Buddy, The Mighty Lizard Hunter - Suspected Pituitary Macro Tumor

That is sooooo funny. Who would have thought that would even be possible!

hugs
Sharlene and molly muffin

What a handsome pup Buddy is, and the haircut is adorable! I never heard of a pup falling asleep while getting buzzed, what a character he is....love the lizard stories!!!!!!

Kathy,
I can't believe Buddy slept through a buzz cut!! :D :D That is too funny! He looks so cute all sacked out with his paws hanging!!
I don't know about Frontline and Trilostane. I stopped using Frontline a couple summers ago. I had so many bouts of gastro problems with Trixie that I suspected the Frontline had something to do with it. My vet thought I was wrong but, well...I stopped using it anyway.
I bought an old fashioned flea and tick collar and when she is outside I leave it on and then I take it off inside the house and I do a good tick check on her, I supposed I'm taking chances but I try to really check thoroughly.
Buddy is all ready for the hot weather with his super cut! Trixie has to get to the groomer this week. I have been reluctant to take her but she really needs a clipping badly!
Barbara

Hooley Dooley! He slept through his cut? Wow, just goes to show how much love and trust he has in you :D

Anyway, as for the heat bit, just coming off a long hot summer (in fact, hottest on record for us), I absolutely noticed that Fraser was considerably hotter this year than he had been in the past. I ended up buying some cool mats for the boys to lie on, and once they worked out what they were for, they draped themselves over them every night and day. And this was when I had the aircon set at an ambient 24C too (which is really nice and comfortably cool for me) In previous years, this same temp was perfect for the boys but they both found it harder this year. I think in addition to the cushing's, as dogs get older their ability to stabilise their core temp starts to go too, so it just becomes doubly hard for our kids.

Buddy will definitely be cooler and more comfortable after his hair cut, a spritz of water on the back and belly can be nice too, but if he overheats still, I highly recommend looking into the cool mats. I bought the gel based one (neither of my boys are chewers though - that is something to consider) and they love it. (I have to admit, one particularly sticky night, I nicked it too :D)

As for the frontline, I am pretty sure it is safe, though I too don't use it. Oscar has a rinse after baths (cause it helps to control his skin itchy's, not for fleas) but fraser hasn't been flea'd in over a year. It's not something we have an issue with. Ticks aren't an issue here (unless you go bush - but we don't) and the parks we visit don't seem to be an issue for fleas either. It's either that, or Oz is covered by his rinse, and Fraser just doesn't smell right to fleas cause he hasn't had any in years!

You know, I reckon we should build a list of things that are safe and not safe to use with trilo and lyso. I've often wondered about various things like this. :p

Thanks for all the great ideas. Naomi, I am going to check in to a cool mat. Buddy is not a chewer either, so it would probably be perfect! :D I'm going to hold off on the Frontline until I hear from some of the other angels. Thank again.:)
Buddy has been having some head tremors again. I'm not sure what is going on with that.
Hugs,
Kathy and Buddy:cool:

Hey Kathy, could you explain what Buddy does when he has a head tremor, Sim is doing weird stuff too with his head, just wondered if it was the same....thanks

Hi Letti,
Buddy's head tremors started a few months ago. He became ill overnight and ended up at his vet, then the emergency hospital. I was told there that he was having head tremors. He ended up at a specialty hospital a few days later for a neuro consult. The tremors had stopped by then. The neuro consult was to determine whether's Buddy was even stable enough for Cushing's testing. At the time, he had difficulty walking and could barely stand up. He hasn't had any head tremors since then until yesterday. When Buddy has one, his head only will vibrate/shake. When I touch his head, it feels like a vibrator. The rest of him is still and stressed. Buddy panics when it happens and he unable to settle until it stops. The length of time varies with each tremor. Some last longer than others. I hope this helps!
Hugs and love to you and Simba,
Kathy and Buddy:cool:

Kathy, I don't know of any contradictions in using Frontline and Trilostane together, so I believe it would be safe. Darn those fleas!!!

Love and hugs, Lori

Hi Kathy, that is so very scary for you and for Buddy.
Did the neuro consult ever come up with a reason for the tremors? What is causing them?

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

There were two neurologists and one neurosurgeon at Buddy's neuro consultation. The emergency hospital recommended a neuro consult because of Buddy's overnight inability to stand or walk. They did spinal rads at the emergency hospital ruling out a disc problem in his back. His vet would not proceed with Cushings testing without a neuro consult because he was having so many issues. The head tremors had disappeared by then. The neurologist wanted to do an MRI to determine if Buddy had a stroke. That would've cost over $3500 just for that test. There is nothing I could do about a stroke anyway. Since they gave me the clearance to go ahead with Cushing's testing, I decided to do that, because at least that could be treated. I had already paid Close to $3000 in three days not counting the neuro consult. The neurologists thought that the head tremors were probably caused by Buddy's liver throwing off clots which can happen with uncontrolled endocrine diseases like Cushings. At that time, Cushings was suspected at all three hospitals, but had not been tested. The emergency hospital did an ultrasound which revealed a very large liver, extending over all the other organs. Yesterday afternoon and evening his head tremors returned. He also had a couple of them today. He is doing so well with his Cushing symptoms abating, now this! He was able to stand, then walk and even run within a few days of his neuro-consult. I don't know what to think now. I don't know if Buddy's vets know anymore about head tremors then they do about Cushings treatment.
Kathy and Buddy:cool: