, when you get a chance could you post Penny's most recent ACTH stimulation tests....thanks!!

Hugs, Lori

[PennysDad]

I will try to get a copy. I need to pick up a script for more antibiotics tomorrow, so I can hopefully grab it then.

Jeff

[PennysDad]

Just checking in everyone. I never did grab the results, sorry!

On the plus side, Penny seems to be doing incredibly well!

Here is an update on her symptoms. She finished the antibiotic course a few days ago

Peeing: No accidents in 2+ weeks!
Energy: Back to her old self! Actually quite annoying! Hard to get used to having an active Put again after a few years of slowly waning energy.
Panting: No existent, unless something exciting is happening
Coat: Filling in, she is getting so soft again!

Here are a few unexpected changes:
1. She wants to smell everything on our walks! I don't know if bushings affects the smell, but wow, she is loving the smell of the world
2. She is more playful with our juggle, so nice to see them romp around like they used to.
3. She loves chewing again! She chews and chews and chews!

It is so amazing to see her back to her old self! This whole ordeal has forced me to be MUCH more present with her. No matter how many days, months or years I have with her, this disease will turn out to be a blessing. A very expensive blessing ($175/month for 30x120mg and 30x60mg), but a blessing none the less.

Hope everyone had a great new years!

Jeff

[molly muffin]

What a great Penny update. She seems to be doing so well and isn't that a fabulous way to start the New Year. :)

Good job!

[PennysDad]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to let you all know that Penny is still doing well. Symptoms are all in check and she is happy as can be.

I hope everyone on here is doing well!

[molly muffin]

That is a wonderful update. Glad Penny is doing so well.

[PennysDad]

Just wanted to check in with everyone to report that Penny is still doing great. Taking her meds and symptoms have all gone away. She is a real dog.

ON my journey of finding the most fairly priced medications, I have learned a way to get the best possible deal on medications. I am not sure about the rules for sharing medication tips on the forum, but if one of the mods checks in and lets me know it is ok, I am happy to share my journey of finding the best possible prices. Through lots of google searches and price matches, I not get the Vetoryl for less then $0.03/mg!

[labblab]

This is such great news that Penny is doing so well! :) :)

And yes, by all means, you can share your search results if you think you can help other folks lower their medication costs.

Marianne

[PennysDad]

Soon I will write up how I have gotten the meds to at least be sorta affordable!

As for an Update: Penny has her 2nd UTI now. She had one when we first started treating for the Cushings and the antibiotic fixed her up real quick. Same again, she started having an accidents at night...not like when she was untreated for the Cushings, but just small accidents.

We called the vet and she gave us a script for the antibiotics. The vet wants to bring her in for the blood work soon to check her cortisol, but she says that in her experience, with an older dog like penny, once they have cushings, even with proper Trilo treatment...UTI's seem to pop up once or twice / year.

We shall see...ill keep u all up to date.

Jeff

[Harley PoMMom]

If she is getting reoccurring UTI's I would have an urine culture and sensitivity test done so that you will know exactly what bacteria it is and than the appropriate antibiotic can be prescribed.

And please do keep us updated!

Hugs, Lori

[molly muffin]

Lori has a good point, often when it is recurring UTI's then the bacteria isn't entirely going away when being treated with antibiotics. One that is especially hard to get rid of is ecoli and it occurs more often than most thing in dogs. We've had dogs on antibiotics for over 30 days with ecoli and it often comes back if meds are stopped before it is completely gone.

Definitely want to hear about the savings options as cost is Always such a huge factor in treatment.

[PennysDad]

That is a great point! I spoke to Katie last night and she said that our vet told her: We are going to do 3 weeks, if the UTI pops up again, she will want to do the full culture.

As for the medications, long story short (and I promise, at some point I will do a full write up on it) our vet has had bad results with compounding before...she will do it but prefers not. Who knows, but It led me to my journey to find the cheapest meds.

Penny is on 180 mg/day! 1x120 and 1x60. Basically, All the good places will price match. I went around and found the cheapest versions of each, the 120 and the 60 mg pills, then I went to the big pharmacies and said, everyone will price match...I want free shipping. Then I got to the point where they would all do that so I said I want priority shipping and 5% off for repeat ordering. Basically, I was spending thousands $ / year on meds, I felt I had the upper hand.

At the end of the day, Allivet did the bets for me. Free priority shipping, price match of everyone else and then 5% off for repeat purchases. This is all because i needed the 120 and not everyone carries it. But in general, go to petcarerx, fill your cart with their products and then go to 1800 pet meds and allivet and tell them what you want/need. It has worked for me and made the medication, at least somewhat manageable.

It is still very expensive, especially with such a big dog. $5/day!!!! However, at least the medication exists! I sent the company an email asking if they offer any assistance direct from the manufacturer...no luck there.

Please, if anyone else knows a cheaper way, I would love to save some $$, but I think I am just about as low as it gets for non compounding.

