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View Full Version : adrenal tumor cushings (Lucy) 12 y/o female pit mix - Lucy has passed



charliesam
12-22-2010, 08:00 PM
Hi I am new here, i have a 12 yr old female pit mix recently dx with adrenal tumor. brough her in for increased drinking/urinating. big appetite panting. not sure of all her labs increased chol, liver enzyme slightly elevated. cortisol + in blood. ultrasound + for left adrenal mass. the MD suggested that we have dexamothosne test and possile surgery to remove adrenal mass. HAS ANYONE GONE THUR the SURGERY? We are really worried. what will Lucys quality of life be like during treatment? We should have complete plan of can tomorrow, but it would be helpful to hear what others have gones thur.
sincerely frantic mom charliesam

frijole
12-22-2010, 11:15 PM
Hi and welcome! Glad you found us. There are several members who have been thru adrenal surgeries with flying colors and I'm sure they will chime in.

What I've learned from reading here over the years is that this is an intricate surgery that needs to be done by a seasoned surgeon so you want to ask how many they have done and get a feel for their experience. Also the ultrasound gives them a feel for the success rate of the surgery - it has to do with the location and size of the tumor. Has any of this been discussed with you? Do you know which adrenal gland has the tumor?

Normally they put the dogs on another drug to help control cortisol prior to surgery. What exactly is the plan that the doc/surgeon is recommending?

Please share as much detail as you can and I'm sure other will offer you their advice. Best of luck to you and your furry one. Kim

littleone1
12-23-2010, 07:38 AM
Hi,

Corky and I also want to welcome you and your furbaby.

As Kim mentioned, we have members on the forum whose furbabies have had very successful adrenalectomies.

Corky has a right adrenal tumor, but he is not a good candidate for surgery. He is currently being treated with Trilostane. He's been taking it for about 14 months. The treatment has been successful for Corky. His quality of life is really good. He acts like himself, and he does things he use to do before he got Cushings. His dosage has had to be adjusted, but that's pretty normal.

I hope everything goes well for you furbaby with whatever decision you make.

Terri

mytil
12-23-2010, 09:29 AM
Hi and welcome from me too.

I wanted to give you this link to one of the member's thread on his girl and his experience with adrenal surgery - http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1332

Kim and Terri have asked some good questions and offered good input.

Please keep us posted and please provide some additional information on testing and location of mass etc.

Terry

Squirt's Mom
12-23-2010, 12:04 PM
Hi CharlieSam and welcome to you and Lucy! :)

A Pit mix! Oh, I can't wait to see pics of her! I love the Pittys having had a mix myself. ;)

Ok, we play 20 Questions with our new members so be prepared! We ask so we can get a clearer picture and be able to offer more meaningful feedback. We won't get really nosy til we know you a bit better. :p

How much does Lucy weigh?

Does she have any other health issues that you are aware of and is she on any other meds, supplements or herbs? If so, what?

Do you have copies of the tests done so far to diagnose the Cushing's and would you mind posting those results here for us? Please include the units of measurement (ug/dl, nmol/L, ect) and the normal ranges for that lab as the norms can vary from lab to lab.

Have they told you anything about the size and/or location of the adrenal tumor?

Do you remember if your vet talked about Trilostane or Lysodren use before surgery? These are the drugs that will help control the cortisol until the surgery. (They are also the drugs used to treat Cushing's, both pituitary and adrenal when surgery isn't feasible.)

Do you have an IMS (Internal Medicine Specialist) close by and would your vet refer you to one?

Have you talked with a surgeon yet?

Have you had enough questions for now? :p

Quality of life....treatment will help Lucy while waiting for the surgery. The drug chosen, either one, will help control the cortisol before the surgery which will help with the healing process. Uncontrolled cortisol makes healing very difficult for our babies. You will notice a change in her drinking, peeing and appetite while on treatment - you should see her returning to a more normal state with the meds. After this type surgery, most pups are cured of Cushing's and will require no further treatment. That is the silver lining with adrenal based Cushing's - surgery usually results in a cure! :)

You will want to make sure the surgeon is Board Certified and that he/she has performed many successful adrenalectomies. Take your time to talk with the surgeon and if you are not comfortable, then talk to another. This is a complicated and serious surgery, so making sure Lucy is in the very best hands is critical.

