possible cushings

[alinin]

Hi everyone , I am new to the group, My dog has been on a form of steroid for nearly 3 years for inflammatory bowel disease . he also has an under active thyroid. the original hair loss we put down to the thyroid but that has been under control for a long time. he has really dry skin and a terrible coat he has the typical bald patch of cushings but it is only on one side, he drinks a lot of water and does a lot of panting. what i would like to know is if a dog has cushings would it cause problems with anesethic . my boy has had 3 GA's for steroid injections into his spine for a diseased disc, he has been ill after each GA , starts with excessive panting , then sickness and diahorrea . thanks Ali.

[labblab]

Hello and welcome to you and your boy! I’m surely sorry about all the problems he’s been having. Steroids can certainly be a double-edged sword. They can really help some conditions, but make others worse. So it can become a tight-rope walk to find the best balance between the two.

I am not a vet, so my thoughts here are really just speculation on my part. But my guess is that the biggest risk associated with Cushing’s and general anesthesia relates to whether or not kidney and/or liver function has been compromised by long-term exposure to elevated steroids. The kidneys and liver are both involved in the proper metabolism and excretion of most anesthetics. So if there’s a problem with either of those organs, there can be an improper buildup of the anesthetic in the body. That’s why vets usually always want to analyze blood samples from animals before they administer general anesthesia. They want to first make sure that kidney and liver function is OK.

Does your vet check your dog’s blood chemistries before administering general anesthesia? I hope so. Also, I’m wondering whether it may be the steroid injection itself that is causing your dog’s discomfort rather than the anesthesia. One of our former staffers has just told us that her dog also became very ill after receiving a dexamethasone injection into her spine. If your dog is still taking oral steroids at the same time as he gets the injection, maybe it’s just too much steroid for his body to handle. Again, just speculating here. And also again, I’m really sorry your dog has been struggling with this combination of problems. Is there any way that a medication other than steroids might be considered for his inflammatory bowel issues?

Marianne

[alinin]

Hi , yes he has had blood tests before his GA. we have tried reducing his steroids but he became really ill , so we are stuck with them , he is on a special diet and luckily he is not a scavenger . I agree it is possible to much steroid for him to cope with. funny thing is he comes out of the GA straight away and is not dozy at all. maybe that is the steroid too. Thank you for answering, Ali