Buddy, The Mighty Lizard Hunter - Suspected Pituitary Macro Tumor

Kathy:
Don't even spend one second on people who don't support you, as there are enough of us on here to help and who really care. I just don't get people, they think there is something majorily wrong with you if you happen to love your dog. I love my Tipper more than some do their children, and I don't care who likes it. My one neighbor always calls and asks what is going on and when I start to tell her, she changes the subject. So, I feel if you really don't want to hear the truth, or care about it, why bother calling and invading my privacy if you really could care less?? I do not call others and go on about Tipper, but when you call me what do you expect??? Just ignore them, they aren't worth your time. God Bless You and Buddy
patti

I just don't understand people who make the judgement "it's only a dog"...it just doesn't compute with me! Perhaps they never had a pet!! If someone does feel that way they should keep it to themselves. It only makes them less of a person in my book. Compassion for all living things is what makes us human. I had to put a parakeet to sleep because a spinal tumor made it impossible for the bird to sit on a perch. It broke my heart...I felt terrible about it. Who is anyone to judge my feelings on this and say "it's only a bird"? People did though. Those who feel this way about animals are missing a part of life that I wouldn't ever give up..even if it's hard to be a pet owner sometimes. We always say we have 3 girls...two of them are away in school...one of them doesn't need college because she is naturally smart (and a little furry!)! :D
Barbara

Thank you for all of your support, you lovely K9Cushing angels! :D
I'm not used to being bombarded with so much judgmental crap!:(:mad: It has been so heavy the last few weeks that I'd need a bulldozer to haul it all away! Now that's a picture! :D
Many people feel free to offer unsolicited advice about what I should and shouldn't do. Yes, I need to get thicker skin and not let those comments bother me. I'm not quite there yet!:(. Thanks for listening,

Kathy and Buddy:)

Hi,:)
Buddy is continuing to have a lot of trouble with his allergies. I get him stabilized for a few days, then they erupt all over again. When this occurs, his noise runs constantly, he sneezes and he wheezes for every breath. The more he tries to breathe, the more he wheezes and panics. It is a vicious cycle. Benadryl helps sometimes, but is not consistent. Buddy was unable to sleep most of the night due to this problem. I realize that allergies are not a Cushings sympton, but are related in Buddy's case. When his cortisol levels dropped. His allergy monster returned!! :( Any ideas? There are sure to be other allergy. Cush fur babies out there.:confused:Thanks,

He is drinking more water also, but it may not be due to his Cushings. Benadryl dries him out making him more thirsty and the weather has been warmer. 82 degrees here today!:)
Kathy and Buddy:)

I think we have all been in your shoes. A person that says "just a dog" is not a very caring person. I feel sorry for them because they must not know the deep love you get & give from a dog. They are missing out.

Squirt has apparently developed an allergy to dust mites. She would cough and have trouble breathing at nite then one nite scared me to pieces hacking. One of the members here mentioned dust mites. I have been washing all the bedding every week in hot water and vinegar, vacuuming the bedroom daily at least once, and spraying the blankets, pillows, sheets and floors between washings. She's had no more trouble and hasn't had to take the antihistamine the vet gave her. Just a thought.... ;)

Yes, thank you,:)

I already do dust mite patrol daily! Buddy just has so many allergies!

I did check in to giving him Denamarin/Milk Thistle to help with his liver numbers. There was a warning on the bottle that stated not to be taken if allergic to Daisy flowers or ragweed. Buddy is affected by both!:( Oh well, another route.

Kathy and Buddy:)

Hey Kathy,

Okay, I found a web site with some other natural herb options for liver health. Leslie too might have some suggestions as she has studied many herbs.

http://www.natural-dog-health-remedi...er-health.html

Of course they would need to be screened for any allergic potentials.

Hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Sharlene,

I checked out your link. It looks like a great place to start! Thank you! :). Buddy's allergies limit what I'm able to do for him as far as supplements, foods and medications. It is frustrating!:confused:

His allergies are doing better this evening. We may actually get a little more sleep tonight!:D. It has been windy and warm, with very high pollen counts lately. That's not a good combination for allergy sufferers. :(

Kathy and Buddy:)

Mornin',

On the page that opened with that link, there are two herbs a cush pup needs to avoid - the licorice and dandelion. Licorice is an adrenal stimulant - our babies adrenals are already over-stimulated. ;) Dandelion is a very good diuretic, which could lead to them peeing more which could lead us to think they had lost control of the cortisol and increase the dose when it wasn't needed. The others are excellent herbs for liver protection, detoxification and improved functioning.

However, with a pup who has allergies from unknown causes (which is usually the case), herbs need to be used with caution. If you try one, use it sparingly and use only that one until you see how Buddy reacts to it. If he does well on a low amount, you can increase to the recommended amount slowly. Then if he does well with that one, add another in the same low and slow manner, watching all the time for reactions, both positive and negative. Herbs work slowly compared to pharmaceuticals so they take time, patience and diligence on our part.

There are two things that came to mind concerning the itching - Chamomile and apple cider vinegar.

Make Chamomile tea just as if you were going to drink it - but don't sweeten it. ;) Let it cool. Give Buddy a bath with a good anti-itch shampoo like oat (as long as he doesn't have yeast) then pour the Chamomile tea all over him, rubbing it in to get to the skin. Leave it on and let him dry. I use this method with my own Tasha who had allergies and it did work for her very well.

ACV (apple cider vinegar) is controversial in many corners but I have seen it do wonders for several conditions - including allergies. Add a little bit of ACV to his drinking water. I kept ACV in the water bowls for Tash and all the others drank the same water. I noticed all their coats and skin looking great. When Tash had to Fly, I stopped using it but may well start again. ;) These are the direction from the site Sharlene gave -

Quote:

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Start by adding small amounts of ACV to your dog's drinking water and slowly building up to about 1 teaspoon of ACV per 15 pounds of body weight. Some dogs may not like the taste of vinegar in their water. If that's the case for your dog, mix ACV with his food, or mix it with a teaspoonful of raw honey.

---

http://www.natural-dog-health-remedi...dogs.html#uses

The same page gives directions for using the ACV as a rinse like the Chamomile.

I also have a sheet of OTC allergy product and doses for dogs if you want to try an alternative to the Benedryl in addition to the above. Benedryl helped Tash for a while then seemed to lose its effectiveness - plus it kept her dopey. :D

The very first thing I always look at is the diet. Dogs can develop food allergies when they eat the same thing for a long time. The brand of feed may change, the base (chicken, lamb, beef, etc) may change yet there may be a constant ingredient in all those feeds that they react to - two very common ones are corn and soy. Finding a novel protein can sometimes help. By "novel protein" I mean a protein source they have not had before. If he has been eating primarily chicken, find a food with a venison or rabbit or bison, etc - looking at the ingredients for things like the corn and soy that may be in his current feed.

Allergies are frustrating for parents and vets alike because it is often so difficult to find the trigger(s). They have to be attached both internally and externally. We parents have to do most of the work - trying new things slowly, observing, and keeping detailed records of all we have tried and how they worked for our baby, as well as environmental effects. I hope you find something that will give your sweet boy some relief - and you, too! ;)

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

Allergies just make a person feel so miserable when they kick up, that I imagine it is the same for Buddy too.
Poor little guy. All snuffly and stuffy.

Dog allergies are so much harder to treat than human ones too. Just makes everything so much harder to treat. Crossing fingers that something will work for the liver and not cause an allergic reaction too.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Thank you for all the great herb information. :) Buddy's itching symptoms seems to be gone for now. I switched him to a limited ingredient Salmon based protein a few years ago. It made all the difference! His scratching stopped and his skin cleared up.
It was miraculous!:)

Yes chamomile tea works wonders for skin issues, but it's also a great eye goop cleaner! I keep a spray bottle of it in the refrigerator at all times. I brew a new cup every two or three days. I even use it for my eyes when they tend to feel a little dry or irritated. The cool tea is not only soothing, it also has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Love the Chamomile!:D

Buddy's biggest allergy issues right now are environmental. Those are very hard to pinpoint and I never know what is going to set them off. When I walked him around the block to try to strengthen his legs muscles, he had an allergy attack. I'm not sure what caused it. Now I can't even walking around the neighborhood Without his allergies going haywire. Yes Leslie, I think I need to look into the OTC allergy medications list. Benadryl seems to have lost as its effectiveness, and it makes Buddy feel so dopey. That was okay when he was taking it just the night. Now that he needs it regularly, he's drugged pretty much all the time. Poor baby!

