14 year old Lhasa possible cushings

[romirome]

I am brand new to the group and in desperate need of advice. Our 14 year old Lhasa may have cushings, we still need to have all the tests done to confirm. According to the initial limited exam, the vet is almost 100% positive based on the visual and all of his symptoms. He also has arthritis in his back legs. His current living situation has been uprooted and we are trying to do a sort of "shared custody" between sisters since our parents can no longer care for him :(. He is has good days and bad, sleeps most of the time, has rare bouts of wanting to play and needs to lose some weight in addition to treatment (4-5lbs) which is hard since he thinks he's starving all the time.

In looking up general life span for Lhasas, everything seems to say 14 maybe 15 years. He turned 14 in Feb. The doctor wants to do an ultrasound in addition to blood and urine tests to confirm what type of cushings and determine treatment. I'm torn on what to do. The disease itself is horrible, but treatment scares us as well. For those with experience, and ideally anyone who has a senior Lhasa, what would you suggest? He is no longer the happy go lucky pup he was most of his life, he is grumpy (he's had a long life so it's understandable), cries and moans a lot :(, but it hasn't gotten to the point of incontinence. About a month or so ago his back legs were completely giving out on him, but after a short period on pain meds he got better. We are willing to do what is necessary to keep him happy and healthy, but I don't want to do this at his expense, meaning we treat him for our sake and not his quality of life. He probably sleeps 17-20 hours a day. The vet said with treatment he could last another few years, but is a 15-17 year old Lhasa a happy one?

I guess I'm just reaching out for some kind of support, suggestions, options and any experience from others in a similar situation. I'm torn on what to do, I want him to be happy and pain free although those moments are so few and far between now a days, but when he has them it's like he's his old self again, it just hasn't lasted for more than a few hours.

Thank you in advance!

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi and welcome to you and your baby! :)

Whether to treat an older dog is something that must be decided for each person, taking all things into account. If his health is otherwise good and there will be someone there to watch him carefully, monitoring his treatment and behavior, and the cost is something doable, then that would in the "yes" side. The fact that he already has arthritis is something that will carry some weight, tho, since the cortisol acts as a sort of natural anti-inflammatory. Once the cortisol is lowered conditions like arthritis, allergies, and other inflammatory processes can come roaring to the forefront. If his signs are not a bother to him or to his caregivers that is another consideration since there is no cure - we simply manage the signs and prevent the cortisol from doing long-term damage to the organs. With an older dog that "long-term" is a relative term. ;) You will also want to take into consideration how often he will be at the vets if you start treatment; for a pup who gets stressed going to vet this can be a real issue. For a pup who doesn't....it is very likely that will change. My own cush pup used to love to ride but after going to vet so so so much she started hating the truck and would shake every time she got in. Understand...the changes in his life at the moment and not having one steady home adds to his stress level a great deal already so this is something to consider as well. Whatever you decide to do we will stand with you all the way! :)

What tests have been done so far? Would you mind getting copies of them and posting any abnormal results here? Please include the little letters and the normal ranges as those will vary from lab to lab. What signs are you seeing that indicate Cushing's, other than the appetite? Speaking of the appetite, fresh or frozen green beans and carrots are a great way to help them feel fuller without adding on the pounds. If treats are used and he eats kibble (dry food), use pieces of his kibble for treats instead of treat-treats as they are typically very high in fats. Just deduct what he is given as treats from his meals. ;)

I'm glad you came to join us and look forward to learning more as time passes. Know we will with you from now on....all you ever need to do is holler! You and this sweet boy are part of our K9C family now. ;)

Hugs
Leslie and the gang

[Grants mom]

I also have a Lhasa but she is 5 years old she doesn't have cushings they normally are clowns though she is very loving and silly at times ! My other dog grant a maltipoo he will be 11 in August he does however have cushings he has bad days and good I have chose not to treat him threw the vet for cushings I can not afford the expense and the treatment might be worse on him than the cushings ! that's just my thought on it however !I also do give him a couple spoons of 100 % pure can pumpkin daily for his appetite and I bake him chicken breast a lot of times ! he is starved all the time and his belly looks like it could pop ! He is very tired a lot also ! I will make the right decision for him when the time comes to do what's best for him and not me ! It's a sad disease that's for sure !

[PennysDad]

Welcome, you have so many things to weigh. And there are many people here who are experts on all this. I am not one of them. Just another owner with a dog on the Cushings journey. I have a large dog who is 9-10 and is on the treatment. I will say, since she started, her symptoms have largely gone away and she she regained alot of her old personality.

Ask questions and try to follow the guidance of the people here. You are in the right place. Welcome.