[molly muffin]

That is a very good idea doing the price match and the shipping options to get the pricing down.
Vetroyl is Very expensive here in Canada, even more so than in the states, without many of the options for various places to buy it. I can get it through the pharmacy I use for compounding but the price is definitely much more and even higher though the vets. :(

[Wuchi]

For the UTI a lot of dog owners have had success with home remedies. Which is a good thing because the antibiotics are really hard on the dogs stomach and don't always work. I'd recommend giving apple cider vinegar a try (use the unfiltered kind) most grocery stores have it nowadays -- there's a bunch of forums out there on it just type in "Dog UTI apple cider vinegar" here's one of them https://www.vetinfo.com/3-natural-dog-bladder-infection-cures-examined.html

You can add it to peanut butter and it takes the bitter taste out of it. Can also add it to yoghurt if your dog can handle dairy. The article above also mentions trying giving your dog more water or cranberry extract.

[PennysDad]

Quick update:

As before, the antibiotics worked quickly. She is on a heavy and long course in an attempt to kill any residual germs in her. Hopefully that will take care of it.

Also, we took Bradley (our Puggle) in for anal gland squeezing and got penny weighed. She has lost 12 lbs since we started the process. It is slowly coming off and it is nice to see that she is getting to a healthy weight.

As always, so grateful to have a place where I can come and check in. Hope everyone is doing well.

Jeff

Heres a little collage I made to give Katie the other day. Check it out.
http://i.imgur.com/mTugFAb.jpg

[molly muffin]

Love the collage!

It's good to hear that her weight is coming down and she is doing well.
Hopefully the anitibiotics work and kick those germs right out of there for good!

Also good to hear a Penny update. :)

[PennysDad]

Penny has finished her antibiotics. No accidents since and she is doing well.

Ill keep everyone up to date!

Hope everyone is doing well!

[molly muffin]

Yay Penny! Accident free is such a good thing isn't it :)

[PennysDad]

Hey all, just checking in. Penny is going in for her blood work soon. I will fill you all in when we get the results. All signs point towards fine, but still getting the blood work because it is recommended.

Hope you are all doing well.

Jeff

[molly muffin]

Great to hear from you Jeff and yes it's true, you do need to get bloodwork just to make sure of how they are doing and if anything is trending that needs to be looked into.

Really good though that she is doing so well. Yay!

[PennysDad]

Yea thanks,

It is amazing...this was such a scary thing when I first came here. Now it is just sorta part of life. She takes her pills and gets some bloodworm. Frankly, the only really difficult part now is the monthly expense for meds!!!

[PennysDad]

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to jump on over as it has been a while since I have been here.

Penny continues to do well on her Cushing's medication. She is still on 60mg in the AM & 120mg in the PM. It has been about 7 months and things seem to be going well.

She had blood work done about a month ago and according to the doctor, she is at the top of the range for therapeutic levels. She has not had any UTI's recently. She is starting to show her age. If she goes swimming for too long or goes overboard with the playing, she can get joint pain. Seems like it is just a dog getting older though. She has an old girls body and a young girls heart.

She does have a bit of a skin infection we have been trying to treat with shampoo and local cream...it has worked but not enough for our vet and after about 6 weeks of trying, she started on antibiotics again 4 days ago. It has already started to work which is wonderful to see.

We hate to put her on antibiotics again, but it is what it is.

I will try to keep you all up to date. Thank you so much for helping keep this site up and running. I am so grateful to have all this time with Penny. I am much more present now with her.

In gratitude to you all,
Jeff

[DoxieMama]

Jeff,

It's good to see you. I'm glad Penny is doing well - and that the antibiotics are helping resolve that infection.

Thanks for keeping us updated!

Shana

[kanga]

Hello Jeff!

So sorry about what happen to Penny right now, thanks for being a good example of a parent for our precious dog and give all the best you can to help Penny. Glad to hear that she doing good, I pray for her. Hope the drug you buy will help her to recover fast.

[molly muffin]

That is a good Penny report over all. bah humbug on the infection though. Glad the antibiotics are doing their job.

Thanks for stopping by to let us know how she is doing.

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi Jeff!

So happy to read that Penny is doing well on her treatment. Could you post those ACTH stimulation results for us? Dog's with Cushing's can develop a skin condition known as Calcinosis cutis (CC), this is a bugger to get control of and it does get worse before it gets better, hopefully Penny's skin issue is not CC. Keep us updated, please ;)

Hugs, Lori

[PennysDad]

Hey all, thanks for the kind words! Its amazing what a week of antibiotics will do! The spots have almost disappeared!! 10 more days to make sure all the germs are gone!

Cushing's wise, Penny is asymptomatic. She no longer minds taking the medicine and she is SLOWLY losing some weight.

Really, all in all, for an old dog, its not bad. Very expensive but her quality of life is 100%. I am so grateful for all of this. Besides the crazy expensive medication, Penny is a happy older dog. She has issues, and they get handled!

My hope is to check in once a month when I get the email for the most recent months med bills!!

Hope everyone is doing ok!

