My Pug Scoop (Precious Scoop has passed... )

Lori-Thanks. I'll see if I can press the issue with the vet. I don't know why it just can't be done now. It should have been done long before this. It can be very difficult to talk to her sometimes. She's always in a hurry. When I email her sometimes it's days before I hear back and then sometimes doesn't address everything I ask her about. I understand she's busy and has lots of other patients. I have a hard time being pushy. To me everything I want to talk to her about is important because it's my baby I'm so concerned about. It tears me apart.

Tipper's Mom-I appreciate all your prayers for my Scoop. You are so right about the love we feel for them. It is wonderful but can be so hard. Hope you and Tipper have a good day. Love and big hugs to you and Tipper.

Scoop had his last ACTH done a month ago. His pre was 2.0 and his post was 5.2
Do you think it is time for another ACTH? If not, when do you think?

Can anyone give me a idea what they pay for ACTH tests?

I think you have to go by how Scoop is, we only once waited the recommended 3 mths when they are stable, Tia got tested usually around 8 weeks. I do wonder whether we tested her too much and if I should have gone the 3 months but she got low once with no symptoms and that always made me err on the side of caution.

I think we paid around £115 for the stim test and then another £50 for chem and they also did a vetoryl profile which is the electrolytes etc which was also around £50

Coverted to dollars that's around $174 for stim and $76 for the others. I also used to pay £47 for 30mg Vetoryl which she was on morning and night

Hope that helps and that Scoop and you are having a good day.

I am taking it hour by hour talking about her quirky bits to everyone until I sense they heard enough! Probably been classed as crazy dog lady but I don't care :)

Mel and Tia xxx

Mel-You are not crazy dog lady. Just keep on talking. I love hearing from you and I am sure we will never get tired of hearing about your beautiful Tia.

I wondered about testing Scoop because his Dec. ACTH was post 10.something(I can't seem to find the paper) and his Jan. dropped to half that without increasing his dose. At the time of the Dec test Scoop only had his corneal ulcer about 2-2 1/2 weeks and might have been the reason for the drop as his ulcer got better. Anybody have any thoughts on that? The vet hasn't said anything to me about testing his cortisol or his BG's.

Is the result on this thread?

Dechra's dosing protocol states that after starting Vetoryl/Trilostane an ACTH stim test should be conducted within 10-14 days and also after any dose adjustment. Once a dog has become stablized on a current dose an ACTH stim test should be performed at the 30 day mark, 90 day mark and every 3 months thereafter, electrolytes should be checked too. This information can be found here: http://www.dechra-us.com/files/dechr...ts/Vetoryl.pdf

On the forum we do have a Thread with polls, here is a link to a poll asking about the cost of ACTH tests from members ( U.S. Dollars): http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1148

Australian Dollars (AUD) http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1151

If Scoop's symptoms have improved and he acting and feeling fine then, IMHO, I would wait another 90 days to have another ACTH test done BUT if Scoop would start showing any ill effects an ACTH stim test needs to be done ASAP.

Mel-Yes the result is on here somewhere. I just didn't take time to look it up.

Lori-Thanks
The vet called this afternoon with the results from Scoop's 2nd test for protein in the urine. The first test result was 2.9 The result from yesterday's test was 4.7, not good. The vet said we will not wait and do a 3rd test. As soon as they get new culture plates in she will do a urine culture and blood pressure check. She said she will probably start Scoop on meds. She mentioned Benazepril and she said maybe low dose aspirin. She said she has to check into it to make sure the meds will be OK with everything else he is on.

Oh Vicki, I'm sorry that yet another complication for Scoop has shown up.
Jasper just went on meds for protein in the urine and kidney disease, so maybe check out the thread I linked to earlier. Tina has been trying to stay on top of all thinks kidney and cushings with Jasper, so maybe it will give you some ideas too.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Thanks Sharlene.
That's my Scoop. King of complications. I just can't believe it's one thing after another for my "baby doll".

From one crazy dog lady to another :D:D I think we could fill a bus quite easily :D:D So sorry to hear the results are going the wrong way, Flynn has started meds two days ago too. Amlodipine for him, in an effort to gain better BP control. Will be keeping an eye on Scoop's thread to see how he is going. Be gone nasty protein!! There that should do it, if only it was that easy eh!

Paw's up Scoop!!!

Trish xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx