New here - my 5 year old Golden "Kallie", may have Cushing's

[di_tino]

First of all, thanks for the information I am finding on this website about Cushings. Until yesterday I knew nothing about it at all.

For quite some time my Golden "Kallie", had been putting on weight, was panting a lot, and seemed to be getting pretty lazy. I took her to the vet last month because she had been losing hair on her belly, it was irritated and she was constantly licking at it and the treatments we had been giving her no longer seemed to be working.

So at that visit I was pretty much assured she had hypothyroidism, so they started her on Levothroxine and I was told to go back after one month on the meds to check her levels and make any adjustments necessary. She was 88 lbs. at that point, up from 82 lbs. only 3 months before that and up 20 lbs. from year before that. She was also given antibiotics to help heal the skin. 3 weeks into the meds I could see she was losing weight, seemed to be more lively again and I was happy to have my Kal-Girl back.

However, this week I started to see other symptoms that concerned me. She is losing hair in masses now and even though she has always been a major shedder, this just wasn't normal. She now looked like a dog going through Chemo with massive hair losses. I feared to have the first bald Golden Retriever on the planet. On top of that she had a sore appear on her head last Sunday, and several smaller sores under her hair around her ears and neck. Her skin down her back is dry and looks like psoriasis. Her eyes started to be filling with puss and she was drinking more water than normal.

So I took her back to the vet yesterday (wasn't suppose to go until next Monday) to check her thyroid levels on the meds and find out why these other symptoms appeared or were getting worse instead of better. I don’t know her results on that yet, but I do know she was <2 when they first tested her and normal is >15-<51. She is down to 78.5 lbs.

At this appt, the vet told me that Kallie now appears to be showing signs of Cushings Disease and that the hypothyroidism is a condition that stems from Cushings. She had a full workup of blood done and is currently in for testing. I get the results back by Monday. He told me to go read up on Cushings to educate myself. He told me if she has this they will give her meds to "kill off - something (I was totally uneducated at this point) and then we'll see how she is.

Now reading the information on the internet I now know she will be on meds for life and my girl is in for a tough ride. I am so devastated right now. Her 5th Birthday was yesterday - the day of this preliminary diagnosis.....she is still so young to be getting this.

Now I don't want to jump the gun and say she has this, but sadly reading all the symptoms associated with this disease does show she is a candidate to be diagnosed with it - just what kind remains to be seen.

She is the sweetest dog...........and I feel so bad for her. Even with all her pain, ear infections skin infections, etc., she continues to be my best friend always wanting to be right by my side. I'm "alpha" to her in this house even though my husband is here along with my 17 year old daughter and 10 year old son.

So right now I'm reviewing all these posts trying to educate myself so that if Monday brings this diagnosis I'll know how to advocate for my girl.

By the way, my name is Diane...

[frijole]

Hi Diane!

I am glad that you found us and want to start out by telling you that with proper treatment, knowledge on your part and an experienced vet Kallie can lead a very normal life. You have already done the right thing by gathering information. So please know that cushings is not a death sentence.

Right now the key is to find out if Kallie has cushings or not. It can be tricky to diagnose, multiple tests as other diseases mimic cushings. You want to be sure of the dx before using the drugs.

Also there are different types of cushings and treatment should be based upon which type of cushings Kallie has. I am going to give you a link to our reference section which has a wonderful collection of articles, studies etc by experts in the field. Start out reading about cushings in general. Then work your way to diagnosing and the tests used. Do NOT get overwhelmed if you don't understand it all. That's where we come in. Just pop back into your thread and ask questions. You are no longer alone in this! :)

FYI the blood panel and sometimes a urine analysis are the next steps. Urine creatine panel can rule out cushings and is cheap. The blood panel tells the vet what all is going on. In cush dogs the liver enzymes (alks) are usually elevated. Other things they should rule out include diabetes.

Does Kallie have a ravenous appetite or thirst? These are 2 primary signs of cushings. The hair loss is not always present. Please tell us all you can when you have time.

FYI my dog has been treated for cushings for 3 yrs now using lysodren. That is the drug your vet was talking about. It sounds much harsher than it is so don't worry about that. Again, lets get the dx first and then worry about the rest.

Others whose dogs have had the hair loss issues might be able to offer advice on how to give Kallie some relief in the short term.

Hang in there - you are already doing great just by reaching out for help. You are Kallie's voice in this. So read up and ask questions. Hang in there.

