Might the low dose antibiotic be Tylan powder? If not, ask the vet about it because you don't want Cooper to become resistant to them.
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Might the low dose antibiotic be Tylan powder? If not, ask the vet about it because you don't want Cooper to become resistant to them.
Did they give you any prednisone to have on hand in case he starts to act worse and did they check his electrolytes at the same time?
Sharlene and Molly Muffin
Valerie: the antibiotics will probably be simplicef since that's what his infection is responding too right now.
Sharlene: they did not check his electrolytes. He hasn't been in since his ACTH test on Tuesday. I called today to see what dose of prednisone I should give him if he has any issues over the weekend. The vet said 5mg twice a day.
He's doing well. The panting hasn't increased. If anything I'd say he's even perkier then a few days ago. The vet said he could still crash over the weekend so we're going to stay close to home to keep an eye on him.
The only new thing going on is he's shedding a bit. Granted it's July in Texas, but he's not a shedder. I'm off to research if that's something I need to worry about.
Cooper wound up on prednisone Friday. His back legs collapsed under him a few times. I brought him into our old vet (since it was 430 in the afternoon and they're 5 minutes away). I had prednisone on hand, but just wanted his electrolytes checked. I didn't get a printout, but I believe she said his sodium was 120 and normal range starts at 121 and his potassium was 100 and normal range starts at 101. She said he didn't need fluids but should start the prednisone. He's getting 5mg twice a day (he's 63 pounds now). We're going in this morning to the specialist, she wants to check him out and test his electrolytes again.
I'm going to discuss the possibility of not treating the cushings if it comes back (he started drinking tons of water again so it may be coming back already). The first time he overdosed on vetoryl I thought was completely my old vet's fault but now he's gone addisonian even with close monitoring. I'd rather deal with getting up to let him out multiple times at night than putting him through all this extra testing and risks. I'm sure she'll say that we can't regulate the diabetes without treating it, but it's worth having a discussion about.
I hate to hear this! It sounds like he may be quite sensitive to Trilo... or perhaps something else is going on instead of Cushing's? How is Cooper today? I hope he's feeling much better now. Let us know what you learn at the vet today.
Hugs,
Leslie and the gang
We're back from the vet. His electrolytes were perfect. He has been drinking a lot more the last day so the vet said to cut him back to 5mg once a day of prednisone and keep her up to date on any changes.
She said if the cushings comes back that we have to treat it if there's any hope of getting his diabetes under control. She said if we ever need to put him back on the trilo, we'll start with 10mg twice a day and just hope to lower his cortisol levels but perhaps not get them into the recommended range. Hopefully that will keep him from crashing again.
It could be the prednisone making him thirsty. My Jenny hasn't had any cushings meds for over a year we killed her cortisol production so much.
but the specialist we met with did tell me that if the ravenous appetite started to show up, to get her in and treat the cushings again since she would be miserable.
I feel for you and Cooper, you need a little smooth sailing time. Cushings is way more stressful to me to deal with than the diabetes.
Judi
Oh no, poor Cooper. That might work if the cushings comes back to just try to get it a bit lower and don't worry about range, just whatever works for Cooper.
Some vets say that if they go Addison, then it's a lot easier to get things stablized than it is with cushings. I don't know, I just know in Europe they use to advocate that as a method of treatment. I don't know if they still do though, I haven't heard that for a long time.
Hang in there!
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin
I've heard about killing off the cortisol production to make life easier. Given how sensitive and unpredictable he is with the trilo, I would never want to try it. I was kind of hoping that's what happened. It would be a whole lot cheaper and easier to regulate. It's still possible it happened, but this is playing out just like when he overdosed on trilo before. I'm expecting him to be off prednisone and back on trilo in a few weeks!
His hair started growing back a bit! We shaved him last summer and his hair never grew back. After a year, his brown hair was sun bleached and golden brown. His legs, belly, and middle of his back are his normal liver and white ticking. His shoulders and hind quarters are still golden brown though! I thought he'd never look like his old self again. I hope it grows back to its old length (his got long hair for a shorthaired pointer!)
The daily drama with Cooper just never ends. Starting on Friday there was a very dramatic increase in his thirst and peeing. I let the vet know and she said to cut him back to 2.5mg of prednisone once a day. It's Sunday and he's still drinking and peeing a lot. I think he's going Cushings again.
I don't know what to do anymore. How much more can I really do for him? I feel like the rest of his life is going to be ACTH tests, glucose curves, and urine cultures. One thing gets under control for a few days then something else flares up. UGH!!
He's up to 40 units of insulin twice a day. His blood glucose numbers came down just a little bit from his last curve, but that was on Wednesday before the drinking and peeing started again. I'm going to curve him again on Tuesday and see if perhaps it's another bladder infection and he's gone insulin resistant again.
Has anyone out there given up on trying to get everything under control? I feel like it's just never going to happen and in the meantime we're just throwing money down the drain. We're 8 months in and the only improvement is that he doesn't pee in the house every night. Granted that a huge improvement!! We're at 40 units of insulin and his numbers are only slightly better than they were at 8 units. Every time we start treating the cushings he goes addisonian. It's so amazingly frustrating!! But, he's doesn't seem to be in pain or uncomfortable, he's just tired and thirsty, so how can I stop trying my hardest to make him better?!
Anything happening with Cooper these days?
Cooper is doing well. He's currently getting 50 units of insulin twice a day and that's the only medicine he's on. I've switched him to a new food. He was eating royal canin diabetic, but our other dog has some serious stomach problems and we tried him on grain free food (Zignature lamb). It's a low glycemic index food so I switched Cooper onto it too and he's doing well on it.