Kathy and Buddy:)

Ok, here we go -

*Zyrtec (Cetirizine) - 10mg tablets sold as 24 hour tablets
Dose -1 mg/kg every 24 hours to start; can increase to every 12 hours if
needed

*Tavist-Allergy (Clemastine) - 1.34 mg tablets
Dose - 0.088 mg/kg every 12 hours

*Chlortimeton (Chlorpheniramine) - 4mg tablets
Dose - 0.50 mg/kg every 12 hours to start; can increase to every 8 hours if
needed

Hope this helps!
Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

Leslie,
Sorry, I don't know how to convert kg in lb (per pound)
When it says 1mg/kg, does that mean 1mg per lb ? I probably should know this, but unfortunately I don't. All I know is that Benadryl is 1 mg per lb.

Which one would you suggest I try first? Were any unusually gentle on the stomach since Buddy is already taking Trilostane and Pepcid?
His stomach has finally settled for the most part since starting Trilo.
I seem to ALWAYS have more questions!!:confused:

Thank you so much,
Kathy and Buddy:)

Sorry! To convert you divide the pounds by 2.2 and that will give the kilograms. So say Buddy weighs 10lbs, it would be 10 / 2.2 = 4.5454... or 4 1/2 kg. Then you multiply the 4.5 by the recommended dose.

When the Benedryl stopped working for Tash, I went with the Cholrtimeton and it didn't upset her tummy in the least. That worked for her the remainder of her time - about 4 months - with no negative side effects. Tash weighed 13lbs and she took 1/2 tablet every 12 hours. 13 / 2.2 = 5.9090... Then 5.90 x .50 = 2.95...just about half of a 4mg a tablet.

Hope this helps! And NEVER worry about asking questions! Goodness, you should see some of my old posts. :p It's a wonder the folks here didn't send the men in little white coats for me! :D:D
Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

Thanks again Leslie,:)

I'm going to try the Chlor-Trimeton. Buddy weighs 16 pounds. If I did my calculations correctly, that would mean he would need about 3/4 of a tablet. Is that right? If I didn't do my conversion correctly, let's keep that to ourselves. I don't want my students to find out that I messed up a math problem! I'd never hear the end of it! Ha!:D

How is Squirt doing today? Is she eating any better? Did you take them off that horrible incontinence medication?

Kathy and Buddy:)

That looks good to me, Kathy! I hope it helps him like it did Tash.

Squirt is eating ok as long as I keep her feed changing fairly often. After she eats the same thing for a few meals, she's through with that one and we try another one. I have 8 different feeds in the house now plus her home cooked food - which she flat refuses. When they get old, they can lose their sense of smell and taste so lose interest in eating at times - it's just blah to them. So I'm trying to keep it interesting! PetCo LOVES me lately! :p

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

Good morning all!:

I don't know what I'd do without this wonderful group of angels disguised as average people going about their day. YOU DON'T FOOL ME!;) You are heavenly bodies strategically placed around the globe to join forces at a moments notice. To provide love, support, answers, and a friendly ear. Since being welcomed into your family, I have yet to sprout wings, and possibly never well. I am trying hard to be worthy of all of you and to reach out to help others like you so selflessly do. Thank you for always being there!:)

Kathy and Buddy:D

Kathy,
You are wrong about your sprouting wings. :D. Ever since my Angel Bo was diagnosed and we were on this journey which for us was not so favorable, I have always been grateful to each and every individual who is on this group. We all share some common bond to have loved and been loved back by these wonderful animals who so unselfishly give and gave of themselves. I think I owe it to all the fur babies and their families my shoulders/my ears and whatever else is needed to help others in need as they deal with this disease.
You too have been given that chance and we welcome you and thank you for all.

Dear Kathy and Buddy
Just dropped by to say hi. Here if you need me.
Hugs Sonja and Angel Apollo

Oh Kathy,

Thank you so much for everything that YOU do. This forum works because of everyone. We all make a conscience effort to help each other, whether that be by our knowledge, our love or our support, all of these things are vital to make this forum work.

Bless you, dear Kathy, you are doing a wonderful job on the forum, and you are helping many members, remember that.

Love and hugs,
Lori

Sonja,
I have your contact information readily at hand and I am very grateful for it! :):p It is very reassuring to know that you are just a phone call or email away. Thank you again for reaching out to me.:)
It is angels such as you that make me feel so honored to be a part of this group. :p

Buddy is doing very well now, except for allergies. Those have been running amuck lately!:(:eek: Buddy's next ACTH test will be about the 9th or 10th of May. That is the 30 day mark. I know that you're a wealth of information and love. Rest assured, I will keep in contact with you! Thank you for checking up on us!:) Feel free to call or email me anytime!

Hugs,
Kathy and Buddy:D

Kathy You have been so helpful checking in with me as you have done this week! Thank you and all here that have offered advice, support and hand holding through all this worry!! How I hate feeling worried and it so easily takes over. Thank goodness I found this board! Don't know what I would have done over the last week without everyone here!!
:D
Barbara

Oh Kathy, sweetie HUGE HUGS! You have wings too. :) We all do, because we help each other. It's what makes this forum work the way it does. Like one great big ole family gathered together. We come in and out the front door, slide out the back sometimes to check on things, some settle in at the kitchen, but we are all here together for each other. When someone rings the bell we all come running from every part of the house to see what is going on, who needs help and then we all just jump to lend a helping hand.
I rather like that scenario. :) You are right there in the midst of this family, helping each other out.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Hello, :D

I just started a photo album of Buddy on my user page. Check it out for a laugh! :D

You were right Sharlene, Norman is adorable!

Kathy and Buddy:)

oh Buddy is sooo cute and adorable!
We have the most the cutest furbabies ever on here :)
thanks for sharing. I love to see all the pictures of our precious ones

hugs
s
Sharlene

Hi Budster Lover,
I am Kelly, just a regular new cush mom sending love and prayers for you and your little Budster. I just want you to know that time does heal, and support from those who have been there can litteraly save you! I was a wreak when we were diagnosed. I took the advise of the ANGELS on this site. They really care and are devoted to helping you thru this difficult time. They helped me with the questions to ask my vet and with support, faith, and just knowing there is someone out there who knows what this is like to go thru. My Beanie was diagnosed a few months ago. Now she is running around again, and yesterday she actually did a play bow!!!! She is getting slimmer now that her pot belly is going away. She is no longer drinking gallons of water. The only downside is now her allergies are back and she is "itchy" again, and her hair is falling out in places. I believe the hair will return someday, but until then I am fine with my Beanie feeling better and giving me regular kisses daily again. :D

You may have a few "all nighters", but for what it is worth, Netflix is nice to avoid the stupid infomercials!!!!

Take a deep breath and know that there are real people out there who actually care about what you are going thru and who really know thier stuff about this "bump in the road of life". There are also people like me, only really qualified to give you a "virtual hug", ;) who are learning more every day about this problem, and getting stronger by the love and support given to us by this amazing group of ANGLES who seem to be standing by us to give valuable information, love and guidance.

My prayers are with you and your baby Budster. My gratitude again to the ANGELS who gave me strength and lifted my spirits when I was so very frightened.

I hope this message is of some help to you. I know that the middle of the night seems to be the darkest, loneliest, and scariest time when your babe is suffering. I also know that the lack of sleep can drain you of your strength to deal with all of it. Just be assured that this too shall pass, and the more you learn, the more power you will have to deal with all of it.