Kim
http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=10

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi Diane,

Just want to welcome you and your golden Kallie. Altho I can't offer alot of advice, I can do alot of hand-holding. :)

My Harley has Atypical cushings, and because of these wonderful people with their vast amount of knowledge of the disease, and the informative links, Harley is doing much, much better.

I knew nothing about cushings when I came here, but they took by the hand and are teaching me, and I read alot about it. :eek::)

So hang in there Diane, we are here for you and Kallie.

Lori

[di_tino]

Thanks for the link, I'm reading up on this. Thanks for telling me it's not a death sentence for my girl. I've been reading so many negative things about what is in store for her on the internet I'm really confused. I'll see if the link helps me.
I know she isn't diagnosed yet, but really.........I have very little doubt we are not dealing with this from everything I have read so far.
I have read that diet can really help dogs recover from this.
Has anyone switched their dog food to something else that helps? If so what is a good food to assist in this if it really does help?

[frijole]

Diane,

Dogs that have cushings cannot tolerate fat. So a low fat diet is recommended. Since this is the world wide web I feel compelled to warn you that not all products and comments are "created equally". ;) Trust me, if there was a miracle product or a simple diet that would cure cushings none of us would be here on this site.

The link I gave you is filled with information from international experts in the field.

If your dog has been on steroids for treatment of some ailment that can cause cushings. Thats easy to cure, you slowly wean them off the steroid.

Otherwise there is adrenal cushings, pituitary cushings and atypical cushings. Treatments vary depending upon the type.

Does Kallie have most of the symptoms listed? If so, please share. Thank you!

Kim

[di_tino]

Kallie has the following symptoms
Hair loss - huge!
lengthy urination
accident in the house this week (first one)
increase in drinking water (just noticed this in the last couple weeks - she is drinking two bowls of water a day plus plenty of pool water)
body sores, some that were red, some that look like psoriasis/dry skin - this has been ongoing for months
slow to get her butt off the ground....ok when she's up and around
heavy panting with little activity....1/2 block from home it starts on her walk and she sound like she has run a mile
hypothoridism diagnosed last month
Did had increase weight gain since symptoms started, but once on the thyroid drugs she lost 10 lbs in one month, other syptoms have increase though so not only related to thyroid troubles.

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi Diane,

One thing that is helpful is if you get copies of all tests that you get done on Kallie, keep these handy and in a safe place, also post the results here along with the units of measurements (ug/dl, mnol/L, etc) and the normal or reference ranges the lab used.

Re; accidents in the house: I use puppy training pads for my Harley.

Lori

[di_tino]

Good news. The vet just called with Kallies results and he now says she has no signs of Cushings at all. He thinks that the symptoms she has that mirror that of cushings are either related to her already recently diagnosed "hypothyroidism" or are completely separate.
Her thyroid numbers have gone from the start which were <2 to now reading 43. They are suppose to be somewhere in the >15-<51 level so that is perfect. She will stay forever on those meds, which we were already prepared for. The hair loss and excess drinking/urinating are all tied to the thyroid.
Skin - as well - and now I'm to bath her in this oatmeal bath and it should help the skin. The hair loss should slow down now that the thyroid is more stable. So I'm so relieved!

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi Diane,

That is GREAT news!!! :D:D:D Thyroid levels within the norm and NO CUSHING'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D I am very happy for you and Kallie! :D

Kallie's story is one that could benefit many as it tells how easily Cushing's could be misdiagnosed leading to treatments that are unnecessary as well as risky.

Thank you so much for sharing Kallie's story and results with us, and I hope you will stick around even tho she is not a cush pup.

Congratulations and Hugs,
Leslie and the girls

[frijole]

Diane, thanks for the update. Alot of cush dogs have hypothyroidism and so we are familiar with it. Did you get copies of the blood panel? You might start a file just so you can track changes over time. I have been so glad that I did on numerous occasions.

The 4th of July weekend has things a little slow around here but I am hoping that those that have used the oatmeal baths etc might offer you some advice when they check in.

Kim

[di_tino]

Diane, thanks for the update. Alot of cush dogs have hypothyroidism and so we are familiar with it. Did you get copies of the blood panel? You might start a file just so you can track changes over time. I have been so glad that I did on numerous occasions.

The 4th of July weekend has things a little slow around here but I am hoping that those that have used the oatmeal baths etc might offer you some advice when they check in.