Jeff

[molly muffin]

Quality of life is Everything really. She must have just had a really resistant strain of skin infection, so maybe it didn't really completely clear up that first time.

We can do all we can for them medically but have yet to find a way to stop that naturally aging process that just catches up with us all, dogs included eventually. Joint pain seems to be one of the ones that both 4 and 2 legged feel more as we get older. (i'm of course in denial but that is neither here nor there. :) )

[PennysDad]

Hi everyone! Sorry for the absence! Getting married was more work then I imagined. But she said yes so I am officially a married man!

On to Penny...she continues to do well, yet with some conditions. Skin infections seem to keep popping up and the weight gain has stopped but so has the weight loss. She has become more active and, while she is showing her age, is a happy dog. She doesn't hurt, she plays and is active. The accidents have all but stopped and we just put a pee pad out in case, when she goes, it is on the pad. We use a skin cream and shampoo for the infections and antibiotics if it gets to bad. Seems to be symptom control at this point. Honestly, we have come to terms with and and so has Penny it seems. She is as happy as I can remember!

We got a new in home vet and she referred us to a Cushings specialist in the area. It is going to cost a few hundred dollars but we are going to get Penny checked out to see if the Cushings is being controlled as well as possible. Then at least we will know that the rest may be from old age or another issue.

We are really just staying present with her as much as possible. This whole process has given us time to prepare for the inevitable, while at the same time enjoying the time we have with her more then ever.

Its funny to see the transition from adult dog to elder dog. She is more crotchety then the rest of her life but she does have some dog friends around the neighborhood...When they get together they play like puppies (albeit, only for a few min before they get pooped!). She still likes to fall asleep on my pillow and hates people knocking at the door! She defends her brother Bradley from everything and I really think the hardest part of her eventual passing will be on him. They have really become 2 peas in a pod.

I will try to still pop in. I am so grateful for you all being here on this journey with us. You made the beginning too much easier!

In gratitude, Jeff

[Joan2517]

Congratulations, Jeff! Such nice news. It sounds like Penny is enjoying life and that is really what matters most. Keep us posted, please!

Joan

[DoxieMama]

Congratulations, Jeff! So glad to hear that Penny is doing well, even with the additional issues. Please let us know what you find out from the specialist... I would be curious to see the results from her latest ACTH test, too, if you could get copies of that. I'm glad she (and you) are enjoying your time together.

Shana

[Squirt's Mom]

Congratulations to you all, Jeff!

[judymaggie]

Congratulations, Jeff, to you and your bride! :D It does sound as though Penny is enjoying a good quality of life -- keep up the good work.

[molly muffin]

Congratulations on your marriage Jeff. :)

Great to hear that Penny remains her happy self, just a bit older.

[PennysDad]

WOW, it has been much too long!! Amazing how fast time can fly.

So, heres an update.

Katie and I are buying a home, we are closing on the 31st of the month. I can already tell the dogs are getting excited to run around in their nice big yard.

Penny seems to be doing well. She has developed allergies so we have to give her Benadryl a lot or she will lick her paws a ton! She seems to not be able to take the extra weight off, so we are going to be getting her tested for hypothyroidism. The vet said it could happen but its not a result of the cushings if so.

She went in for her ACTH test yesterday. Never ceases to amaze me how much that test is! We have gotten used to the $169/month in medication...but the test still is brutal every 4-6 months.

Anyway, other then the financial burden...Cushing is not having a big impact on our lives. Penny occasionally has an accident over night, sometimes she seems to drink a bit more water then seemingly normal. Haven't had any skin issues since the outbreaks last summer. She is overweight, which we will try to figure out. It doesn't stop her from running or swimming...honestly if thats the worst thing we have to deal with, so be it.

She is just now a happy older dog. Sometimes she is a crabby older dog. Its funny to see how comfortable she is with life. She loves people, she doesn't love playing with dogs anymore. She loves her "brother" Bradley and she has one dog on the block that she loves also. Bobo is a anxious hound dog who doesn't like other dogs...but the two of them jump around and play. Suffice it to say: it makes both of the owners names.

I hope to do better with checking in and supporting other new comers.

In gratitude,

Jeff

[Joan2517]

Great update, Jeff....congratulations!

[judymaggie]

Jeff -- so glad to hear that Penny is enjoying life! You have done a great job of managing her Cushing's. One suggestion with regard to her allergies --- I have found that wiping the paws with a baby wipe after being outside significantly cuts down on the licking. Also, if the Benedryl doesn't seem to be doing the trick, you might try Zyrtec. I give Abbie the generic.

[Squirt's Mom]

It's good to hear from you again, Jeff, especially with such a good update on our girl, Penny! I am very happy you and Katie have found the perfect home and that the dogs approve - that is an all-important factor in choosing a home. :D When we moved into the house we have now, I watched mine to make sure they approved and thankfully they did! Drop in when you can and let us know how things are going.

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

[molly muffin]

Congratulations on the new house. I'm sure the dogs are going to love it. You all are.