He is drinking and peeing a lot and is possibly getting another bladder infection or cushings again. But he hasn't gotten too bad yet and we're in the middle of a big move and I'm not ready to find a new vet yet. We just drove from Texas to NY over the last 4 days. We're staying with family while our house in Texas sells then we're moving to Connecticut. I know if I take him somewhere now they're going to want to do a bunch of tests so I'd rather wait until we're settled in Connecticut.
3 nights in hotel and now staying at a house with a deck with no railing around it has been difficult with a blind dog, but he's really adjusting better than I thought. We have the dogs gated into the den cause I'm afraid of Cooper being near the stairs or walking head first into my parents glass curio cabinet. I think that's helping him stay calm. He figured his way around the room pretty quickly.
Cooper is a smart boy obviously to find his way around so well.
Wow, that is a big move. Hope you can find a good vet in your new area. Hope he isn't getting another infection. He sure is prone to them. Course an infection is easier to deal with than cushings, so ....
Gosh you are showing up just in time for winter months to hit. Big change after Texas I bet. I moved from Texas to Pennsylvania in the fall months too once and it was a definite hit to my goose prone body. Course now being in Canada, LOL, I'm adapted back to cold weather again.
Sharlene and Molly Muffin
Julie,
Where in CT?
I'm born and raised here so I might have some useful input. Fire away.
Thankfully we were only in Texas for 2 years and Ohio before that for 4 years. I should adjust pretty well but my son is constantly shivering. He was 6 months when we moved to Texas so he doesn't know cold! The dogs are loving the cool weather!!
My husband's job is in Windsor, we're looking around granby, suffield, and hebron area. Hoping to find a cute rural town!
I just wanted to let everyone know that Cooper passed away earlier this month. I feel like I need to tell the end of his story for people who are doing all the research that goes along with a diabetes/cushing diagnosis.
Cooper was doing real well on 50 units insulin and didn't have any cushinngs signs. Then he started drinking and peeing again, which turned out to be another bladder infection. We treated it for a long time. Then he was infection free for a few weeks. The infection came back yet again and we were at the point that we were just going to leave him on antibiotics long term.
Even after his urine cultures started coming back clear, he was drinking and peeing a lot. The vet and I thought he was getting cushings again. At that point we didn't want to put him through anymore. He was completely blind and we had moved to Connecticut. We were going to a new vet and I didn't want to leave him there for the testing and the possible repeat visits if he overdosed on the cushings meds again. We figured he'd been through enough and it was time to let him live out his days with us.
His blood sugar levels were high. The vet said we could try to keep up with the diabetes as best we can but eventually we wouldn't be able to control it anymore. We bumped him up to 52 units of insulin twice a day and his blood sugar levels were in the 100s all day, which is the lowest they'd ever been. He was still drinking and peeing a lot though.
Everything seemed fine for a couple of weeks (I think, I lost track of time in there somewhere!) Then Cooper started eating only half his meals and his levels were up in the 300s. I called the vet right away. The vet tech said to try some very watered down bacon fat poured on his food to get him to eat. It worked.
2 days later I had been out with my daughter all morning going from teeball to girl scouts. We came home and my husband said in passing that Cooper kept falling down. He would take 2 or 3 steps and his back legs would collapse. I immediately ran inside and did a glucose test. The reading was 300 but his lips and gums were white and cold. While we were trying to find the closest emergency vet, the kids discovered throw up. We put him in the passenger seat of the car and I took him to the emergency vet. He leaned against me and I pet him the whole drive. He passed away in the car about a mile from the vet. I didn't ask to speak with a vet, but I'm guessing it was kidney failure.
We miss him terribly. I don't think there's a thing we would have changed about his treatment (aside from seeing a specialist sooner). And I'm so glad I was with him when he passed.
Run free old man! We love you!
Oh Julie I am so sorry that Cooper has passed on.
What a time he had with those infections :(
I'm very happy that he spent his remaining days just being Cooper and that you were with him when his time came. I know he felt very safe in your arms.
I have changed your thread title to reflect Coopers passing and he will be added to our In Loving Memory thread.
My sincerest condolences
Sharlene and molly muffin
So sorry to hear of Cooper's passing. I know how you must be feeling and hope you and your family are able to get thru this. Run free Cooper and play with all the other cush babies.Blessings
Patti
Rest in peace Cooper. Thank you for coming back and sharing your story.
So very sorry for your loss. Praying for you and cooper on his journey .
Cooper is now in some very good canine company
My condolences on the passing of Cooper, sorry to read this news. Big hugs to you and your family.
Dear Julie,
I am so sorry to learn of Copper's passing but I am glad you were home to be with him in his last moments. I know the touch of your hand brought him much comfort. We are never ready for "the" day no matter the circumstances especially when we have fought so hard for each day with them. I know your heart is broken today, so empty still. But know your sweet boy is now well, his body strong and healthy once again and he is running wild and free in the Rainbow Fields with all who knew and loved him as well as with many new friends found there.
Our deepest sympathies,
Leslie, Trinket, Brick, Sophie, Fox and all our Angels
I ONLY WANTED YOU
They say memories are golden
well maybe that is true
I never wanted memories,
I only wanted you.
A million times I needed you,
a million times I cried.
If love alone could have saved you
you never would have died.
In life I loved you dearly,
In death I love you still.
In my heart you hold a place
no one could ever fill.
If tears could build a stairway
and heartache make a lane,
I'd walk the path to heaven
and bring you back again.
Our family chain is broken,
and nothing seems the same.
But as God calls us one by one,
the chain will link again.
--- Anonymous ---
So sorry to hear of the loss of your baby, Cooper. You're in our thoughts and prayers.
Jo Ann and Eli