Kim

He just called us this morning to let us know the results and stop me from worrying because he could tell when he told me Friday what he suspected she had that I was crushed and worried about my girl's future.
I will ask them to provide me with the blood workup. I have no idea how to read it, but I"m assuming it's within my rights to get the results and keep them since I paid a hefty $$$ to have them taken in the first place?

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi Diane,

I am so happy for you and Kallie too.

Re: the oatmeal baths: I would try it on a small area on Kallie first, just in case she might be allergic to oatmeal. Just my opinion, better safe than sorry.

I never have a problem with my vet giving me copies of tests that were done on Harley, if fact now they just automatically do that. You have to train them too. :D

Best of luck to you and Kallie.
Lori

[MiniSchnauzerMom]

Diane,

I'd like to offer my belated welcome to you and Kallie. I have just read your thread....wonderful news that Kallie is cushings free. I'm very happy for both of you.

As Kim said getting copies of the tests and keeping a file for Kallie is a good idea and I agree with Lori, asking for copies and receiving them has never been a problem. You most definitely do have a right to them.

I've not tried the oatmeal bath for my Munchie (who is very sensitive to numerous things) but his derm doc does have me use an oatmeal cream rinse/conditioner on him and it has never caused a problem.

Take care,
Louise

[JoeyRetriever]

I'm Glad Kallie doesn't have Cushings! That's great news! I have 4yr and 7yr old Goldens and one has it. The younger one has food allergies and Kallie's hot spots, dry skin etc sound very familiar. I switched him to a low allergy prescription dog food first from the vet. Then because that was so expensive I then put him on Natural Balance limited ingredients Brown rice and Lamb dog food. He's been doing great since. I also use Avon Vanilla Cream bubble bath to bath my goldens. It doesn't contain any harsh soap and leaves their coats shiny and fluffy. I've also used it when the one developed skin symptoms and it helped clear things up. Good luck to you and Kallie!

[lulusmom]

Hello and a belated welcome to you and Kallie.

It is great news that your vet now thinks all of Kallie's issues are tied to hypothyroidism. It and cushing's share a lot of the same symptoms and hypothyroidism is a lot easier to deal with and the meds are a fraction of the cost compared to cushing's treatment.

Perhaps I don't understand the correct timelines for everything but based on the information you have provided, I am not understanding why Kallie's symptoms have persisted despite thyroid levels being normal. I'm assuming that Kallie has been on an appropriate thyroid med for at least 30 days? Polyuria/Polydipsia (excessive drinking and peeing) is very rare in hypothyroidism but not unheard of. Your post yesterday mentioned that not only this symptom was still not improved but she had other worsening symptoms. Improvements in the excessive drinking and peeing are usually seen within days of administering proper dose of soloxine, thyroxin, etc. but the coat and skin does take a while to improve and often gets worse before it gets better. Did your vet mention how long he thought it might take for Kallie's symptoms to resolve?

I noted that Kallie's eyes have a mucousy discharge. Did your vet test Kallie to see if her tear production is normal? One of my cushdogs had severe infections in his eyes and ears when we adopted him "undiagnosed". His eyes had a mucousy discharge and the vet was easily able to tell that his tear production was very, very low. It's a simple test using a Schirmer tear test strip. Jojo was diagnosed with chronic keratoconjunctivitis and is on twice daily optimmune eye drops for the rest of his life.

Yes, you paid for the tests and you have a right to have copies. Most vets are very accomodating and will gladly provide copies. We will all be very interested in seeing the results of the tests your vet used to rule out cushing's.

Again, welcome to you and your beautiful girl.

Glynda

[Greyhound mom]

I don't want to alarm you but my vet told me my dog did not have cushings either because the creatine ratio test was negative. It wasn't until after every other test in the book (and lots of $$$) that we looked at Cushing's again and finally discovered it was Atypical cushings, which is negative on the creatine test because it is elevated sex hormones.
So my question is just, what test did you vet do that show's "No sign of Cushing's?"
Kim -Asia's mom

[di_tino]

I really don't know th name of the tests. On my bill it had two blood test, one was to check thyroid levels and one to test for cushings. I plan to call tomorrow to get her test results copied for me.
The test are listed on the bill like this
IDEXX: Clinical Chemistry 3
IDEXX: CBC Full - differential/platelets

Does this tell anyone anything?

[StarDeb55]

Neither of these tests are for Cushing's. One is a complete blood count which will check for things like infection & anemia. The other is a chemistry panel which will take a look at liver function, kidney function, & several other internal organs. The Cushing's test will either be an ACTH or low dose dexamethasone (LDDS). If neither of these tests were done, you vet can't rule out Cushing's based on the 2 test that you say are listed on your billing invoice.

