My dog Rocco has Cushings

[Roccohascushing]

My puggle Rocco just turned 11. He has always been food driven but when his liver count came back slightly high the vet started Cushing testing and it took 4 tests before he came back positive as Cushinoid. He was still very active, and very restless at night and panting slightly. Literally overnight about a week after he was diagnosed he had a hard time finishing his walks and couldn't jump up on the couch. After doing some reading I started him on Adrenal Harmony Gold and am transitioning him to a raw diet. It's only been abut two weeks and he is a bit better so waiting to see how it goes before I think of other drugs. Need to learn more and looking forward to learning more. Like everyone here, we love him so much and he has a younger brother Lucchi who only knows life with him. I am hoping we can prolong a good quality of life for a few more years. Thanks for listening.

[DoxieMama]

Welcome to you and Rocco, though I'm sorry for the reasons you've joined us. Do you happen to have a copy of the tests that were done to diagnose Cushing's?

We can help you navigate the road ahead, and provide lots of information for you to learn everything you might want to (and more!!). Check out the helpful resources section of the forum.

Shana

[Roccohascushing]

Welcome to you and Rocco, though I'm sorry for the reasons you've joined us. Do you happen to have a copy of the tests that were done to diagnose Cushing's?

We can help you navigate the road ahead, and provide lots of information for you to learn everything you might want to (and more!!). Check out the helpful resources section of the forum.

Shana

Thank you so much. This site is amazing. I am going to contact the vet on Monday to obtain the results so that I can share them.

[molly muffin]

The two main drugs to bring down cortisol is vetroyl and lysodren. Both work well to lower cortisol, although you have to follow protocols for testing and cortisol levels to make sure you get it right. Unfortunately we don't have anything to show that the adrenal harmony can actually lower cortisol, although some have reported symtom reduction for awhile.

We'll be really interested in seeing what his cushing test results are and his other blood work. Anything high or low, you mentioned a bit of elevation in liver enzymes.

Welcome to the forum!

[Carole Alexander]

I hope that Rocco is feeling better. Regardless, I would urge you to heed Sharleen's comments. Vetoryl and Lysodren are the only evidence based treatments that help the vast majority of dogs. Look forward to learning more and best to you both.
Carole

[Roccohascushing]

Hi: I don't think my post got submitted correctly as I haven't seen in posted and please excuse me if I have posted twice. I have Rocco's test results and need direction on what and when he should have other testing and if he needs medication. When we got the results he hadn't shown many symptoms but then did all of a sudden and they have been helped with a raw diet and Adrenal Gold Harmony, but I have been warned that is only good for a few months. Looks like he hasn't had the ACTH test everyone talks about. He did have 4 tests though it seems. this is so confusing.
Urine Creatinine 58.6
Urine cortisol 7.1
Urine cortisol/Creatinine ratio 38
Says Hyperadrenocorticism is possible but recommended ACTH test to be sure, but it wasn’t issued perhaps because Rocco at the time didn’t have symptoms. Wonder when and if I should ask for it?
Also
Post 4 hr Dex 1.8 ug/dl
Post 8 hr. DEX 9.5
This test was done before the Cortisol/Creatinine test
Thank you for any input. Pam

[Joan2517]

Hi Pam, and welcome to you and Rocco. Members more knowledgeable than I am will be along to help you interpret these test results and will have tons of questions. If there was any other blood work done they will want to see the results, highs and lows only with the reference ranges.

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi Pam,

I merged your two threads. You can always use the "search" feature looking for either your user name or Rocco's name to find this thread. Bear in mind there may be more than one Rocco on the board but should be only one member by your user name. ;)


Post 4 hr Dex 1.8 ug/dl
Post 8 hr. DEX 9.5

These results look like most of an LDDS. We usually see 3 results with this test. Do you see another number with these? A baseline maybe?

Do you have the reference, or normal, ranges for these -

Urine Creatinine 58.6
Urine cortisol 7.1
Urine cortisol/Creatinine ratio 38

Thanks!
Leslie

[molly muffin]

Oh yes, it does look like the LDDS is consistent with cushings. In that at the 8 hour mark he wasn't suppressing cortisol production.

So, yes based on that I would start treatment with either vetroyl or lsyodren, depending on what your vet is most comfortable and familiar with.

If vetroyl, you should start at 1mg/1lb to be sure to start in a safe range.
Then test at a couple weeks and one month to see how he is reacting.

[Roccohascushing]

Oh yes, it does look like the LDDS is consistent with cushings. In that at the 8 hour mark he wasn't suppressing cortisol production.

So, yes based on that I would start treatment with either vetroyl or lsyodren, depending on what your vet is most comfortable and familiar with.

If vetroyl, you should start at 1mg/1lb to be sure to start in a safe range.
Then test at a couple weeks and one month to see how he is reacting.

Thank you so much for your input. It is invaluable and I really appreciate it. I know if the dog isn't showing that much sign of Cushing then it is recommended to hold off treatment until signs get worse, but really what is the ideal time to start the treatment. Are there side effects? He seems to be doing okay though is food driven, pants a little, but has no accidents in the house. He does get restless at night but doesn't ask to go out til the morning. I am wondering how bad I should let the symptoms get before I start him on treatment or is it common just to consider the treatment after he got diagnosed? Thank you for any input.

[DoxieMama]

As far as I understand it, considering when to treat, especially for an older dog like Rocco, is typically based on the effects the symptoms are having - on everyone. The high cortisol does cause internal damage to their organs so if the dog is younger, I'd want to treat right away to lessen the damage over time. For an older dog, it often depends on how bothersome the symptoms are. If they're not such a problem, then some people wait.

For me personally, my dog (who was 13 at the time of diagnosis) was peeing in the house daily which was the reason we chose to treat him. Thankfully, that was the first symptom which resolved once we started.

The drugs are quite powerful so there are absolutely risks to treatment though, so of course those should be considered.

Given what you've said about Rocco, it doesn't sound as if his symptoms are bothersome at this point. No peeing in the house, and he doesn't appear to be suffering. But you know him best and will be able to make the best decision for him. We'll stand by you either way.

Shana

[Roccohascushing]

Thank you so much. I guess it will be a day to day watching and waiting. What damage does the cortisol do and if you don't treat will his life expectancy be lessened or will it be lessened by the treatment itself? Pam

[molly muffin]

Hi, possible damage I believe would be kidney, liver, skin, possibly gall bladder, pancreas.
Dogs on treatment can live out a normal life span, and it is usually one of the other things that get them, as the cortisol is controlled.

If your dog has joint issues, then it can be a balancing act, as you want to bring cortisol down, but not so much that they are in pain from say arthritis.

I use to be more in the wait and see category and now I've moved to earlier treatment to try to prevent damage to organs. It is as always a personal decision decision, along with consulting with your vet and best way forward.

[Roccohascushing]

Three years ago Rocco's liver enzymes were elevated. Took him to Tufts and they ended up doing a liver biopsy and could not determine why the enzymes were elevated (thought maybe he got into something) and after medication they went back to normal. He was tested at the time for Cushing but they said it was negative Then he was diagnosed with hyperthyroid about a year and a half ago and had panting symptoms and is currently on medication. When his liver enzymes were once again elevated that is when they found the Cushings after it was negative for the first three tests and then he got the results that I posted. He does lay on the cold floor in the middle of the night as someone said that was a symptom, is food driven, pants a bit and seems to have a belly. He walks great though for his age and does not have accidents. Just wondering if the liver enzymes issues he has had in the past will cause the Cushings to damage his liver more quickly. Just rambling wondering if I should have him put on medication. Such a hard decision.

[molly muffin]

It is always hard to know if to treat, when to treat and there is no way to know what will happen which ever way you go. I’d keep an eye in things like, liver, kidney, etc and see if they start to move upwards. You can always opt to start treatment at some point if you want to