Penny the Chihuahua takes Vetoryl after Clinical Trial

[Penny's Mom]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and work in the city of Davis. My dog Penny just had her urine cortisol level and a basic senior blood panel with liver enzymes tested yesterday and we have not begun the ACTH blood tests. Thank you so much for posting this! It sounds like she might be a good candidate. I'll give them a call tomorrow. She's an easy going Chihuahua who is a rescue I've had for three years now. She came to me very sick with demodectic mange and very pregnant. We thought her thin, hairless skin was a longstanding byproduct of the mange and her pedulous belly was from being a backyard breeder mama for her whole life , but it's looking like it's Cushing's. This poor dog just can't catch a break! She's always been in some state of medical care so I haven't been able to adopt her out. This trial would be a Godsend to help with some of her diagnostic expenses. I'm pretty much her forever mom now, and her current veterinarian here in Roseville, California would be thrilled to confer with UC Davis about her case. Thank you again. I'm overjoyed to have found this forum. I'll post more. pics of her and introduce her to the forum in another thread. tomorrow. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v663/k9luver/20160128_183708_zpsfk8670ps.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/k9luver/media/20160128_183708_zpsfk8670ps.jpg.html)

[Penny's Mom]

So Penny had all her testing done by the staff at UC Davis. Her Cortisol level was 35. Abdominal ultrasound shows her adrenal glands are bilaterally, uniformly enlarged. Her liver is enlarged. She has every single physical sign and symptom of Cushing's except depression. She is a happy dog.

Again, thank you so much for posting this thread about the study. It saved me about $1200 of testing, and it literally saved me from having to put her down. The jury is still out on her long term prognosis, but here's where it stands:

My local Vet (I am 30 miles one way from Davis) is prescribing Penny with 5mg of Vetoryl 2X a day. She has been on the med for a month.

I am buying the meds through Entirely Pets Pharmacy, mail order, based in Union City, CA. It is costing me, on sale, $31.99 for a 30 day supply of 5mg. So, roughly $64.00 a month.

If you buy in bulk from that pharmacy, they will give you some $$ off, plus free shipping over $39. I just purchased 5 boxes for $151.00. Great discount. Will treat her through June, 2016, and then we will reassess.

Sorry to be a bean counter with this disease, but I have 6 of my own Chihuahuas that have been a part of my family for many years. Penny is a rescue that has already cost me $1500 since I pulled her from the street 3 years ago. I can guarantee I am the only person on the planet that cares about this little dog.

She is starting to grow some hair on the very top of her back. She still has every symptom, just not as severe. She doesn't make our house smell like a sweaty locker room anymore. Now she just smells like a woman with a yeast infection. Oh joy. :p

Here she is with two of her house mates...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v663/k9luver/Penny_zpsacgxh5n3.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/k9luver/media/Penny_zpsacgxh5n3.jpg.html)

[Harley PoMMom]

I am so glad that Penny was accepted into UC Davis Clinical Trial and that her testing was covered through the trial.

However, I do have one worry and it's about the lack of her monitoring ACTH stimulation tests. With Penny being on treatment for a month, protocol is that she should have an ACTH stim test performed, have they said why they are not following that protocol?

Hugs, Lori