Buddy, The Mighty Lizard Hunter - Suspected Pituitary Macro Tumor

Kathy:
Don't even spend one second on people who don't support you, as there are enough of us on here to help and who really care. I just don't get people, they think there is something majorily wrong with you if you happen to love your dog. I love my Tipper more than some do their children, and I don't care who likes it. My one neighbor always calls and asks what is going on and when I start to tell her, she changes the subject. So, I feel if you really don't want to hear the truth, or care about it, why bother calling and invading my privacy if you really could care less?? I do not call others and go on about Tipper, but when you call me what do you expect??? Just ignore them, they aren't worth your time. God Bless You and Buddy
patti

I just don't understand people who make the judgement "it's only a dog"...it just doesn't compute with me! Perhaps they never had a pet!! If someone does feel that way they should keep it to themselves. It only makes them less of a person in my book. Compassion for all living things is what makes us human. I had to put a parakeet to sleep because a spinal tumor made it impossible for the bird to sit on a perch. It broke my heart...I felt terrible about it. Who is anyone to judge my feelings on this and say "it's only a bird"? People did though. Those who feel this way about animals are missing a part of life that I wouldn't ever give up..even if it's hard to be a pet owner sometimes. We always say we have 3 girls...two of them are away in school...one of them doesn't need college because she is naturally smart (and a little furry!)! :D
Barbara

Thank you for all of your support, you lovely K9Cushing angels! :D
I'm not used to being bombarded with so much judgmental crap!:(:mad: It has been so heavy the last few weeks that I'd need a bulldozer to haul it all away! Now that's a picture! :D
Many people feel free to offer unsolicited advice about what I should and shouldn't do. Yes, I need to get thicker skin and not let those comments bother me. I'm not quite there yet!:(. Thanks for listening,

Kathy and Buddy:)

Hi,:)
Buddy is continuing to have a lot of trouble with his allergies. I get him stabilized for a few days, then they erupt all over again. When this occurs, his noise runs constantly, he sneezes and he wheezes for every breath. The more he tries to breathe, the more he wheezes and panics. It is a vicious cycle. Benadryl helps sometimes, but is not consistent. Buddy was unable to sleep most of the night due to this problem. I realize that allergies are not a Cushings sympton, but are related in Buddy's case. When his cortisol levels dropped. His allergy monster returned!! :( Any ideas? There are sure to be other allergy. Cush fur babies out there.:confused:Thanks,

He is drinking more water also, but it may not be due to his Cushings. Benadryl dries him out making him more thirsty and the weather has been warmer. 82 degrees here today!:)
Kathy and Buddy:)

I think we have all been in your shoes. A person that says "just a dog" is not a very caring person. I feel sorry for them because they must not know the deep love you get & give from a dog. They are missing out.

Squirt has apparently developed an allergy to dust mites. She would cough and have trouble breathing at nite then one nite scared me to pieces hacking. One of the members here mentioned dust mites. I have been washing all the bedding every week in hot water and vinegar, vacuuming the bedroom daily at least once, and spraying the blankets, pillows, sheets and floors between washings. She's had no more trouble and hasn't had to take the antihistamine the vet gave her. Just a thought.... ;)

Yes, thank you,:)

I already do dust mite patrol daily! Buddy just has so many allergies!

I did check in to giving him Denamarin/Milk Thistle to help with his liver numbers. There was a warning on the bottle that stated not to be taken if allergic to Daisy flowers or ragweed. Buddy is affected by both!:( Oh well, another route.

Kathy and Buddy:)

Hey Kathy,

Okay, I found a web site with some other natural herb options for liver health. Leslie too might have some suggestions as she has studied many herbs.

http://www.natural-dog-health-remedi...er-health.html

Of course they would need to be screened for any allergic potentials.

Hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Sharlene,

I checked out your link. It looks like a great place to start! Thank you! :). Buddy's allergies limit what I'm able to do for him as far as supplements, foods and medications. It is frustrating!:confused:

His allergies are doing better this evening. We may actually get a little more sleep tonight!:D. It has been windy and warm, with very high pollen counts lately. That's not a good combination for allergy sufferers. :(

Kathy and Buddy:)

Mornin',

On the page that opened with that link, there are two herbs a cush pup needs to avoid - the licorice and dandelion. Licorice is an adrenal stimulant - our babies adrenals are already over-stimulated. ;) Dandelion is a very good diuretic, which could lead to them peeing more which could lead us to think they had lost control of the cortisol and increase the dose when it wasn't needed. The others are excellent herbs for liver protection, detoxification and improved functioning.

However, with a pup who has allergies from unknown causes (which is usually the case), herbs need to be used with caution. If you try one, use it sparingly and use only that one until you see how Buddy reacts to it. If he does well on a low amount, you can increase to the recommended amount slowly. Then if he does well with that one, add another in the same low and slow manner, watching all the time for reactions, both positive and negative. Herbs work slowly compared to pharmaceuticals so they take time, patience and diligence on our part.

There are two things that came to mind concerning the itching - Chamomile and apple cider vinegar.

Make Chamomile tea just as if you were going to drink it - but don't sweeten it. ;) Let it cool. Give Buddy a bath with a good anti-itch shampoo like oat (as long as he doesn't have yeast) then pour the Chamomile tea all over him, rubbing it in to get to the skin. Leave it on and let him dry. I use this method with my own Tasha who had allergies and it did work for her very well.

ACV (apple cider vinegar) is controversial in many corners but I have seen it do wonders for several conditions - including allergies. Add a little bit of ACV to his drinking water. I kept ACV in the water bowls for Tash and all the others drank the same water. I noticed all their coats and skin looking great. When Tash had to Fly, I stopped using it but may well start again. ;) These are the direction from the site Sharlene gave -

Quote:

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Start by adding small amounts of ACV to your dog's drinking water and slowly building up to about 1 teaspoon of ACV per 15 pounds of body weight. Some dogs may not like the taste of vinegar in their water. If that's the case for your dog, mix ACV with his food, or mix it with a teaspoonful of raw honey.

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http://www.natural-dog-health-remedi...dogs.html#uses

The same page gives directions for using the ACV as a rinse like the Chamomile.

I also have a sheet of OTC allergy product and doses for dogs if you want to try an alternative to the Benedryl in addition to the above. Benedryl helped Tash for a while then seemed to lose its effectiveness - plus it kept her dopey. :D

The very first thing I always look at is the diet. Dogs can develop food allergies when they eat the same thing for a long time. The brand of feed may change, the base (chicken, lamb, beef, etc) may change yet there may be a constant ingredient in all those feeds that they react to - two very common ones are corn and soy. Finding a novel protein can sometimes help. By "novel protein" I mean a protein source they have not had before. If he has been eating primarily chicken, find a food with a venison or rabbit or bison, etc - looking at the ingredients for things like the corn and soy that may be in his current feed.

Allergies are frustrating for parents and vets alike because it is often so difficult to find the trigger(s). They have to be attached both internally and externally. We parents have to do most of the work - trying new things slowly, observing, and keeping detailed records of all we have tried and how they worked for our baby, as well as environmental effects. I hope you find something that will give your sweet boy some relief - and you, too! ;)

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang