Cooper - New to group

[Stacier]

My name is Stacy Austin and I'm new to the forum. My dog Cooper was Diagnosed with Cushings and I'm looking to others fur and opinion on treatment for him . There is So much out there and I don't want him to be a guinepig

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi Stacy,

Welcome to you and Cooper! With our new members we ask a lot of questions, this is not because we are nosy, instead, it allows us to provide you with our best possible feedback. So here are some questions that I have :eek:

Could you get copies of all tests that were done on your boy and post any abnormalities that are listed? 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. What test/s were done that diagnosed the Cushing's and could you post those results? Does Cooper display any of these common Cushing's symptoms: increased drinking/urinating, a ravenous appetite, pot-bellied appearance, exercise intolerance, and difficulty or unable to go up steps or jump on furniture? Does your boy have any underlying illness that he is taking medication for? And if so, what is it and what is the medication? Is he taking any supplements, medications or herbs?

The two drugs generally used for Cushing's are Lysodren/Mitotane and Vetoryl/Trilostane, and we have many members having success in treating their dogs with these medications.

I am sorry for the circumstances that brought you here but sure glad you found us.

Hugs, Lori

[lulusmom]

Hi Stacy and welcome to you and Cooper.

Lori has done an excellent job of asking the questions I usually inundate new members with, however, I have a few more. What is Cooper's breeding and age? Also in preparation for our upcoming treatment discussions, can you tell us Cooper's weight?

What I can tell you before reviewing any of Cooper's labs is that it is most likely that your vet will be recommending Vetoryl for your boy. This is the only FDA approved treatment for the canine cushing's that has proven to be effective. Lysodren, while not FDA approved, is as effective but because of its accumulative effects can have more concerning side effects which is why Vetoryl has become the treatment of choice. However, both drugs are to be greatly respected as both can kill, or more likely make a dog very sick, if not administered and monitored in accordance with proper protocol.

We have a lot of great reference material in our Helpful Resources subforum so please take a look around and absorb as much as you can. I must warn you though that trying to be a sponge in learning everything there is to learn about cushing's and its treatment can be detrimental to our own well being. When my first cushdog was diagnosed, I remember thinking my brain was going to short circuit, never to fire on all cylinders again. I can still walk and chew gum at the same time so I think I made it through okay. Most of us are dim bulbs when we arrive here but the more we hang around and soak it all in, the brighter and brighter we become. If you stick around long enough, and I hope you do, I promise that you will look back on this time and wonder how you managed to maintain your sanity and get so smart all at the same time. The answer is simple....you loved Cooper enough to reach out to us and you just happened to find the best place on earth to come for support. There is much for newbies to learn and the good news is that teaching members by sharing our own experience, providing credible reference material and holding their hands through the worst of times is what we do best. Give us as much information as you can about your precious guy and then grab hold and we'll do our best to help you make this journey a whole lot easier than you ever thought possible.

Glynda