Printable View
Awww Peety is just adorable! I can't believe he loves his showers! Wish I could get molly to think they are great. LOL
Well, now that Dr. Morgan has the file and test results, she can get a better idea of where to go next. So that is really good.
As long as Peety is so happy and playing ball and just having a great time, then it's okay and I'm sure that they'll eventually get to the bottom of this.
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin
We can all learn a lesson from Peety. Still playing, still walking, he doesn't let anything get him down. Go Peety!! Great job mom!!
Hugs,
Kathy
I have a question. What is "atypical" Cushing's as compared to Cushings? Dr. Morgan mentioned atypical but also said he has no symptoms except the skin issue. I thought she meant it wasn't Cushing's but had some characteristics. She keeps saying she does not think he is cushinoid.:confused::confused: I read about atypical and apparently the symptoms are excessive drinking, peeing, eating, muscle weakness etc. I thought that was for Cushing's. Peety has none of that. I'm confused. Someone share their knowledge, please. :confused: :confused: :confused:
Atypical Cushing's involves elevations in one or more of the intermediate, or sometimes called sex, hormones - Estradiol, Androstenedione, 17-Hydroxyprogesterone, Progesterone and Aldosterone. In Atypical, the cortisol is NORMAL. If the cortisol is elevated, even along with elevation in any of these five hormones, the pup is considered to have true, or conventional, Cushing's, not Atypical. The key to distinguishing between the two is the cortisol.
The signs for Atypical can be the same as those for conventional Cushing's - only the labs can tell if it is cortisol or the intermediates at play. The only place I know of that tests for Atypical is the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. If the pup has not had lab work done at UTK, the diagnosis of Atypical cannot be made. The test at UTK is basically an expanded ACTH - it tests for the cortisol as well as these five intermediate hormones. UTK calls this test a "full adrenal panel".
Atypical is treated initially with melatonin and lignans for at least four months as it take that long for the treatment to work. The melatonin and lignans can address all the intermediate hormones that are produced in the adrenal glands, even the Estradiol which can be produced outside the adrenals. If the melatonin and lignans do not lower the intermediates enough, then Lysodren is added to mix as maintenance only (given 2-4 times a week) - there is no loading phase with Atypical. Lysodren works only on the adrenal glands themselves and cannot reach Estradiol if it is produced outside the adrenals so the combination of the lignans, melatonin, and Lyso is required if the lignans and melatonin don't work well enough alone.
Hope this helps!
Hugs,
Leslie and the gang
Thank you Leslie for that great text book explanation. I definitely came to the right place for answers. Wow, you really know a lot about this subject. I guess I should just wait and see. I believe Dr. Morgan will get the answers. We'll start with tomorrows blood work and go from there.
Thanks again for the info.
Hugs
Peety's#1 fan
Blood work showed nothing alarming. She said the liver values were normal and the white cell count was also normal. She wants to do another blood test in a month to look at his kidney and thyroid. She didn't think anything needed immediate attention. She still believes his skin is a result of the prednisone and should get better over time. She said to watch for excessive drinking and peeing and weight loss. Otherwise he is good and I am confident that his skin will start showing signs of improvement. He's still beautiful to me. I need to read back in the posts, because someone mentioned something about a medicine they got for the skin. I will do that and get with her for a script. Maybe something that will help. Anyway, I will get a copy of the test and post in a couple of days.
Hope all is well and everyone has a nice 4th. Peety doesn't get to bothered anymore with the firecrackers, cause his hearing is not so good :(:( So I don't have to worry about that any more. :):)
Pat Peety's #1 fan.
Hi Pat
Some good news for Peety. Sounds like you are happy with Dr Morgan.
I used a topical steroid spray called cortavance but am not sure that would be appropriate for him. I think DMSO is the other thing sometimes used but that honks of garlic apparently :eek:
Pleased to hear he is doing well despite the skin issues
Big hug to you and sticky kisses to the little man
Mel
Xxxxx
Hi Pat -
I just posted this on another thread so figured I would copy here as well as it may apply:
Our English Bulldog Millie was just recently diagnosed with Cushings and she has a horrific case of CC…to the point where her dermatologist awarded her “Worst Case she has ever seen Award”…woo-hoo go Millie! I can certainly sympathize with you as the CC can be very aggressive and extremely difficult to manage. It starts as open, oozing sores, then scabs over a blackish color and then when scab falls off, there seems to be hardened pink skin below (her trunk kind of looks as if she is a soft shelled turtle). My little girl started with two spots that kind of opened and seeped, and within two weeks it was on her face, neck and down her trunk (8-12 inches wide). IT WAS AWFUL and I know you probably feel helpless as it spreads, but I continue to get feedback that sometimes it just gets worse until it gets better…patience is not one of my strong suits! We started her on Trilostane on 6/29, and I swear I stare at her skin hourly to see if any improvement…but if there is, it is SLOW! Seems like it is not progressing as fast, but then again this skin disease has taken over 1/3 of her body already.
When contacting my Dermatologist I asked her about the possibility of using Sudocrem or Manuka honey (as recommended by others). She asked me to stay the course and said no to the Sudocrem (I think her sores were more open than the cushpups mom that used this with success) and said honey did cross her mind, but given the extent of the problem, thought it would be an unbelievable mess – which I probably can concur with – although it would smell a heck of a lot better than the rotten garlic smell of DMSO…I will never get garlic on pizza again! When I say stay the course, she is a little too difficult to bathe right now and makes her so uncomfortable, so we are using an antibacterial mousse (once a day on all lesions: face, neck, trunk) – It is DUOXA Chlorhexidine + Climbazole Mousse with phytoshingosine. She is not thrilled when this goes on her face cheeks and I feel it may be hurting her. She also gave us Comfort Spray by Animal Pharmaceuticals which she recommended spraying on face 2-3 per day. Millie will have nothing to do with a spray bottle coming at her face, so she recommended soaking a paper towel and dabbing. Millie seems to be okay with this…
Hope this helps with Dear Peety!
xoxox,
Kerry (Millie's Mama)
Oh yea, so glad that Peety's liver values and others look good. This is excellent news.
I think what you are thinking of is the ketochlor that Addy and someone else is using with success. Speak with Dr. Morgan about it and then get instructions for use she thinks it might help.
Well, you know prednisone can cause different things in different dogs. In some they end up losing hair and getting red and scaly. (my golden had this occur from prednisone) Peety maybe just had to be his own dog and go with the black crust. I hope that is what it is actually because if so, then it should eventually clear and he'll get his coat back. Not that I think he probably cares one way or another as long as he can run around and play with you. Happiest little guy.
Have a wonderful 4th!
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin
Hi Kerry, I am so sorry you are dealing with this too, but I am so happy somebody else can relate to how bad it is. You described it pretty well. Dr Morgan said the Dr. at Auburn said a dog he was treating looked like a soft shelled turtle.:eek::eek::eek: It's crazy isn't it, but it's true. Peety's has finally stopped evolving. His back has 2 places, one on his side and the other on his rump. Both are hard black masses. They don't do anything. They don't itch, or ooze, there just there. I bath him every other day in Hibiclens (a surgical wash). I am using Manuka honey, but it is messy. I put it on and then wrap him up really good so it doesn't ooze out. I believe in it, but think it's gonna take a long time for anything to penetrate that black elephant skin. I also use coconut oil. His hair is actually growing in the middle of the black mass. Crazy but I'm thinking eventually the hair will win out. The hair there is getting thicker. He had a lot of bald spots, but those have also filled back in. His skin on his belly is black, but no sores. Nothing on his face or ears. He wears a cone and a t-shirt, but is wearing the cone less and less. Maybe about half the time now. He use to scratch a lot and I think I am just afraid that he might do it again. Although now he doesn't itch, but he just licks his feet sometimes, like dogs do. But better safe than sorry. My Derm Dr. gave me DMSO, but too toxic to use. Peety has not had anything open in a long time. When he did I used Neosporin.
Dr. Morgan told me she had never seen anything like this either. Wish I could say that. His started with a tiny sore on his neck, that was 6 months ago today. We had sores, at first, his legs were raw, where his hair fell out and it was horrible. He wouldn't let me touch them even to doctor them. :(:(. I put lil pants on him so his legs wouldn't rub anything. Thank God we are past that. I think we are seeing the better side of this, still not good, but better, not itchy or sore anymore. Just ugly. Not him though, he's my beautiful boy. The disease is ugly. I have spent a lot of $$$$ and I think I have come up with the best ways of treating it on my own and from others on this forum.
If I find anything else that works I will let you know. Check out Peety's album to see if it looks the same as Millie's. And give Millie an extra big hug.
Hang in there, and maybe try not to look at it so much. I know how it is, I did the same thing, I just wanted to see something that looked like it was an improvement. Try the Hibiclens (drug store) you can wash with it without getting a full bath.
Take care,
Pat Peety's #1 fan