Debbie

Thyroid testing will be abbreviated one of the following T4, T3, or TSH.

[di_tino]

Gurr...really, well that's what it says on the bill.
I just called the vet and they are mailing me a copy of the results. I'll post them when I get them.

[lulusmom]

Hi Diane,

We do a lot of grrrring, aaaarghing, aaacking and gaaacking around here so welcome to our world. :D Vets usually don't give us the test results unless we ask but boy are they quick to shove that bill in front of our faces. :D

I'm not sure you saw the few questions I asked earlier so would appreciate it if you would go back and read my last post. Thanks.

Glynda

[di_tino]

Sorry, I missed answering the questions, I will now.
Kallie was just diagnosed with hypothyroidism at the beginning of June. The end of June is when I started to see increased symptoms such as the "sore on her head", the lumps on her neck, the clumps of fur coming out, the discharge in the eye, the excess drinking, the excess peeing as a result, the accident in the house, the panting getting worse.
So I called and booked the appt. last Friday to have her brought in, have her first thyroid blood test run since on meds to see how what they were. She started at <2 and then advanced to >43 after 3.5 weeks on the meds and lost 10 lbs.
He said the meds can bring on the excess drinking - and as a result of the drinking - more peeing. The antibiotics she is on could also be causing this symptom as well as the accident. The sores and lumps he said are related to hypothyroidism. The eye wasn't weeping when we were there and I thought it was gone, but it's back in her left eye now. He said now that her meds are working andher levels are good her symptoms should be getting better over time, but he also put her on another round of antibiotics for the skin and asked me to bathe her in Oatmeal shampoo. So we are 6 days into the antibiotic, bath given Sunday and her skin seems to be getting a bit better now. Eye is weeping again. If it doesn't get better, maybe I'll get that test done too. It just seems everything happened at the same time the thyroid was diagnosed. The chunks of hair are still coming out, but seems to be "slowly" coming ou in smaller chunks.
I'll post her results when I get them.

[di_tino]

Just a quick "Kallie" update. The lump on the top of her head has really gone down this week as has one of the sores on her back. Her hair loss seems to be "slightly" slowing down. She is on antibiotics again so maybe she just didn't complete enough of them before the new sores came out. She is very lively this week and really back to a puppy playfulness. He eye goes from being weepy to fine. Hard to tell about the water intake. The bowl is empty daily, but she is outdoors a lot in the day and has access to my pool, so she goes there when she is thirsty even when the water bowl is outside! LOL
So right now I'm "hoping" the Dr. is right about it just being thyroid related, but I'll be sure to post the results when they come in the mail.

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi Diane,

This all sounds great! I am so happy that things are improving so for Kallie! :D I hope she continues to improve and that the diagnosis of hypothyroidism (...or was it hyperthyroidism?) is accurate.

Did you ever get the copies of the actual results on the testing? Persistent bunch of folks, ain't we? :p

Hugs,
Leslie and the girls

[lulusmom]

Given the fact that hypothyroidism is a medical condition common in Goldens and since Kallie fits the age profile for this disorder to make itself known, I think your vet is correct in assuming all of Kallie's symptoms can be attributed to hypothyroidism. Resolution of symptoms don't happen overnight but within four to six weeks after levels have normalized you should start seeing some definite improvements. Of course, the coat and skin issues usually lag behind, taking up to six months to resolve. So I guess at this time, we will all wait to see how Kallie does for the next few weeks. We'll be keeping fingers and paws crossed that cushing's can be ruled out.

Glynda

[di_tino]

Thanks, I keep reading stores about the wonderful family pets here who are suffering through cushings and I am so thankful I think we have dodged this bullet!
I haven't got the results yet. I just asked them to snail mail them to me, so I'm guessing I'll see them at the first of the week.
I sure hope the symptoms keep getting better as they seem to be doing now.
If she is ok, I hope nobody minds me sticking around awhile longer to keep familiarizing myself with this and supporting (although not with knowledge) the dogs going through this terrible illness.

[lulusmom]

You are part of our family now and we would be delighted to have you stay on. Supporters are always welcome and of course, we do want to continue to get updates on your Kallie. I've learned a bunch from these wonderful folks so who knows, you may become pretty knowledgable of the disease if you hang around long enough. :D

Glynda

[di_tino]

You are part of our family now and we would be delighted to have you stay on. Supporters are always welcome and of course, we do want to continue to get updates on your Kallie. I've learned a bunch from these wonderful folks so who knows, you may become pretty knowledgable of the disease if you hang around long enough. :D

Glynda

Thanks!!! I will keep learning and supporting.

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi Diane,

I have to "ditto" what Glynda said and add that I am happy to see that you are "sticking" around.:D

Lori

[Ann and Wylie]

Hi - just read your thread and I see why you said our stories were similar - such young dogs! I'm glad to read that it looks like Kallie does not have Cushing's.

I don't know if this is helpful - but, Wylie's cortisol-creatinine urine test was abnormal, so that's how we knew we had to test further for Cushing's. BUT, his ACTH (test specific for Cushing's) was "equivocal" - meaning, they couldn't really say either way, for sure. So, that's when the Internist said we had to do the U of Tenn's Adrenal Panel, which is what diagnosed the Atypical (finally).

Like your Kallie, Wylie too had skin issues (mild pyoderma) and I actually brought him to a Vet Dermatologist - she was INcredible! The depth of knowledge of the specialists I've now worked with is not even comparable to that of a generalist. So, if you feel the skin issues aren't resolving - I just can't recommend highly enough a Derm. Just a thought.

Hang in there and I hope everything resolves for your Kallie. :)

[Nathalie]

Hello Diana,

My dog Phillip was first diagnosed with Hypothyroidism by Dr. Jean Dodds before being diagnosed with Cushings (PDH)


From the package insert for Soloxine:

Precautions:
The effects of levothyroxine sodium therapy are slow in being manifested. Overdosage of any thyroid drug may produce the signs and symptoms of thyrotoxicosis including, but not limited to: polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia,

Continued excess intake of water (polydipsia) and increase in urination (polyuria) should in my opinion not occur once a dog has been on thyroid replacement for 3.5 weeks and usually would be an indication that the dog is getting too much thyroid meds and can be, if Hypothyroidism has been ruled out via blood test, a sign of another underlying disease such as diabetes or cushings.

Unfortunately you have not posted any test results or told us what test was used to rule out cushings but if a Low Dose Dexamethasone Suppression Test (LLDS) confirmed that Kallie does not have Cushings (keep in mind no test is 100 % reliable) it would not rule out Atypical Cushings.

When reading your posts I have 2 concerns …..

1. Your vet dismissing the increase in water intake and urination to ‘just’ being a side effect of the medication
You mentioned Kallie started to have peeing accidents in the house – this way over the top for a dog that has no history of doings this to be dismissed as ‘just’ being a side effect.
According to the manufacturer of Soloxine excess drinking/urination is an adverse reaction.

2. I would expect improvements not worsening of symptoms eg. skin issues and the continued use of antibiotics

You hopefully will see an improvement in the skin issues with prolonged use of antibiotics but it also may just suppressing symptoms for the time being and once the antibiotics get discontinued the symptoms will reappear if there is more going on then Hypothyroidism.

If Kallie where my dog I would contact Dr. Jean Dodds and ask her to review her case and get feedback. You can find her contact information here http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/HEMOPET.HTM along with helpful articles. More excellent articles http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/THYROID-ARTICLES.HTM

A fresh healthy diet also plays a huge role in immune compromised dogs as well as minimizing/discontinue exposure to pesticides such as flea and HW meds etc as well as to not subject these dogs to continued vaccination and their toxic impact these have on dogs especially with an already suppressed immune system .

My intend is not to worry you, but my own Phillip has been under and misdiagnosed for almost 2 years before getting a confirmation of hypothyroidism and cushings, valuable time wasted in getting him proper treatment and relieve and I just don’t want this to happen to another dog if I can help it.

IMO - too many conditions/symptoms are labeled as 'allergies', 'breed is prone to', etc. when the root cause is a species inaprobriate diet, the use of toxinse and the result of vaccination.

If you do want to contact Jean but have questions, just send me a PM and we can talk.

Nathalie

[di_tino]

Ok, they finally came in the mail today. I have no idea, the list is long, I'll type it all here to see if anyone can make sense of it. Again remember he said that she "DID NOT" have cushings.
I don't understand most of what they tested, but the two in red have arrows noting 'high" numbers, but there are only two of them and all others seem to be in range. The Differential #'s only have one in red, but all are higher than the Reference points. If anyone can read this, let me know if you think he tested for "Cushings".

