Cushings Disease

[MadWoofter]

A work colleague is currently having his dog tested for Cushings disease, and the intermediate results seem fairly conclusive - they're now testing to see if it is adrenal or pituitary (I think that is right).

Does anyone have any experience with living with a dog with Cushings?

Would just like to pass on some notes of experience from others.

Thanks for your help.

PS - I've done a search on here and printed off the information found, but as it was from a few years ago now I'd thought I'd ask again.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

My old terrier x girl (my Avatar) was diagnosed with Cushings over 3 years ago. It's a tumour on her pituitary. The first 6 months were hell, many vets' visits and several thousand dollar in bills.

She is on chemo tablets, half twice a week and if she goes off them, her hair begins to fall out. A year ago, she had to go off them for sugery on her teeth, they have to be off them for about 3 months before surgery can happen. Anyhow, she had to be on a drip beforehand (due to chemo and Cushings) my vet cleaned her teeth, removed a couple ($950) and then she went back on chemo. 3 months later another vet saw her and said "her teeth need surgery". VERY depressing, considerign what we'd just been through.

Tests have to be done regularly and initially it was recommended to have them every 3 months, as they were around $600-$700 each time, I'll be honest and say I couldn't afford it. I've had them done on occasion but not every 3 months.

I've also changed vets and they would not have put an elderly dog through this whole process.

Mind you at the end of the day, I've probably had a much longer time with the most wonderful dog anyone could ask for and you can't put a price on that. From her point of view though, she now simply hates going in the vet and until she underwent the first 6 months of Cushings treatment, it was never an issue. She's now about 15 and has gone past the vet's estimate of 3 years' lifespan. She does have small fits where she loses the ability to walk but they only last a few minutes at a time and are infrequent.

Edited May 8, 2007 by dogmad

[dachsiedowns]

A work colleague is currently having his dog tested for Cushings disease, and the intermediate results seem fairly conclusive - they're now testing to see if it is adrenal or pituitary (I think that is right).

Does anyone have any experience with living with a dog with Cushings?

Would just like to pass on some notes of experience from others.

Thanks for your help.

PS - I've done a search on here and printed off the information found, but as it was from a few years ago now I'd thought I'd ask again.

We have a little miniature longhair dachshund who was diagnosed just short of her first birthday with cushings. After extensive tests both at our general vet then at the University Specialist Clinic, since she was against all text books given her age and that she has never had cortisone.

Given her unusual age we decided to go for the Trilostane treatement which reduces the amount of cortisole produced, versus affecting the cells that make it.

We are now 14 months down the track of her treatment and have gone from 15mg a day to last week up to 60mg (progressively).

Her demodectic mange is now under control - after 9 months off daily ivermectin at 2.7ml per day (she weighed only 3kg then), and changed to dectomax injections weekly which had a better result.

Her skin is much better than it was (still a way to go to normal), her hair has grown back on her sides and feet, which just some hairloss under side.

She is currently on monthly ACTH tests to see if her medication is at a good level.

Personality wise - you couldn't ask for a better dog she takes it all in her stride.

When we initially started treatment the shampoos were all too harse on her skin, which was had an infection, so we used a lotion called Resichlor which contains chlorhexidine and it worked really well.

Hope this info is of some help.

[Loraine]

My mini poodle was diagnosed at age 12.5. I had him on Lysodren and then Trilostane. I prefer Lysodren! It required regular ACTH testing and medication adjustments, water measurements etd., but was not that hard once you got into the routine. Here is a really great group for Cushpups.

http://caninecushings.net/

If your friend needs any assitance please email me at [email protected]

You really do need a vet who has a good understanding of Cushing's in dogs. I had to change my vet as he did not understand the protocols for using the meds I found a guy who had treated a number of Cushpups and who did not mind that I sourced info from the internet.

Unfortunately I lost my Coco at 15.5 due to a third renal failure episode. I have a heap of info I am happy to share, and I communicate with a couple of other Cush-parents in Australia.

If it is adrenal then there is the possiblity of removing the adrenal glands which turns the dog Addisonion and the dog then must be on prednisone for life. They are doing pituirary surgery in the USA but I am not sure that it has been done in Australia.

I also have a girlfriend who had pit Cushing's, had the pit tumour removed and then had to have her adrenal glands removed. Heck I know a lot about this rotten disease!

Also - take no notice of the 3 yr expected life span. I know a number of dogs who have had Cushing's for 10 years+!

Edited June 18, 2007 by Loraine