One of our other members is facing this surgery with her baby coming up the 28th of this month. I am sure Janis and Kira would be happy to compare notes. You can find their thread at:

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2742

FYI, Janis lost her other baby recently but NOT due to Cushing's - Mira had liver cancer so don't let her loss upset you, ok? Mira didn't have Cushing's.

I know this is very scary but there is much hope in this type of surgery. Ken and Shi's story is full of hope so I hope you will read their journey in the link Terry provided. Ken is our adrenal guru and I am sure he will along to talk with you himself. Shi is in her fourth year since her adrenalectomy!

You and Lucy are not alone on this journey. We will be here to help you in any way we can. The collective knowledge and first-hand experience her is astounding and we are more than happy to share. You will also find the best hand-holders in the world right here! We know what it means to love your fur-baby to distraction and we understand the fear, grief, and confusion this disease brings with it to us parents.

Please ask any questions you may have and we will do our best to help you understand. Read all you can here on the thread, in the Helpful Resource section and online, then ask more questions. You are Lucy's first and last defense, her only voice, her advocate and the more you know, the stronger you will be in these roles Knowledge truly is power when dealing with Cushing's! ;)

I am really sorry that you have the need for a group like this but am very glad you found us. Ya'll are family now so never hesitate to reach out.

Hugs,
Leslie and the girls - always

Helpful Resource Section:
http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=180

Adrenalectomy link:
http://www.newmanveterinary.com/CushingSx.html#Adrenalectomy

charliesam
12-23-2010, 10:14 PM
Hi everyone and thank you for all the good information, i. am so glad i. found all of you. Today i. waited all day for the vet to call. He ended up calling late and i. missed his call. He said he would talk to me tomorrow, so hopefully i will have more info. To answer some questions. Lucy is approx. 56lbs. i. have always kept up with yearly exams and in the past have never had abnormal blood work. In her past hx she has had 2 urinary tract infections treated with antibiotic and resolved. She is on Gabapentin and Tramadol for arthritis at a low dose due to her being sensitive to medicine. Her labs now (and i. don't have the results here) revealed a high chol, very dilute urine and one slightly elevate liver enzyme. Blood - very high cortisol and dexamethasone suppression test results were reported as ambiguous. Ultrasound showed lg. mass left adrenal. Small bright liver. I do have a board certified Vet specialist- who originally said it would be best to have the mass surgically removed. He did also mention there were oral treatment medications. I have not yet talked to a surgeon (who will also be board certified). I will get Lucy’s labs and post them as requested. Since the dexamethasone test on saterday, Lucy’s symptoms have not been bad. She is still occ. panting and drinking but she sleeps most nights. I will keep you up dated and should know more tomorrow.

Altira
12-24-2010, 04:03 AM
Hi I'm Janis the one Leslie mentioned. My Kira is due to have surgery in a few days. I think you might find some useful info on Kiras thread in between all my panic. We are just waiting out the final days. I will surly post anything new that happens. Trust me there are a whole bunch of angels floating around here that will take good care of you in anyway possible.

Buffaloe
12-24-2010, 05:10 PM
Hi and welcome to you and Lucy,

My dog, Shiloh, had a very large adrenal tumor (5 cm. in diameter) removed from her left adrenal gland in 2006. She was just a couple of weeks from turning 12 at the time of her surgery. We had a highly skilled and experienced board certified surgeon perform her adrenalectomy.

Prior to the surgery, Shi was doing lousy; just hanging on. As soon as I brought her home I could tell she was doing so much better...happy, affectionate, wagging her tail, drinking, eating and urinating like a normal dog. She recovered beautifully and her surgery was very successful.

I think you will know a whole lot more after you have your consultation with the board certified surgeon. Removing a tumor from the left gland is quite a bit easier than from the right so that is in your favor. If Lucy is fairly strong and healthy for a 12 year old dog, then she's probably a good surgical candidate. You want to be sure your surgeon has performed alot of adrenalectomies with a good long term succes rate. Make no mistake, an adrenalectomy is a very major surgery for a dog. They cut right into the center and remove the tumor in one piece among a maze of blood vessels. A successful adrenalectomy provides a complete cure. My surgeon said they have an 85% long term success rate with these surgeries. He said the risks are with the anesthesia, blood clots and infection.

I hope you and Lucy have a very Merry Christmas tomorrow and a whole bunch more together in the future.

Ken

charliesam
12-24-2010, 08:25 PM
Hello everyone, I heard back from the vet today. He said there was good and bad news. The good news is, the last test that Lucy had done indicated she does not have Cushings. The bad news is that the tumor could be an adrenal pheochromocytoma that can have some of the same symptoms as Cushings. On Wednesday Lucy is starting phenoxybenzamine 10 mg twice a day- she will take that up to surgery. On January 11 we meet the surgeon. The surgeon is board certified and was recommended to us once before for our beloved buddy (who has since passed) and was Lucy’s mate. So we are somewhat familiar with him-as a surgeon, but he does not know Lucy. The vet said that Lucy does not have all the classic text book symptoms for either Cushing’s or pheochromocytoma, and we really won’t know what type of tumor this is until it is surgically removed and biopsied. I worry bout metastases, worry bout the surgical risks, worry bout starting the new medicine on Wednesday. I guess not knowing what exactly she has, is worrying me even more.

06beagles
12-24-2010, 10:00 PM
Hi Charliesam and Lucy,

I just posted about my dog Max who also has an adrenal tumor, possibly a pheochromocytoma so I am interested in seeing how things work out for you. I can empathize with how you are feeling and this seems like a very nice board with a lot of helpful people and info. Good luck and please let us know how things go.

Theresa & Max

charliesam
12-24-2010, 10:46 PM
Hi Theresa and Max--

Thanks so much for your concern and post. I will definately keep you informed as soon as we know anything!

charliesam
12-30-2010, 07:37 AM
Hi everyone,
We started the phenoxybenzamine, as the vet requested- is used to block noradrenaline activity. So far Lucy is ok, not sure how fast this medicine works, but we haven't had any excessive drinking episodes. Appetite and activity is good. Lucy has always been very sensitive to medications, so i. am glad we are home to keep watch over her. Surgery is still booked for Jan 11.

Squirt's Mom
12-30-2010, 07:39 AM
Hi,

It's good to hear from you and to know that a plan is in place for Lucy. I hope the new meds do wonders for her and help her until she has the surgery.

Keep us informed!

Hugs,
Leslie and the girls - always

charliesam
01-05-2011, 08:57 PM
hi everyone we are still here. Lucy has been taking the phenoxybenzamine 10 mg twice a day. I have seen a decrease in her drinking/panting and urination- her arthritis in her hind legs is a little bit worst since taking this new med. She is sleeping thur the night. Surgery is still planned for next Tuesday. right now while she is taking the med she is almost back to normal. feeling very nervous about the surgery.

frijole
01-05-2011, 10:03 PM
Hi! If you haven't yet, go read on Kira's thread who just had the surgery and is home doing great. I know it is nerve wracking. Hang in there and know that during surgeries we all turn into "cushing's angels" and we flutter over you and Lucy bringing you love and luck. :) Kim

Casey's Mom
01-05-2011, 10:13 PM
We tend to see any arthritis issues flare up once the cortisol is under control as the cortisol tends to mask the arthritis. We can help you with those issues once you get her surgery out of the way.

Like Kim said we are all here to bring you lots of love and luck.:):)

Squirt's Mom
01-06-2011, 10:29 AM
Mornin'!