Biochemistry
Test Results Reference Units
Total Protein 67 54-75 g/L
Albumim 34 31-43 g/L
Globulin 33 18-39 g/L
A/G Ratio 1 .8- 1.7 g/L
Bilirubin (Total) 2 0-5.0 umol/L
Bilirubin (Conj.) 0 0.-2.0 umol/L
ALP 55 24-141 IU/L
ALT 31 5-95 IU/L
AST 20 5-71 IU/L
CK 110 5-235 IU/L
Amylase 502 150-1350 IU/L
Lipase 140 0-900 IU/L
Cholesterol 5.2 3.0-9.9 mmol/L
Glucose 6.1 3.6-7.0 mmol/L
Urea 3.3 3.0-10 mmol/L
Creatinine 80 30-140 umol/L
Sodium 148 143-155 mmol/L
Potassium 4.3 3.9-5.7 mmol/L
Na/K Ratio 34 25-40 mmol/L
Chloride 111 107-123 mmol/L
Calcium 2.54 2.2-3.00 mmol/L
Phosphorus 1.1 0.8-2.2 mmol/L
Hemolysis Normal
Icterus Normal
Lipemia 1+

Hematology
WBC 18.6 6.0-17.0 x10E9/L
RBC 7 5.5-8.5 x10E12/L
Hemoglobin 164 135-205 g/L
MVC 0.46 .39-.60 L/L
MCV 66 62-77 fl
MCH 23 21-26 pg
MCHC 357 320-360 g/L
Platelets 431 165-550 x10E9/L


Differential
Bands 0 0
Neutrophlis 80.5 15
Lymphocytes 12.3 2.3
Monocyles 4 0.07
Eosinophis 2.6 0.5
Basophils 0.4 0.1

Morphology
WBC Morphology
Neutrophilia Mild
RBC Morphology Normal
PLT Morphology Normal

[di_tino]

Sorry, no amount of formatting I did helped to separate the numbers.

The first # is her results.......reference is the range and units is next.

[AlisonandMia]

No - it doesn't look like he specifically tested for Cushings BUT the fact that the ALP and ALT (liver enzymes) and cholesterol are bang in the middle of the normal range pretty much does rule out Cushing's. Significant (sometimes really big) elevations in the ALP especially are just about universal in Cushing's. I would think that this is why he has ruled out Cushing's.

Having said that, I do feel bound to say that we have seen one (but just the one) Cushing's dog (Glynda's Lulu) who had full on Cushing's with very high levels of almost all the adrenal steroids but yet had very, very normal liver enzymes. Lulu is the only case we've ever seen here with definite Cushing's and a normal ALP.

I think your vet's assumption that Kallie does not have Cushing's because her liver numbers (and cholesterol) are normal is entirely reasonable especially in the light of her conclusive diagnosis of hypothyroidism.

If symptoms of possible Cushing's persist despite sorting out any other stuff she may have going on such as possibly too high or low a dose of thyroid meds, infections etc. it may be worth your while getting a full adrenal panel done by the University of Tennessee at some point down the track. In your position I'd want to give things about 6 months to settle down before going forward with that test, though.

Alison

ETA: I think the abnormalities on the WBC and the neutrophils are probably related to infection. Cushing's does usually affect the white blood cell picture in a particular way - something called a "stress leukogram" (I think). Debbie will no doubt be able to tell you much more about that.

[StarDeb55]

Alison is right on target with her explanation of the lab results. I'm in total agreement that with a normal alk phos & cholesterol, it's pretty unlikely that Kallie has Cushing's. To give you a couple of examples about how high an alk phos can be in a Cushpup, my 1st boy's alk phos frequently ran int the several thousands. My current boy, Harley, has an elevated alk phos that runs between 600-900 mg/dl. I did find this link that will explain "stress leukogram", a little better than I can, but the other good thing about this link is that it explains what abnormalities in general labwork may hint or suggest that Cushing's disease is in play.

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_hints_of_cushing_s_disease.html

Debbie

[di_tino]

Thanks for helping figure the readings out. I'm all for "not having" cushings!!! She seems to be getting better day by day. A couple baths with oatmeal shampoo have helped her skin. The sore on her head is now 90% gone, the psoriasis looking skin on her back is about 70% better, here hair loss has "really" slowed down and we are no longer finding big masses all around. Her drinking still seems to be more than normal, but the antibiotics she has been on for so long may be to blame. We are well into month two of the thyroid meds so I am guessing they are working to correct the symptoms and maybe my vet was right on with his final judgement that she just had bad symptoms from the hyroid.