Dog got diagnosed with Cushing's - Chuck has passed

[molly muffin]

It's possible that you will go to a 5mg anyway at some point, since he now seems to be more sensitive to the medication and yes, he is correct, it is actually rather normal to have to reduce the dosage after long term use.

[randomguy]

Well, so far so good--he seems to be in good spirits. He's very old, 16, but I'll be damned if he doesnt make me throw around his dolls every night and chase after them at a pretty fast speed haha. Doc recommended a general blood test and resting ACTH test (or something) and I'll probably do those when he wants me to--they aren't as expensive but still not cheap. Thanks for being so helpful and supportive!

[molly muffin]

He sounds very lively for a 16 year old and that is a good thing and sure shows that you continue to do really well with him and his treatment.

good job!!

[randomguy]

Hey all! My dog is still alive and well haha. We got another ACTH test since he went off the meds and the doctor said his levels are within the normal limits still so that is good. I do think his water intake and urination have steadily increased (though his urine doesnt seem dilute or anything) and the doctor said he would like to get his kidneys tested but I dont have enough money for that right now. I do feel like his stomach has gotten bigger (though he has gained some weight) and he has been losing hair like he was before so no changes there. Overall I'd say he is quite active and happy and hasnt had anymore pancreatitis attacks or anything bad so I'm pretty happy! Until next time! Which will be when I get more money for tests and stuff lol. Thanks for reading and any advice!

[Harley PoMMom]

Thanks for the update and I'm so happy to read that Chuck is doing well!!! Did the vet perform a full ACTH stimulation test or just a pre? And can you post those results here for us..thanks!

It could be an UTI that's causing the increased drinking/urinating. Does it seem that when he pees it's a small amount or is it a good stream of pee?

[randomguy]

I want to say its not a UTI because he just took a two week dose of cephalexin for his interdigital cysts (or whatever they are called), but its possible because he's had UTIs before (and I dont know if cephalexin treats UTIs lol). His pee is usually a decent amount, but sometimes not. Honestly he always kind of peed a lot and has never been very well trained. He had a full ACTH stim test. I dont remember the pre (I think 3.5?) but i do recall he said the post was 15 or 15.5. Thank you so much for responding!

[Budsters Mom]

I love how you start your messages! So glad that Chuck is still alive and doing well overall.

Kathy

[molly muffin]

Great to hear that chucks journey is continuing on. Tough guy isn't he.

[randomguy]

Hey all! Hope everyone is doing well! My dog is still alive! He’s extremely old at this point, though he seems to be doing pretty great when he’s good but I have been through several scares in the last year. Anyway, after the vet found that with no vetoryl his levels were normal I got lazy and didn’t test him for a while. He started peeing a lot and drinking a lot of water (even though those symptoms were never really prevalent when he was initially diagnosed) several months ago so about a month ago I took him in and his levels had gotten higher again (I think post was 22ish). His liver and kidney and all those other values were normal (I think his liver values were slightly elevated which is another thing that led us to know that his cushings had “come back”). So we started him on 5mg of vetoryl.

Anyway, initially he seemed fine but I’m a little concerned that he’s acting strange and maybe kind of lethargic. It could be my head playing games with me but maybe his breathing is a bit more labored and his heart rate may be up too. I guess my only question is: is there anything I should watch out for? Should I stop giving him vetoryl? At this point he is so old that whatever is going to happen will happen, cushings treatment or not. I’m going to miss him dearly when he is gone and am dreading that day but my gosh is it getting exhausting taking care of an old pet—I had forgotten how difficult it was. My first and only other dog didn’t get quite this old and I was much younger.

Well, thanks so much for any advice!

Edit: I wanted to add that I think he seemed normal earlier in the morning before his medicine. Also I gave him a carprofen when he seemed like he wasn’t feeling good on the chance that maybe the vetoryl exacerbated his potential arthritis that the cushings masked. He seems quite ok now. Hmm.

[labblab]

Thanks so much for updating us about Chuck! If I’m figuring correctly, he must be 17 years old now, so that is quite a milestone indeed. If he were my own dog, I’d totally do whatever seems to keep him feeling the most comfortable. If the Cushing’s symptoms are bothering him a great deal, I’d try to persist with the Vetoryl. But if not, or if he seems even worse taking the Vetoryl, then for sure I’d just discontinue it altogether. As you’re guessing, it’s entirely possible that the Vetoryl may be increasing his discomfort from arthritic pain. So the trade-offs of treating vs. not treating have to be balanced.

One other issue with the Vetoryl is that if Chuck remains on it, you really will need to have his blood levels retested. Even at this relatively low dose for his weight, you have to know how his cortisol is being affected. One piece of good news in that department is that a new monitoring protocol has been developed that involves only a single blood draw to check the resting cortisol level right before the daily dose of Vetoryl is given. This is much simpler and much less expensive than the full ACTH stimulation test. If Chuck stays on the Vetoryl, however, this monitoring testing should be done in order to evaluate the appropriateness of the dose.

You have done an amazing job of supporting Chuck throughout such a long and well-loved life. You both deserve to have as much peaceful time as possible now during these waning days. And if that means just forgetting about the Vetoryl altogether, I say “so be it.” If, however, you want to know more about this new testing protocol, just let me know and I’ll provide a link.

Big hugs to Chuck, and a huge pat on the back for you, as well!
Marianne