Glad to hear that the meds are helping while Lucy waits for the surgery. The two of you can enjoy these days before then even more since she is feeling better! :)

Arthritis is hard for us parents to see in our babies, but it is not a life-threatening condition and can be dealt with to provide Lucy some comfort and relief once the tumor is out.

Please keep in touch and let us know how things are going.
Hugs,
Leslie and the girls - always

charliesam
01-06-2011, 08:36 PM
thank you all for responding. we are anxiously awaiting for Tuesday. I will definitely update you all. I am glad to hear that the increase in her arthritis symptoms are normal. I worry that her arthritis will interfere with her recovery. reading Kira's thread made me feel better, she is very lucky and i will keep reading their updates. keeping my fingers crossed .

littleone1
01-07-2011, 07:22 AM
Corky and I are sending positive thoughts and prayers that the surgery goes very well.

Terri

addy
01-07-2011, 08:28 PM
Me too, sending good vibes and saying prayers on the upcoming surgery.

Hugs,
Addy

charliesam
01-11-2011, 04:30 PM
hello everyone, lucy had her surgery today. Just heard from the surgeon- the adrenal surgery went well. he said the the tumor was a little over 2cm. he said the rest of her abdomen looked fine. he did take some biopsy's of her liver. The vet said her liver looked "bright" on an ultrasound. Her blood pressure remained stable and she minimal blood loss, she has IVs with IV pain meds. he is thinking she will need to be on a low dose of steroids for a few days as well- as well as pain meds. If she continues to do well she can come home on Thursday! I know I am not out of the woods yet, I have to wait for the biopsy report to come back. But it is good news for now!

Squirt's Mom
01-11-2011, 05:11 PM
:D:D:DYippee!!!!:D:D:D

I know you are relieved it is over and that things look good so far. Now it's time for you to get some rest and take good care of yourself so you will be ready when Lucy comes home. She will want your undivided attention then! :p

Thanks for letting us know she is out and in recovery, and stay in touch to let us know how she is doing.

Hugs,
Leslie and the girls - always

lulusmom
01-11-2011, 05:38 PM
Way to go, Lucy!!!

Roxee's Dad
01-11-2011, 06:23 PM
Woo Hoo

Good news indeed. :D:D:D

06beagles
01-11-2011, 07:32 PM
Glad to hear that things went well, you must be so relieved :)

littleone1
01-11-2011, 07:41 PM
I'm so glad to hear that the surgery went well. I'm sending positive thoughts that Lucy has a speedy recovery.

Terri

Squirt's Mom
01-12-2011, 09:00 AM
Mornin'

Have you heard from Lucy this morning?

Hugs,
Leslie and the girls - always

charliesam
01-12-2011, 08:35 PM
sorry for the late post i live in southern mass and we got bout a foot or more of snow, lost our electric due to the storm. we saw Lucy today. The vet changed her pain med because it was making her sleepy, once they switched it the vet said she was more awake. Lucy is walking, her legs are a bit wobbly at times. Both front paws have bandages with the IV catheters popping out, I am sure makes it a little more difficult to walk. she was happy to see us but she has a very medicated appearance. they said she wasn't eating so we brought some of her food. Which made her perk up and she ate all that we gave her. the covering vet said that she could go home tomorrow eve. her lab work was good. She has about an 8 in suture line with staples. When we left she wanted to come with us. I think she will do better at home, and esp after some of the anesthesia and medication wears off.

frijole
01-12-2011, 08:37 PM
Great news! I bet you can't wait to get her home. We got over a foot too... not good doggie weather. Again, congrats. Kim

06beagles
01-12-2011, 09:24 PM
Can I ask where you had the surgery done? We still aren't sure what we are going to do about our Max's adrenal tumor. I live in Southern NH and I see you are in MA. We must have about 20" or so of snow up here too...yuck!!

jrepac
01-12-2011, 10:01 PM
good news!

Jeff & Angel Mandy

Squirt's Mom
01-13-2011, 11:53 AM
Hi,

Good to hear from you and to know that ya'll are ok up there! Here in ARK we got from 4-9" and the whole state fell apart! LOL We just ain't used to blizzards down here! :p I'm glad you got the power back on and are in operation again.