Awww, Penny is a trooper. She handles everything very well, so that is good.

Yea those tests are a doozy and a punch to the wallet for sure.

Hoping for a good test result!

[PennysDad]

Jeff -- so glad to hear that Penny is enjoying life! You have done a great job of managing her Cushing's. One suggestion with regard to her allergies --- I have found that wiping the paws with a baby wipe after being outside significantly cuts down on the licking. Also, if the Benedryl doesn't seem to be doing the trick, you might try Zyrtec. I give Abbie the generic.

Thanks so much for this advice! We will give it a try today!

[PennysDad]

Another month...another update!

Hope everyone is doing well.

We are finally in our new home, all settled and loving it. Penny and Bradley are also loving al the room. Tons of space, a backyard to play around in...really, its what we have all always wanted. The dogs have been really clingy since the move. You can tell they are still getting comfortable with the new space. Ill attach a picture of what we took up to last weekend...the dogs decided to have a sleepover on Penny's bed.

As far as the Cushings. Penny is currently totally asymptotic. The medication is doing its Job. Katie just called me and apparently the dogs got in a little tussle. Bradley has been trying to steal penny's food recently, apparently she was sick and tired of it. Funny how dogs can seemingly fight and then sit on the couch together 2 minutes later.

Anyway, we just past the 18 months mark of this journey. Thank you all for being here!

Jeff

[Joan2517]

What a great update, Jeff! Happy about the house and the good news on Penny!

[Harley PoMMom]

Thanks so much for coming back and updating us, and what a great update!!! I am so happy that Penny is doing so well with her treatment!!!

[molly muffin]

Excellent update! So glad you are finally moved and settled it.

That is fabulous that Penny is doing so well. :)

[PennysDad]

Hey All!! Amazing how time flies when you are moving into a new house! Seems long during the process, but then I show up here and see its been 6+ weeks!

Quick update on Penny. Still, miraculously, doing seemingly fine. She doesn't really pant, her food begging is basically under control. Urination has been fine, only twice in the new house, both because Katie and I got held up at work.

They love the new house so much. They have some much room and soo many windows. Honestly, I haven't seen Penny so happy since our time up in Vermont.

All that said, she has got the face of an old dog now. Not sure how to describe it, other then she is old...lol. She still runs and plays, but in spurts. HIGH energy for a few minutes and then back to lounging.

Our new in house Vet is quite confident that the Cushings is under control and she will likely get sick from something else in the future, not Cushings. She always tells us that nothing is pending though!

Since she is a rescue, we can't be sure exactly how old she is, but I got her in 2009. And she was probably around 2. So, math is what it is, she is probably 10+ now. She is a special dog. WE have had so much time to process her Cushings, that I think we are way more prepared for when the day eventually comes. I am not sure I can say the same about her brother Bradley. I think when the day eventually comes, we will likely have to get another pup quickly. They are so close with each other, I am not sure Bradley could live on his own!

Here is a quick pic of them recently, Penny is always camera shy, bradley not so much! http://i.imgur.com/IarO2ZM.jpg

[Harley PoMMom]

What a great update!!! Just loving to hear that she is doing so well! Also, thanks for the pic, they are both beautiful dogs.

[PennysDad]

What a great update!!! Just loving to hear that she is doing so well! Also, thanks for the pic, they are both beautiful dogs.

Thanks, it bums me out that so much here is sad...I want to share the positive also!

[Joan2517]

What a great picture and such happy news! I see that Bradley is a Puggle...we have one named Cooper, very high energy and very, very close to his brother and sisters!

[PennysDad]

What a great picture and such happy news! I see that Bradley is a Puggle...we have one named Cooper, very high energy and very, very close to his brother and sisters!

Puggles are amazing! I am not sure I can go back after having a small dog. It is so nice to have someone that can sleep on the bed without pushing me off!

[Joan2517]

Mine's a great sleeper...I think it's the only time he can truly rest. He's a rescue and we have no idea what might have happened to him. He's OCD and has separation anxiety, gets insane if anyone walks past the house...but he loves his brother and two sisters!

[PennysDad]

Another Month, another update.

Penny is still doing great. However her age is showing more and more each day. Its a bit sad to watch but she is a happy old dog.

Her blood work continues to be normal. She doesn't have accidents, she eats normal and only pants during long hot walks. The weight still wont come off...but again, not gonna worry about that as it seems to not be fixable!

Here is a picture of the dogs from July 4th. Penny doesn't mind the fireworks but Bradley gets TERRIFIED by them. Katie and i stepped out side to watch them from the yard and when we came back in, this is how the dogs were sitting. Penny decided to keep bradley calm. I love these dogs so much.

http://i.imgur.com/0a9EsXA

Until next month, thanks for everything!

Jeff

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the update and I am so glad to hear that Penny is doing so well! Unfortunately the picture of your sweet furbabies is not visible for me :( this could be because I am using my tablet instead of my desktop :confused: Anyways, we sure do appreciate you taking the time to stop by and letting us know how dear Penny is doing.

