Molly, 13 yr, shih tzu - lhasa aspo - Molly has passed

Hey Tina! Hope you had good holidays too. I'll be watching for your update. :)

Sometimes she'll let us take pictures of her, other times she runs if she sees the camera. She can be a total brat about it.

Today she has an upset tummy with diarrhea so we're keeping an eye on her. We think it was because she has a hard time finding that perfect spot when there is snow on the ground and skipped her normal go for the day, yesterday, then didn't eat while we were out but was up at between 4:30 and 5:30, eating her dinner food. (this is Not normal behavior. She Never gets up to eat during the night.) Then she was fine with just nibbling her food during the day, but of course, we had the diarrhea for every walk except the last one today. So, hopefully it will be resolved by tomorrow morning. crossing fingers.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Sharlene, sorry to hear that Molly is not feeling her best. Diarrhea can be very worrisome. Could she have eaten something she wasn't supposed to, with all the holiday stuff and all? That will usually trigger it for Jasper. Unfortunately he can be prone to colitis. Hopefully Molly doesn't have that problem. As you know, feeding the chicken/hamburger and rice bland diet for a day or so would help if it doesn't clear on its own. And just make sure she is drinking enough water. Hope she is feeling better soon.

Hugs,
Tina and Jasper

I don't think she got anything she shouldn't have. We had cornish hens for xmas and she had a bit of meat from those and that is all I let her have. If something hit the floor though you know how dogs can be, it's fair game and she'll try to get it. I didn't notice anything yesterday. I do know she didn't do a poop at all yesterday and that can upset her tummy. It's definitely an issue for her in winter, not finding that perfect spot to go in. So I'm hoping that is all it is. No vomiting.

I know, I worry about colitis too, because that would be a definite sign that she has cushings. I did find two small white bumps on her, after she was groomed. One tiny one on the back of her neck and another tiny one on her back by the hind quarters. I went over her really well after the last grooming to check after reading so much on here about it. I don't know how long they have been there as you can't feel them when her coat is grown out and wouldn't have this time if not for checking specifically. They aren't red, no hair loss around them, nothing to even signify they are there, but something I'll keep an eye on.
We know the cortisol is high, but so far she continues to test negative on the LDDS and I am loath to start cushing treatment without any symptoms other than the pot belly, which I am guessing is from the enlarged liver.
I really hate not knowing for sure what is wrong with her and if there is something I need to do or not do. We've ruled out thyroid and diabetes with testing. I don't know what other tests to even do.
Thanks for checking back in with us. I do appreciate it.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Sharlene

Sharlene, when you say you are worried about colitis because it would be a definite sign of Cushings, did you mean calcinosis cutis? I am guessing that is what you meant since you mention how you are watching a few spots on Molly's skin. Colitis is an inflamed colon which results in diarrhea, etc. That is what Jasper is prone to if he gets too stressed, or eats something that doesn't agree with him. He had problems with that off and on way before Cushings. It is not diagnostic for Cushings, is it?

I have found a few skin tag type of spots on Jasper's skin in the past few months, and also what looks to be a sebaceous cyst type of thing. I am watching them closely also, so far they have stayed the same. I plan to have the vet take a look at them in the next couple of weeks, just to make sure they are nothing to worry about. So I understand the worry about the skin stuff.

I know it is hard not knowing for sure what is going on with Molly. And after what Jasper has been through, I absolutely would not start any Cushings treatment unless you were absolutely sure that is what she has. Sometimes I start freaking myself out and start questioning if Jasper had it for sure since he got so toxic on the Lysodren so easily, and we did not have an ultrasound prior to starting treatment. I didn't know anything about having that done until I learned it on this site, and that was after he started the treatment. I go back and look at his LDDS results, and they are definitive, but the worry gets ahold of me because we didn't have an ultrasound or ACTH test in addition to confirm the diagnosis. So knowing what I know now, I would have to be absolutely sure. And Molly does not have the other symptoms, which is great!

Hugs,
Tina and Jasper

oh sharlene so sorry to read that molly has an upsest stomach,i hope that she is ok...signed the worrier of worriers...patty (milo)meka...hang in there mom !!! xoxox

Argggh Tina, yes I meant calcinosis cutis, not colitis. Colitis is not a designator of cushings that I know of either. True, molly could have that. She has been known to have diarrhea episodes in the past, usually they clear up in a day or so, if not, we go to the vets. She has had two episodes that she ended up at the vets due to it being bad and not clearing up quickly. Both times, they said she had a stomach bacterial issue and put her on antibiotics.

Here is a question. If your dog has a dead tooth, what is the likely hood of it becoming infected? Molly has one, but I check her gums regularly and they appear normal pinkish, not red, inflamed or off color at all.
I've not wanted to have it out yet, till we can get a handle on the liver enzymes ALT, that is elevated before submitting her to anesthesia. But I don't want to risk infection either. Anyone have an idea of the odds of infection with a dead tooth? It's one of her front little ones.

Thanks Patty and Tina. We're hanging :) Molly is near my foot on her quilt, sleeping.

Sharlene

Hey Sharlene: Hope Molly's diarrhea has cleared up today. CoCo has it some and I give him Pepto per vet. Don't know if it is okay, but have not seen that it harms him and it does clear up. Back to work today. Take care. Love JoAnne

Work day for me too today JoAnne.
She had two formed stools today, one this morning and around noon another and as soon as she had the second one, she had three more diarrhea ones while outside.
It's weird. Maybe I need to get her some Pepto. :( I've seen others on here use Pepto prior to giving the morning dose of cushing medicine so as to not have as great of an upset tummy. Is it plain Pepto or Pepto AC, one I remember we can give and one we can't, but I don't remember which is which.

hugs,
Sharlene

It is Pepcid AC.

http://www.ehow.com/info_8750195_fam...sage-dogs.html

Thanks Glynda, I had a brain cramp :(