Great news on Lucy! Eating for you is a great sign as is voiding on her own and being up and about. As her pain meds decrease and the anesthesia wears off, you will see more of your old Lucy VS a dope! ;) I so hope she gets to come home today but if not, you might take a shirt or something of yours with your scent on it to comfort her until she can. Being home does us all good when it comes to recovery.

Hang in there!
Hugs,
Leslie and the girls - always

charliesam
01-13-2011, 09:09 PM
Hello just brought lucy home. She is more alert today than yesterday and her gait is stronger. They told me to feed her a bland diet Hamburger and rice because she started to have diarrhea today-she has gone a few times since we have come home, it may be a long night .. lucy is eating and drinking started her prednisone tonight. I can remove her pain patch on Monday. She has finally settled down and is sleeping. 06beagles, Lucy had her surgery at ocean state veterinary specialist east Greenwich RI Dr Gray Block was her treating physician and George Coronado was her surgeon. Dr Block also treats my 17 year old cat for a chronic sinus condition; she periodically needs her sinus washed out. Home tomorrow with lucy so I can keep a close watch on her. They also have something called Credit care. I had never heard of it before, kinda like a credit care, we got approved for 6 months no interest. I'll keep everyone updated

frijole
01-13-2011, 09:41 PM
If you have any canned pumpkin (no spices.. plain) you can give Lucy about 1 T and it will plug that nasty diarrhea right up. I used to put a dollop on the food and the dogs love it. Good for them too. Don't do more than that amount or it will work in reverse. :D I learned this trick on this forum and it does work.

Glad she's home and doing well. Keep up the great work. We love good news. Kim

charliesam
01-14-2011, 08:18 PM
lucy had a good day, her diarrhea is less, she is eating and drinking. she is looking more like herself and is walking better. I got a good look at her suture line it is nice clean. hope tomorrow is another good day

charliesam
01-15-2011, 09:49 AM
Just got a call from the covering vet, she said Lucy's adrenal biopsy was reported as benign but most often seen in dogs with cushings. Her liver biopsy showed mild hepatitis, and that I could discuss the finds more when I have the staples removed with her surgeon and treating vet. So i am confused does she did she have cushings?

Altira
01-15-2011, 11:28 PM
My guess is that she doesn't have cushings now. And a very good chance all will be exactly what you hoped. I will say though at least with Kira, she is still showing signs of cushings because of the prednisone. For the first week it was two a day, the second week was one a day. Now we are down to one every other day and have about a week and a half left of that. I could be wrong but beings Kira is still showing signs of cushings is because the other side maybe working already. If you are seeing a reduction in symptoms then possibley the other side isn't working yet. But I was told that they aways do at some point so I wouldn't worry. It sounds like everything is just fine.

charliesam
01-18-2011, 10:32 AM
brought lucy to the hospital today, this morning she had tremors, vomited and appeared very nauseous. The ER vet said she was dehydrated, all blood work was normal-but was very hypertensive b/p was in the 200's. the vet said she was going to check her for pancreatitis, she felt Lucy was feeling like she had an upset stomach, her incision is clean no signs of infection.
to give a complete picture
Lucy was discharged Thursday eve Jan 13th on a bland diet hamburger and rice. she had started to have diarrhea that day.
Sunday she was started on metronidazole
Monday morning seem to have nausea did not want to eat. But perked up during the day and ate
Talked with surgeon on Monday afternoon regarding symptoms. no change in meds but started Lucy on chicken and rice
Lucy vomited once after eating- but later that day ate fine and had a quiet night. Her surgeon is coming to see her - hopefully they will find out what is wrong. I hope they are not missing something

Squirt's Mom
01-18-2011, 10:46 AM
Hi,

I wanted to share with you what happened when Squirt had a tumor and part of her spleen removed. The pancreas is a very touchy organ and does not like to be disturbed at all. During her surgery, the pancreas was handled. A day or two after coming home, she stopped eating and drinking, vomited, had diarrhea and was just not at all herself. I called the hospital and they told me to bring her in....she was experiencing an acute pancreatitis attack as a result of the organ being moved during the surgery (normal in the operation - it wasn't moved by accident, ect, but just as a need during the surgery). She went back into the hospital for another 3-4 days on IV fluids and meds. She has had no more problems with her pancreas since.