Hugs, Lori

[Joan2517]

That is so sweet! We do love our dogs, don't we?

[Budsters Mom]

Yep! I can't see the photo on my Ipad either.:(

[molly muffin]

hmmm, i'm on my computer and could see it okay. Gosh how cute are they together.

just checked on my ipad and had no problem opening and viewing the picture.
However, you can add it to Penny's album here on the forum and they'd be able to see it.

[DoxieMama]

Hi Jeff,

So happy to hear how well Penny is doing. Thanks for stopping by!

Shana

P.S. For those folks who can't see the picture here's another link to it (it's a little large to include directly):

http://i.imgur.com/0a9EsXA

[Budsters Mom]

Awwwww, they certainly are sweet together. :p

Thanks for the link Shana.

[Harley PoMMom]

Yes, thank you Shana! AWWW they are so precious!!!!

[PennysDad]

I realized that I never posted any of our blood tests. This was the most recent one. It was done in March. Quite honestly, I have no idea what these tests mean, but I figured I should post them up here. Penny is essentially asymptomatic...however I would love to be able to decrease the amount of medication at some point in the future. Maybe before the next test to see how she responds?


Cortisol Serial 2 (ACTH)
Tube Labeled Pre
Tube Labeled Post
Cortisol Sample 1 2.3 1.0-5.0 mg/dL
Cortisol Sample 2 2.8LOW 8.0-17.0 mg/dL

[molly muffin]

Perfect ACTH results there.

She is exactly where optimum results should be for an ACTH.

Yippeee!

[PennysDad]

Thanks Molly, That is what I want to hear!

Now, update time!

We have decided to add a new dog to the family. We are going to be getting a puggle puppy in about 8 weeks. We have always been a family that rescues, however we think this may be the only time when getting a Puppy is possible for the foreseeable future...so we are going to take the opportunity. I will surely keep you all up to date with lots of pics!

As far as Penny, she continues to basically be asymptomatic from the Cushings, but she continues to get older and we can really see it. She is starting to get that look in her eyes. We took her swimming when we went on our vacation a few weeks ago. Swimming is her favorite thing in life (well maybe riding in the car)...and she would swim until she sank if it was up to her.

But, after the 3 times we let her go swimming in the lake, she would swim hard for about 30 min and then we would have to give her a pain med at night. She even had the shakes a little one night before the meds kicked in. Its just a bit sad to watch her get older.

We have always wanted her to have an impact on the next generation of our dogs. She is such a special spirit that we want her to teach the next dog for as long as possible.

Just writing this I get stuck between incredible gratitude and sadness. I love her so much, I learn so much from her. I hope to have her for many more years...and maybe no illness will hit and she will live a really long life. But when I see the look in her eyes, I don't think she has a big fight in her (if and when that day comes...)

Anyway, thank you all for being here and being a sounding board for the crazy emotions around our pets!

[Squirt's Mom]

All I can say is ((((((((HUGSDAD))))))))....I know those feelings you describe like an old friend. Penny is lucky to have you, as is this new baby on the way.

[molly muffin]

Congratulations on the decision to add a new young member to your family. It is easy to understand wanting Penny to be there to guide a younger member as long as possible.

It is easy to become melancholy when we think about our beloved family members getting older and not being here with us. But even though she is getting older and she can't swim as much or as long, maybe short swims would be okay? like say 15 minutes instead of 30. The joints and bones aren't as good as they were when they were younger. Mine aren't either and I too don't like to admit it. But maybe a bit of enjoyment without over doing it would make her happy.

Each day is a special one with Penny, just hold that thought when the reality thoughts poke their noses up in the air.

[PennysDad]

Thanks! Its funny, we are not parents yet but I can see how this is a good lesson


I want to let her swim because she loves it. But I need to stop her for the greater good. I love seeing her happy that its hard to stop her. But I need to be able to say no!

Well see how i do with that next time

[molly muffin]

Do let us know how that goes. hahaha

Those big soulful eyes get you every time!

[PennysDad]

Howdy everyone,

Just checking in. Sad news with the Puppy, the mom reflected the litter and the whole litter died at the vets office. We got off the phone with the breeder and she was almost unable to speak.

They fixed the mom so she would not have to go through it again and we are going to wait for the next litter.

As far as Penny, still basically great. I do have a question though. Does anyone have any experience with the little skin growths from Cushings/Treatment. It looks like skin tags that get about 1/2" long. They are flat and pink like skin. I can take a picture if that would help.

I am not concerned, just wondering if anyone knows if its linked to the cushings.

Thanks

[Joan2517]

Ohhh...that is so sad! I wouldn't be able to speak either.

But, Penny is still doing well, so that's good news. Lena used to get something like warts, but not skin tags.

[molly muffin]

Oh no, how devastating that must have been.

