Does this sound like any of your experiences?

[Starsloyalist]

We are in the diagnosis phase. Our dog Gretel is an 11 y/o mini dappled red dachshund who it has become apparent now has been displaying some cushings symptoms for as long as 2 years. Strangely enough it was her coat thinning that we first noticed quite a while back but on yearly exam last year vet suspected only her thyroid and tests revealed not low enough to treat and she said we would keep an eye on it. This year, her blood work has low t3 and t4, though not low enough to explain some of her symptoms, but cholesterol and liver elevated consistent with cushing's. Thirst and appetite and increased urination have been high noticeable for a few weeks. Vet is referring to specialist- went ahead and started thyroid medication. She said it will probably cost at least 500 to diagnose. We are so anxious about what this all will mean and we want her to have at least a few more good years. Anyone out there have a similar situation?

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi and welcome to you and Gretel,

I have manually approved your membership so now all your posts will be seen right away. Also, please just disregard the validation email that was sent to you from k9cushings.


Could you get copies of the blood chemistry and complete blood count (CBC) tests and post any thing that is abnormal (high/low), and please include the normal reference ranges.

Hypothryoidism and Cushing's share many of the same blood abnormalities and physical symptoms; elevated liver enzymes, high cholesterol, and hair/skin issues can be attributed to both diseases. As for the increased drinking/urination has an UTI or diabetes been ruled out?

Cushing's can be difficult to diagnose because there isn't one test that can accurately identify it so multiple tests are needed to validate a diagnosis for Cushing's which is why it can be costly. Cushing's is a slow progressing disease so one does have the time to get a confirmed diagnosis for their pet and a conformed diagnosis is vital for a proper treatment plan.

Cushing's is a frustrating and scarey disease that becomes less frustrating and scarey as you become more and more knowledgeable. You've come to the right place for an education as well as lots of support from some pretty experienced members.

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

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

Hugs, Lori

[molly muffin]

Hello and welcome to the forum from me and molly.

I think what you are going through sounds like what many, many on here have gone through.

So, you rule out a UTI/diabetes. Then you have either an LDDS test or and ACTH test to diagnose cushings. Sometimes you end up doing both. As Lori said that is where the biggest cost comes in.

If this is mainly thyroid, then the symptoms should start to correct now that she is on medication. If it is in conjunction with cushings or something else, further testing will be needed. It is a long process but once you get it figured out, there is a good chance that she will be able to be treated and hopefully be with you for many years to come.

[LittleArfinAnnie]

A very warm welcome to a fellow Dachshund parent !

I have a 9 1/2 year old miniature black-and-tan female, Annie, who has just started treatment for Cushing's Disease.

Our diagnostic phase lasted about six months, give or take, and I don't think I can ever remember being so preoccupied and worried about my little girl. The uncertainty was pretty much all-consuming and my heart really goes out to you and Gretel.

It all started with a routine "wellness" exam back in May of last year.
( 2015 )

Because Annie is now considered to be a "senior", the vet ran extensive testing on her blood work and the results indicated elevated liver enzymes. Those results, coupled with the fact that Annie had developed a "pendulous" belly, prompted our vet to start looking for Cushing's Disease.

Urine tests showed that her urine had a low specific gravity, too.

Next, I took her to a veterinary specialist for an abdominal ultrasound. Her adrenal glands were HUGE - to quote the specialist directly - however there was no indication of an adrenal tumour. He felt that those enlarged adrenals were a big red flag for pituitary-dependent Cushing's Disease.

We were slowly gathering pieces of the puzzle because Cushing's can be a challenging condition to diagnose definitively.

More blood work was done to rule out diabetes as the cause of her increased drinking and urinating. Urine tests were ongoing during this time . . . both to monitor the specific gravity ( still too low ) and to check for urinary tract infections.

Our diagnostic "journey" got slightly derailed at the end of August when Annie happened upon a dead field mouse during one of our walks . . . and promptly proceeded to swallow it WHOLE.

That little mouse adventure ended up costing me $ 800.00 by the time we finished with activated charcoal and Vitamin K. ( both the vet and I were concerned that the mouse may have been poisoned - Vitamin K is the antidote to warfarin-based rat poisons )

In the meantime, Annie's energy levels were NOWHERE near what I had been used to. Her little muscles seemed to be getting weaker as she would occasionally stumble if she attempted to turn around too quickly. Her legs often just buckled right under her.

Oddly enough, she never had any loss of her fur, though.

Once we completed the 30-day regimen of Vitamin K, I scheduled a Low Dose Dexamethasone suppression test.

That test came back with all the important numbers pointing to Cushing's Disease.

Finally, just before starting her on Trilostane, we did more blood work and urine testing to ensure that there was nothing else going on.

There wasn't . . .

It was time to move into the treatment phase.

As Annie weighs 18.2 pounds, our vet prescribed Trilostane (Vetoryl) at 10 mg . . . to be administered twice a day at 12-hour intervals.
The recommended dosing protocol is 1 mg / lb of body weight. I was satisfied with this dosing strength because it is effectively HALF of the recommended initial dose. In this case, less is definitely more. Any higher dosing could possibly result in some pretty scary side effects.

Today will be Day 7 of Annie's treatment with Vetoryl.

She will be going back to the vet next week for her first ACTH stimulation test to see how those cortisol numbers are responding to treatment. My hope is that they will slowly ( the operative word here ) be trending down.

So, yes, I can empathize completely with what you and Gretel are going through right now.

That being said, I can't tell you how happy I am to have found this forum. ;)

It sounds to me like you're in the process of learning all you can about this condition - as I was about six months ago. Nor do I consider myself to be an "expert", either. Not by a long shot!

But I am very impressed ( and deeply touched ) by the speed with which each and every one of my concerns is addressed here. These folks really know their stuff and they always take the time to provide detailed answers to my many questions.

You're in the right place . . . ! Keep reading . . . learning . . . and posting . . . and eventually you'll start to feel a bit more peaceful. I promise . . .

If anything, it has helped me immeasurably just to know that I'm definitely not alone !

In the meantime, I wish I knew why our sweet little Doxies seem to be so over-represented when it comes to Cushing's Disease !

Big hugs to both you and your precious Gretel . . .

Catherine and Miss Annie