I hope Lucy is experiencing something similar and she will be back on her feet and running down the road of recovery in no time.

Hang in there and let us know what the vets think is going on.

Hugs,
Leslie and the girls - always

charliesam
01-18-2011, 07:14 PM
update on lucy,
all lab work is normal
she is now having some blood in her diarrhea
clotting time normal
ultrasound of abdomen normal
blood gasses normal
spiked a temp of 105
blood pressure was still up so they give her low oral dose of blood pressure med and it has come down
they think she has colitis, enteritis gastritis
they let us see her for 20 minutes, she was still very shaky, panting, falling over. she is getting flaggyl, and they are considering starting her on another antibiotic. they said they had just medicated her for pain which was attributing to some of the symptoms were were seeing. although we already got the biopsy report, the vet is asking the pathologist to dissect another piece of her biopsy to make sure they did not miss anything such as Pheochromocytoma. It was really upsetting to see her looking so sick. i just don't have a good feeling

Squirt's Mom
01-18-2011, 07:35 PM
Hi,

Glad to know things look good via the lab work so far and no signs of pancreatits. Colitis is something I am just becoming familiar with as my Trinket has recently been diagnosed....but she did just have abdominal surgery. I can only imagine how much more panicked I would have been to see blood in that case.

For now, Lucy is where she needs to be and I know her docs are doing all they can for her. It is so hard to get them home only to have to send them back to the hospital once again so soon but try not to let it get to you...easy to say, I know, and so much harder to do.

Someone will be on all nite long so if you need to talk, don't hesitate to post.

Sending healing white light and prayers for Lucy and you.
Hugs,
Leslie and the girls - always

frijole
01-18-2011, 08:11 PM
Prayers for you and Lucy from me as well. Keep us updated. Hugs, Kim

charliesam
01-18-2011, 08:40 PM
if you are all angles lucy needs you tonight

frijole
01-18-2011, 09:49 PM
All of us ''cush angels'' are with Lucy and you tonight. Holding you close and giving you strength. Kim

frijole
01-19-2011, 08:26 AM
Continued prayers and warm thoughts... Kim

littleone1
01-19-2011, 08:53 AM
Sending positive thoughts and prayers.

Hugs,

Terri

Squirt's Mom
01-19-2011, 09:35 AM
Mornin',

How is Lucy this morning? Any word yet?

Thinking of you both and sending healing white light and prayers for all.
Hugs,
Leslie and the girls - always

charliesam
01-19-2011, 02:40 PM
we got the call from the vet this morning, she said the lucy still had a fever, still had hemorrhagic colitis and she thought that lucy may have some neurological changes she did not know what was wrong with her. She offered to get a consult with the critical care department or we could transport her to the other hospital that had a critical care unit-We transported her, she is admitted in the critical care unit at another hospital.
What the critical care unit is doing..
putting in a central line
stopping the flagyl -thinking this maybe be causing some of her problems
starting her on dexa??? something for diarrhea
antibiotic
pepcid
changing pain med to phentol patch
offering her food and water.
re biopsying the tumor that was removed.
Lucy is walking, not shaking anymore. We saw her after she got settled in the unit she still looks very ill but a little better than last eve. I feel like we are on the roller coaster from hell

Squirt's Mom
01-19-2011, 02:49 PM
Hi,

Thanks for the update!

I am sooo glad that Lucy was moved and seems to be doing better already. I take it this unit is 24 hour? If so, that will be perfect for her because someone will be there all the time.

Hopefully the meds she was on were causing this back slide and she will be much better soon. Did you leave a shirt or something with her in the new clinic to help comfort her? That may help and most hospitals will let you do that.