Great that Penny continues to do well. Molly only had one wart thing that was up by her eye. The vet said we could take it off but it was so close to the eye that they would have had to do reconstructive surgery on the eye lid and so we decided to just leave it. Only thing is she would mess with it and rip it and start it bleeding. Ugh. If they aren't bothering Penny, then they are likely just skin tage, but a vet could remove them if they are bothersome.

[PennysDad]

Thanks for the feed back. Ill take a pic and include it at the next update.

Hope everyone is doing well!

[PennysDad]

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to jump in and say hello. We are going to be going to several shelters this weekend and could possibly be bringing a dog home with us! As soon as I know I will get pictures to you all!

[Joan2517]

Looking forward to seeing them!

[DoxieMama]

I just saw your post about the puppy loss. Sorry to hear about that. Hopefully you'll find yourselves a great rescue dog this weekend, though!!

[molly muffin]

We'll be waiting to see if you bring home a new pup and pictures of course if you do!!

[PennysDad]

Well....say hello to the newest member of our pack. On Friday we welcomed our newest family member! Otis is a Rescued terrier mix from West Virginia. He is 8 weeks old and so great! Penny is not interested in playing with him yet. But she seems to be slowly coming around. Bradley is also uninterested but doesn't run when Otis comes to play. At least there is no real tension between all of them!

Here are the pictures.
https://i.imgur.com/8kWgCvu.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/RcQADp6.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/QXczSBX.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/o3tCLpm.jpg

[Joan2517]

OMG! If he isn't the cutest little guy! Love the picture of them all on the couch! I have one of those with Sibbie, Gable and Cooper. A very good sign~

[DoxieMama]

I agree - so cute and that picture is precious! Congratulations, Dad!

[Harley PoMMom]

Awwws, what a cutie pie!!!!

[Squirt's Mom]

What a cutie patootie he is! I see loads of fun ahead for all! :p:D:p

[molly muffin]

Wow, how adorable is he!!!! I want to just tickle him under his chin, he's so darn cute.

[PennysDad]

Hi everyone,

Another month, another $200 on Cushing's meds! However, I am still happy to say that is really the hardest part of this for Penny. She continues to do well. No symptoms and since we switched over the a grain free food, she really does look healthier. However, she still has the look of a tired old dog. We cherish every day with her. She is still not a huge fan of Otis, but they are all getting along quite well now.

Anyway, just so grateful to you all for being here. On Thursday I am going to be celebrating 5 years sober and Penny is directly responsible for that. I got her in 2009 when I was in the depths of my struggle. She was my anchor. I could never get in that much trouble because I had to get home to her. She was my life line. She was the first person I told that I had a drug problem and she was the first person I told that I was going to Rehab. In the early days of sobriety I cried to her more then anyone else. She was able to carry the burden for me without ever saying a word! My family openly talks about how Penny saved out family. In the years since, my sister has gotten sober and so has my mom. Including my wife, our family is able to celebrate 23 cumulative years of sobriety. And the reality is, it all started with penny. And my family makes no qualms about saying it. We have already decided that we are going to have a memorial bench to her in the mountains. It is really not a stretch to say that my entire family owes literally our lives to her.

She has such a special soul and she has turned my family back into a dog family. Now I have 3 and my parents have a dog again.

Thats it for this month, see you all around!

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks so much for updating us and I am so happy to hear that Penny is doing well. Your post did bring tears to my eyes, it is remarkable how these furry kids grab our hearts and can help us through the most difficult times. My deepest congratulations and admiration to the sobriety of you and your family.

[Joan2517]

What beautiful words. They do save us from ourselves, don't they. They listen, don't judge and love us no matter what. Glad that she is still doing well.

[Whiskey's Mom]

That is an amazing and beautiful story, thank you for sharing!

[molly muffin]

Hugs Jeff and congratulations to you and your entire family for making the decision and following through and saving your lives. I think a bench in memory of Penny is such a wonderful idea and an awesome reminder of what she did for all of you.

So glad she continues to do well.

[Ange]

Hi , sorry to hear about Penny s cushing. can i ask u how expensive is the medicine?

[Carole Alexander]

Jeff, you and Penny are truly inspirational. I hope that she loves her senior years as much as you love her. Best to you and your wonderful family~

[PennysDad]

Hi , sorry to hear about Penny s cushing. can i ask u how expensive is the medicine?

We pay about $180/month for the medication for her!

[PennysDad]

So I have a quick funny/disgusting story!

2 weeks ago we went to the mountains with our best friends and their new baby. Penny decided it was going to be a good idea to eat one of the babies diapers. Well, Penny has eaten just about everything in her life. One time, she actually ate an entire tree! It was a sapling, but she was playing outside and when i checked in on her, she had literally eaten the entire thing down to a stump!

Anyway, Penny ate the diaper and I decided not to tell my wife how concerned I was. I kept and eye on her. She kept eating and drinking and going to the bathroom...so i figured she must of broken it up enough that it just passed thought...until a week later when she decided it was time to throw it up!!! My wife thought it was a tumor and had a melt down...turned out it was only the diaper. I had no idea things could stay in their stomach so long...or that anything on earth could possibly smell so incredibly bad!