Love, Kelly143, the Beanielover

Thank you Kelly,

Buddy is doing much better now and I too was terrified, frustrated, desperate and a general mess at first! :eek:

Your message was very sweet, caring and nurturing. Thank you for taking the time to reach out to me. I have never had such an outpouring of love before. It is mind-boggling and much appreciated!:)

Buddy has allergies to. It does make treating our Cush pups a little more challenging! I am so glad your sweet little Beanie is doing so well!:)

Yes, I agree that all of these angels are a force to be reckoned with. I am sure glad that I am with them. I wouldn't want to get in their way as they make their magic happen. :)

So Kelly, thanks again for your well wishes, love and prayers.:)

Hugs,

Kathy and Buddy:D

It was really hard to leave Buddy to go to work this morning. His stomach was upset before breakfast. He was retching like he was going to lose his cookies. His stomach has been touchy since starting Trilo. Pepcid has helped with that, but occasionally he still has trouble. I was torn as to whether to give him his Trilo with breakfast. He could be already low, which could cause a crash and no one would be there!!!! :eek: Then again, his stomach is probably just touchy and might settle with food. Oh, what to do?:confused: I finally gave him a smaller breakfast and his pill. He gobbled it up, looking for more. I hope I made the right call:confused: It is going to be a very worrisome work day!:(

Kathy and Buddy:)

It really can be a tough call when you don't know if it is just a sensitive tummy or something else. I believe, if I were you, that if he is still not acting himself when you go home that I would hold off on giving the Trilostane and schedule to have an ACTH stim test done ASAP.

You are doing a fantastic job!

Love and hugs,
Lori

It is a hard call, Kathy, when in doubt withhold the pill. I try to see how else Zoe is acting to evaluate, but we have been doing this for awhile so I know how she acts. When you first start, with no behavior history, it can be hard to judge sometimes.

You are doing a fine job:):)

Hi Kathy,
I hope Buddy had a good day while you were at work. Before any Cushings Trixie often had a sour stomach when she woke up and would do that same kind of pre vomit wretching. A little food always helped with that in her case, I'm hoping that's all it was with Buddy's tummy this morning.
It's a good sign that he was hungry and gobbled up his meal I would think. Will be looking forward to your report later. I hope your day at work went quickly. I know that feeling when you're worried and just want to get home to your little pup! Hoping when you get home from work Buddy is chipper and feeling just fine. ;)
Barbara

Just checking into see how you and buddy are?

Hoping also he seems better when you get home...

Mel
Xxxxx

Hi Kathy, checking in to see how Buddy is this evening.
Hope your day was filled with too much worry. :( So hard to leave them when you are worried.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Just checking in on you and Buddy!

Thank you for all of your help and well wishes.:p

Buddy is absolutely fine!:) He was just yapping at some birds that had the nerve to land in his front yard. Now he is following me around telling me that he thinks his dinner is late.

I on the other hand am a wreck!:eek::( The men with the whitecoats are on the way!:eek: I worked myself into a frazzle at work and came home with a migraine! :(. Needless to say, I am not much use to anyone today, not even myself. I plan on going to bed early or at least crawl into a black hole somewhere. Tomorrow will be better, I'm sure.:)

Kathy and Buddy:)

Well, sounds like Buddy is himself alright. hehehe
You my dear, need some TLC and away time. A nice bed and a snuggle, or even a couch with a blanket (because blankets make us feel good no matter what) is in order. Maybe a nice cup of camomile tea or something similiar to calm the nerves. Nothing with caffeine if it's a migraine!
Don't forget to take care of you too!!!
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

I am glad to hear that Buddy is acting like himself.

Migraines, ARG!! I get them too and they are just plain awful, take care of yourself and I do hope your migraine goes away very fast.

Love and hugs,
Lori

Great news that Buddy is doing fine! How I hate that worried feeling!! Just glad it all ended up okay!
Hope that headache is gone! ;)
Barbara

I just received Buddy's Trilostane prescription refill today. I am still being instructed to give it to him on an empty stomach, 2 times per day.:eek:
He is always taken it one time per day. I uploaded a couple pictures of the prescription bottle onto my album under "check it out."

Kathy and Buddy:)