Keep in touch! Healing white light and prayers continue for all.

Hugs,
Leslie and the girls - always

charliesam
01-19-2011, 03:26 PM
the hospital that she was at had 24 hour vet and staff- the vets there were ER vets- she was moved to the larger hospital 40 minutes away were they have the critical care unit and have the critical care 24 hour Vets. Everyone is board certified. After talking to the vet, husband and I were impressed on how many detailed questions they asked. I forgot bring something for her kennel, but we actually flew out of the house this morning when we got the call from the previous vet. When I visit her I will definitely bring something for her kennel. When we picked her up to transport her to the other hospital she did walk to the car, and actually gave me a dehydrated lick. I still do not have a good feeling, I think too much and perhaps feel the surgery (for the adrenal gland) unleashed something ugly that was hiding. I know crazy mom. thanks for asking and caring.

Squirt's Mom
01-19-2011, 03:35 PM
You're not a crazy mom! You are simply a loving mom who has every right to be worried and to have a mind that is running away with you. So, you are normal around here....tho I'm not exactly sure how comforting that really is! :p

Keep your chin up! You are doing a great job!

Hugs,
Leslie and the girls - always

frijole
01-19-2011, 08:51 PM
Thanks for the update.. been thinking about you. It seems like Lucy is in the very best place she can be right now and getting wonderful care and that is all you can ask for. I'll continue to hold you in my thoughts and prayers. Kim

charliesam
01-19-2011, 10:04 PM
The vet called us to say that Lucy had some difficulty breathing while laying on her side- O2 sat was at 80%. They put oxygen on her and did a repeat chest x-ray which was normal. The vet thought that she did have some neurological changes ( we are not sure we see these changes) and was concerned about the change in her condition –which she called “dull” because they though Lucy should have been up and more responsive. So we jumped in the car to visit lucy. The vet said since her heart lungs etc are normal so they are thinking she may have a brain tumor or be shooting clots, which would account for her dull appearance. We sat with Lucy she opened her eyes and definitely looked at us- she also tried to get up out of the kennel. Lucy managed to turn her self around and squatted, peed and pooped out the open kennel door on to the floor; she obviously did not want to do it in her bed. The doctor did agree that Lucy was more alert from our visit. I think her bathroom incident surprised the vet. Lucy has always been sensitive to medications, sedation, and anesthesia, tonight husband and myself both thought that she might be reacting to the sedation medication they were giving her when her B/P was up, and that she was very tired from all the diarrhea. Her blood pressure is now back to normal. Her temp is still up at 105. We decided to see how she is doing tomorrow, before making any major decisions. Maybe we are just grasping at straws, but we decided to see how she is doing tomorrow, before making any drastic decisions.

frijole
01-19-2011, 10:53 PM
Glad you went and visited her. Seems like they thrive around those that love them doesn't it. Amazing how they just know. Praying for continued improvement. Kim

charliesam
01-20-2011, 12:44 AM
the vet called she said that my Lucy has passed. my heart is broken

BestBuddy
01-20-2011, 02:18 AM
Oh no, I am so sorry. The more we love the more it hurts when it's their time to leave.

Godspeed Lucy

Jenny

Spiceysmum
01-20-2011, 04:04 AM
So sorry, my thoughts are with you.

Linda

littleone1
01-20-2011, 05:28 AM
I'm so sorry to hear about Lucy. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Rest in Peace Lucy.

Franklin'sMum
01-20-2011, 07:58 AM
I am so very sorry for your loss of precious Lucy. Sending thoughts and prayers to you at this very sad time.
(((Hugs)))
Jane, Franklin and Angel Bailey xxx

John II
01-20-2011, 08:01 AM
I'm so sorry to hear about Lucy.
You did everything you could to help her.
My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Rest in Peace Lucy.
:(:(:(:(:(

frijole
01-20-2011, 08:17 AM
My heart breaks with yours - I am so sorry. No doubt there was more going on than was known. Please know you did everything possible and dear Lucy is now free from pain. Run wild dear angel and go find all our dear cush angels that have gone before you. RIP angel Lucy. Strength and love to your family. Kim

Squirt's Mom
01-20-2011, 09:13 AM
Oh honey,

I am so, so sorry to hear about sweet Lucy. I know you are devastated. Sweetie, you did everything right, everything you could for Lucy to give her the best quality life possible. And she knows that.

