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View Full Version : Vetoryl not effective? What are my options?



mklitt
03-17-2018, 08:17 PM
My Norwich Terrier Guinness will be 16 in two weeks. She was diagnosed with Cushings in September 2017. I had had her tested about 6 months earlier because she was drinking so much water and peeing (of course) so much more. However, she was borderline negative.

She weighs 10.5 pounds and was started on 10mg Vetoryl (not compounded) in the AM. I took her for a retest one month ago because she was drinking more, pacing more, and sometimes circling.

My vet said her numbers were wonderful, but he thought we should up her meds because of her symptoms. I was to give her 10 mg PM, 3 days each week. In other words, 3 evenings out of 7. After 2 weeks I did not see much improvement. She had a circling episode, where she just went in circles for an hour. Guinness is an old dog who sleeps most of the day, but she would get excited at dinnertime. Now I was not seeing that.

I talked with my vet and he said to up the medication in the PM to every other day. Guinness seemed about the same. Tuesday evening she had another bad circling episode, where she could not stop to eat. Her rear end seems weaker and her gait is ataxic. I have a call into my vet.

What options do I have?

Sixteen is often the last year for Norwich Terriers. They just seem to wear out at 16, but if she has some good months left where she dances at dinnertime and works treat puzzles, like she did a month ago, I want that for her.

Suggestions?

Her only other impairments are age related, loss of hearing, and sight. She gets the oral melanoma vaccine every 6 months, even after her diagnosis I got her the shot because she has been so lively. It is a very expensive shot, over $1,000 and a 6 hour round trip, but I won’t hesitate if she is her old self. It is to prevent a recurrence of her cancer. Now, I do not know if I should keep that up.

Thank you!

Marilyn Knapp Litt & Guinness

Harley PoMMom
03-18-2018, 05:02 AM
Hi Marilyn,

Welcome to you and your sweet girl! Wow, 16 years old, that's a true testament of your love and devotion, great job, Mom! So that we can provide you with our best possible feedback I have some questions, if you don't mind answering them, of course. Could you get the results from her latest ACTH stimulation test and post them here...thanks! Did the vet tell you that the Vetoryl has to given with a meal and those monitoring ACTH stim tests need to be done 4-6 hours post pill? Does Guinness have the pituitary or adrenal type of Cushing's? How is her appetite? Is she having any diarrhea?

I'm sorry this post is so short but I need to get to bed, I'm sure the others will be by to welcome you both and share their thoughts as well. I'm sorry for the reasons that brought you here but sure glad you found us and we will help in any way we can.

Hugs, Lori

PS ~ I went ahead and manually approved your membership so please just disregard the validation email that was sent to you from k9cushings.

jrepac
03-19-2018, 08:42 PM
God Bless your little Norwich. They are terrific little dogs. I own an Aussie Terrier and have had 2 with Cushings. Perhaps some of the circling behavior is due to old age/doggie dementia setting in? You may want to ask your vet about Anipryl. It can address cognitive issues and adverse behaviors (like nighttime restlessness for instance). In some cases, it can help w/Cushings symptoms. It's not as effective as Vetoryl and for some pets it is ineffective, period. But, in the case of a 16yr old dog, may be worth a shot to improve quality of life. I had very good luck with it, when Vetoryl was not an option. Good luck to you.

molly muffin
03-22-2018, 08:32 PM
Aww what a sweetied. I second the idea of maybe using anipryl, with a 16 year old, as quality of life is most important.

Lets start with what is the current or latest ACTH result that Lori talked about. Since the circling started after the addition 10mg every other day in the PM in addition to the 10mg daily in the AM. That might actually be too much for her. Have you retested since you increased the dosage?
She was borderline negative when she was tested for cushings, but they still started her on vetroyl to treat the symptoms I assume? So is the peeing and drinking any different before the increase of the PM medicine or after?