Anyway,,,she may have cushings, she may be a special soul...but at the end of the day...she is still just a dumb dog!!! I'll get some updated pictures of all three dogs for you all soon.

[Squirt's Mom]

Many years ago I adopted a Great Dane who had been running free for a very long time. She was deaf and blind and no one could catch her! Not long after she came to live with me I found this long whitish "thing" in her poop and FREAKED! I carefully gathered the "thing" and took Dinah and her specimen to the vet. He donned gloves and mask then carefully started untwisting the "thing" she had passed. Turned out to be a whole microwave popcorn bag with unpopped kernels still inside!! :eek: It made me cry to think how hungry she had been all that time she was on the loose. But she was never hungry again! ;)

[Harley PoMMom]

Holy crap!!!!!! ;);)

[molly muffin]

OMG and a big WOW and a BLECH! There are no words. Penny, Penny, Penny LOL

[Joan2517]

Oh yes, sometimes they will eat the strangest things. Our Andee loved chew toys. One year we got her some Xmas toy made of rubber, some squeaky thing I think. One day I noticed that the feet were gone. Didn't find any pieces anywhere. I thought she ate them, but wasn't sure. About two weeks later she started throwing up, and lo and behold, there were the feet, still intact. She must've chewed them off and swallowed them whole. And boy, did it smell. Can't believe they were in there the whole time and she never seemed bothered until the day they came back up!

[PennysDad]

Hi everyone, all of a sudden I look up and its been like 6 months since I was here last! Hard to believe how time flies. Penny is doing well, yet she continues to slow down. She's got some skin tags and she is really starting to show her age...she moves slower then ever. But she still can run at time and plays with the puppy sometimes. She really is the definition of content, its nice to see. Cushings wise, she is still asymptomatic. I cant help be be grateful that the only real impact this disease has had on us was financial.

The puppy has grown into a cute little ~9month old puppy. The accidents have stopped and now he's just a young dog who is a handful. And bradley, the muggle, continues to be the easiest dog in the world.

However, the big news in our life, and the reason I haven't been here is that my wife is pregnant. We just hit month 7 last week and now we are in the 3rd trimester. Hard to believe I am gonna be a dad! Thank god for sobriety and the dogs. Without them I would never be where we are. I am so glad that it looks like Penny will get to meet the baby before she decides its time to move on. I will try to get you all she pictures once the little one decides to show up. Were gonna be surprised by the sex, but were going with either Carson Nicholas or Sadie Karyn.

Until next time, thanks everyone for everything!!

Jeff

[Joan2517]

Oh Jeff! What wonderful news all around! Congratulations!

[molly muffin]

Oh my GOSH!!!! what fantastic news and how wonderful that Penny will get to meet the new little one. We're all so very happy for you. Life can truly be so wonderful!

[Harley PoMMom]

Oh Jeff!!! Congratulations to you both!!! Can't wait to see pictures of the little one and those names are beautiful! It's so great that Penny is doing well....YYYAAA!!!!!

[PennysDad]

Well, I come with an update, and it's a sad one. Last night we sat with Penny at the Vet as she took her last breaths and left us. After 11 years as part of our family and a little over 4 years as a member of this forum, Penny let us know it was time and we walked with her to the end.

Over the past 12 months, penny really started to show her age. She was able to enjoy life but her years made her slow and unable to do many of the things she loved so much. Even something as simple as getting up in the morning was taking time and she would struggle to play. Her heart was there but her body just didn’t have it anymore.

The last two days she began to be unable to handle the stairs, wasn’t interested in eating and she had the look that she was ready. Yesterday morning she was shaking quite a bit with any movement and when we came home in the afternoon, she hadn’t improved. She was uncomfortable standing, sitting and even laying down. We all knew it was time and we took her to the vet a few hours later. Her exit was peaceful and I am so grateful that we allowed her to leave the world with a level of dignity and before the pain became too great.

Penny was an amazing dog who taught me so much about life and her final lesson was incredible. As I have shared before, Penny helped me get sober back in 2012 and in the end, she showed me once again that all matters is to live in the day and do the next right thing. Although I am sad, I am filled with a sense of gratitude that I was able to share my life with such an amazing dog.

I am beyond grateful to all of you on this forum. You were here for me at a time when I needed support and I will forever be grateful for this community. And since I don’t want to end on a sad note, we did indeed welcome our Daughter to the world on August of last year. She has changed everything for us and she got to spend more time with Penny than I ever imagined. I think there is no better photos to sum up our life then ones that shows both her Penny together.

[PennysDad]

Im not sure how to share photos, but here are a few of Sadie and Penny Together.

https://imgur.com/a/hsXywFM

https://imgur.com/a/a01p0Cd

https://imgur.com/svuoSu9

[Joan2517]

Jeff, I am so sad to read this news. From following all of your posts about Penny it’s clear how loved she was, and how much she loved you. She was a sweetheart, that’s for sure...many, many hugs to you and your family.

