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Thread: Awaiting Results. Vet strongly suspects Cushings

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    1

    Unhappy Awaiting Results. Vet strongly suspects Cushings

    Hello all. Im new and my name is Lisa. In my atress and worry ive already made an error whilst registering and cant find gow to fix. My lil dog is Odie..not oldie..sorry..:-(...little odie is 12yr old maltese shi tzu and i love him so much as i know we all love our puppas. A yr ago Ods bacl leg started acting up. Took him to vet and they did blood test and came back as high for poss cushings at 300..was told maybe wise to get cushing test and they gve cartrophen injection for arthritis..we ended up moving fsir distance and he seemed just fine...perfect...he rhen had bad tummy took to vet and they did bloods..came bck levels at 500 and to just monitor it...moved again due to husbands work and christmas last yr his lil leg got worse...took to vet was diagnosed with ruptured tendon and to rest..inoperable...in last week he suddenly went down hill with his leg...all fine bfre hand..took to vet..was booked in for sedation test on leg...this was now his left as right seemed to heal...fri aftr work came home and was shocked..both his legs were gone on him..he cld hardly walk..rushed to vet..aftr numerous qstns they ran bloods for suspected cushings...levels came bck at 1552...they then did the cortisol test results die tmrw...he is on carprofen and trimidol for psin and inflammation inback lwgs..still limping...i hve also notice his front feet seemed to hve gone like club feet..im totally beside myself and hve scoured web searching...he hasnt teally show full cush symptoms..he pants a bit..but if anything his bck legs tremble...is this a symptom of cushings?...this is his main issue everything else he seems fine...appetite is great..its just his legs..yet bloods point towards cushings...sorry for rambling...like we hve all experienced im sure im just so upset and scared and i cant help him...its like he has suddenly gone down hill his nck legs hve just given way so quickly and rhen to link this to cushings...will know more tmrw once get full results but is 1552 high?...i must get copy of his bloods....thankyou everyone...lisa...aka Odies Mum

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    15,292

    Default Re: Awaiting Results. Vet strongly suspects Cushings

    Hello Lisa, and welcome to you and little Odie. I'm so sorry for the problems that have brought you to us, but very glad you've found us. Also, you'll see I've corrected your username for you.

    Probably the most important thing for you to know is that either of the two diagnostic blood tests for Cushing's (the LDDS and the ACTH stimulation test) can return "false positives" when a dog is highly stressed, in pain, or suffering from certain health conditions other then Cushing's. Excessive cortisol production can be a general response to stress, pain, or illness, and for this reason a definitive Cushing's diagnosis usually also requires evidence of common overt Cushing's symptoms such as excessive thirst/urination/hunger, pot belly, hair loss, lethargy, seeking cool places to lay down on, etc.

    Muscle atrophy and tendon/ligament damage can also accompany Cushing's, so it is indeed possible that Odie may have Cushing's. However, in the absence of any other marked symptoms, I'm thinking it may be hard to feel confident that his elevated blood test results are not a result of stress and pain from his injury as opposed to truly being Cushing's.

    I realize that, either way, his inability to comfortably stand or walk are huge worries for you right now. Has your vet given you any options as far as immediate treatment for Odie's legs?

    Marianne

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    16,150

    Default Re: Awaiting Results. Vet strongly suspects Cushings

    Hello and welcome from me too.

    Just to verify, Odie doesn't drink excessively and urinate a lot or seem ravenously hungry? The only real problem is the back legs?

    What exactly is elevated on the bloodwork? and what are the levels? Can you just put anything that is high or low here?
    for example

    ALP 1550ug (range 50 - 150)

    You can get a copy from the vet. This will help us to give you better feedback.

    I think like Marianne I am concerned that the cortisol is high due to the pain from the ligament tear. So I would want to know more before saying definitely cushings.

    Now for the most part, if surgery isn't an option on the legs, then they recommend reduced movement for like 6 weeks I think it is. I had to use a doggie playpen for my dog when she hurt her back, because they can't jump up or down or run. You know dogs love to do that.

    I know you must be just dying with anxiety and worry for your precious Odie. We are here to talk to you any time and help as we can.
    Sharlene and the late great diva - Molly muffin (always missed and never forgotten)

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