I think she perked up when you saw her last nite to let you know that she was not scared, to tell you how much she loves you and how grateful she is to you. Today, she is looking down on you as you face the pain of losing her, hoping you will soon see that she is still with you and always will be.

It is my firm belief that we will one day see our babies again when it comes our time to cross The Bridge. Until then, Lucy is in great company with all our babies that have gone before and I am sure my Pitty mix, Crys, was there to show her all the neat things to get into.

Lucy's name has been added to our In Loving Memory list for 2011 where she will always be remembered and honored by her family here.

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2865

Candles for Lucy can be lit at:

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=K9C

When you feel up to it, we would be honored to share in the memories of your life with Lucy. If you would like, you can post a memorial to her at:

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=8

Please know we are here for you any time. We so understand the anguish you are feeling and offer soft, broad shoulders and a safe place to fall.

Our deepest sympathies,
Leslie, Squirt, Trinket, and our Angels, Ruby and Crystal

k9diabetes
01-20-2011, 01:14 PM
I am so very sorry to learn of Lucy's passing. You obviously loved her deeply, which is the most important thing of all for Lucy. To have that in her life was a blessing.

With deepest sympathy,

Natalie

Altira
01-20-2011, 01:24 PM
I'm so sorry.

marie adams
01-20-2011, 02:00 PM
Oh I am so sorry--I know your pain of the broken heart. I am getting better each day, but have my melt downs. The guilt is not so bad now because I realized we were both there taking care of each other in the only way we knew how. My Maddie was a trooper just as I know your Lucy was. Just think of all the wonderful stories you have to tell about them.

Best to you and take care!!! Just look outside tonight and that bright star you see is Lucy telling you they are running free again....she is with my Maddie Girl and all the other Cush Babies...

06beagles
01-20-2011, 03:44 PM
I am so, so sorry. You were obviously a great mom to Lucy and did everything you could for her, you were lucky to have each other. My thoughts are with you.

addy
01-20-2011, 07:23 PM
I am so, so very sorry to hear of Lucy going to the Bridge.

I was hoping the metronidazole had just made her sick to her tummy and was so sad when I read the developments.

You did so much for her and nothing can ever take that away from you and she knew how much you loved her.

God speed Lucy and prayers for you and your family.

Addy

Bichonluver3
01-21-2011, 04:40 PM
Oh, my gosh, I am so sorry to learn of your sad news. our hearts are breaking with yours. I know how much you loved Lucy and what good parents you were to her. She had a wonderful life with you and now will live in your heart forever. Our thoughts and prayers are with. May your tears of sadness be replaced with smiles as you remember all the good times you had with her.
To Lucy: Run healthy and free, sweet angel, through the sunny fields of heaven with all your new friends. Watch over your mom and dad until you see them again. I will watch for our newest, brightest angel star in the desert sky tonight. God bless and godspeed, precious princess.
Love,
Carrol & Chloe

zoesmom
01-21-2011, 06:57 PM
My heart goes out to you. I never posted to your thread but it sounds like it's been a rough few weeks for you all. You did the very best you could for Lucy, but sometimes it's simply out of our hands. So so sorry. Sue

Casey's Mom
01-22-2011, 11:07 PM
I am so sorry to hear about Lucy - you did all that you possibly could for her. I hope you can stay with us and let us help you through this difficult time.

Love and hugs,

Dave Ruske
01-23-2011, 09:03 AM
Sorry to read about Lucy's passing. I haven't been through many of the threads here, yet, but I skimmed through this one and read your posts. You gave her the best care she could have received; she was clearly loved very much.

We'll pray for your healing.

Dave