[Joan2517]

The pictures are adorable, Jeff. I couldn't look at them yesterday, I was crying too hard...it's beautiful to see the love our dogs give to our children, or in my case, grandchildren. They accept them as part of their family. I hope you are okay this morning, the first day without them is so hard, so quiet, so empty. You and your family are in my thoughts. Your daughter is beautiful and it's lovely to know that Penny had a chance to love her...

[labblab]

Dear Jeff, I actually read your news yesterday, but I was just not able to find the words to write to you until today. Over the years, your description of your family’s journey with Penny has been one of the most touching that I’ve ever read, and I wish I had words of my own to do justice to your loss. But the main word that I can think of is “Gratitude.” I know how grateful your entire family is to Penny, and I know how grateful we are that you’ve shared her life, and her sweetness, and her spirit with us here. After I finish this note, I’ll be adding Penny’s name to our special memorial thread of honor. There she’ll join all our other angels, to be loved and cherished always.

Given all your wonderful pictures that you’ve posted over time, I’ll contact you later to see if there’s one in particular that you’d like for us to link to Penny’s memorial line. How incredibly precious it is to see Penny and Sadie together. Like you, I’m so very glad that they’ve had this time together. It is just so special and dear.

Finally, Jeff, I’m so grateful you took the time to come back to tell us what has happened. You’ve been (and are) such a wonderful and loving dad, and we’ll miss hearing your reports on your sweet girl. But please know that we’ll always welcome you back at any time in the future, to talk about anything. You all are part of our K9C family, and will always remain so.

Sending tons of hugs to you and to all your family there, today and everyday. We’ll always be here for you all, in loving memory of dearest Penny. Thank you so much for all you’ve done for her, and for enriching our own spirits here.

Marianne

[PennysDad]

Just when I thought I was done crying fo the day! Thanks so much. You are all the family I wish I never had to find!

I'll try to find a picture for her place on the wall. Too risky at work to start running through old photos, pretty sure I would lose it. I'll do my best to hop in over the years and offer my support and love to you and all the newcomers. Find this place, years ago, really was the first step in my mourning process for Penny and it made putting her down soo much more manageable. As I was walking out of the Vet's office Monday night, I knew reaching out to you all would make this process more bearable.

In case you really want to have some feelings, I have a picture for you of my daughter last night. It is amazing how much these kids understand, even if they don't have the words to describe them. When Sadie was saying bye to Penny, she hugged her, climbed around to her face, looked her square in the eyes and said "bye". Penny gave her a lick and that was it, Sadie was back off to the races. We made sure we told Sadie that Penny was gone, that she died and wouldn't be coming back...That this is part of life and it is OK to be sad and miss her. It felt like more practice for us than a lesson for my baby.

Then yesterday, when it came time to feed the dogs, Sadie walked over to the shelf and did this...

https://imgur.com/FfN5O9z

Thanks again for everything, Ill try and find a picture that best shows Penny.

Jeff

[Squirt's Mom]

Dear Jeff,

Penny and you have come to mean so much to us all. It has been an honor to walk through this journey with the two of you for the past four years. We were able to watch her become a healthier Penny as you became a healthier Jeff - both gifts that I will cherish always. The bond between the two of you was obvious and I have no doubt you helped each other gain the strength and courage you needed to face any and every obstacle that came your way. And I know she is watching over you right now sending you constant reminders of the love you shared. It is my personal belief that we will one day be with our precious fur babies once again. Until that day Penny will continue to watch over you, your wife, and your precious Sadie with such joy and pride and gratitude in her huge heart. Sadie may not actually remember Penny but she will be able to look at those sweet, sweet pics and know she has an angel waiting on her as well as she grows and continues her journey thru life, a life I am confident will be filled with serenity, courage, and wisdom by her dad.

Thank you so much for sharing Penny with us all these years and allowing us to go with you as you found your path forward. And thank you for coming back to let us know about our girl's passing.

My deepest sympathies,
Leslie



A Blessing For Absence
by John O'Donohue
(an excerpt from Eternal Echoes)

May you know that absence is full of tender presence

and that nothing is ever lost or forgotten.

May the absences in your life be full of eternal echo

May you sense around you the secret Elsewhere which holds

the presences that have left your life.

May you be generous in your embrace of loss.

May the sore of your grief turn into a well of seamless presence.

May your compassion reach out to the ones we never hear

from and may you have the courage to speak out for the

excluded ones.

May you become the gracious and passionate subject of your own life.

May you not disrespect your mystery through brittle words or false belonging.

May you be embraced by God in whom dawn and twilight

are one and may your longing inhabit its deepest dreams

within the shelter of the Great Belonging.

[molly muffin]

Jeff, I am so very sorry to ready of the loss of Penny. What a great girl she was and how many adventures you and she shared during the years, the good ones and the bad one. The bad ones that you came through together and turned into something wonderful.
I know her passing leaves a hole in your world, but the love you had for her is what will always be there and fill that hole.
She was a gift and that gift never goes away.

Hugs