Buttercup (Calcinosis cutis) - Buttercup is now in heaven

Dawn, undergoing only a single laser treatment is fairly new to us. Traditionally, radiation therapy for an enlarging pituitary tumor has involved around a dozen treatments spread over 4-6 weeks. We have seen dogs who experienced variable outcomes with that therapy. It has typically been recommend as a result of neurological changes. With some dogs, the outcome has been excellent and both the neurological problems and also the overt Cushing's resolved for an extended period of time. With other dogs, the neurological symptoms have resolved but the dogs still required traditional drug treatment for control of the Cushing's. And unfortunately, some dogs have suffered complications and not survived long after the treatment.

Since the single treatment is pretty much cutting-edge, I would really grill the folks at Davis as to their experience there. How many dogs have suffered complications and what are they likely to be? What is their expectation as to the need to go forward with Cushing's drug treatment even if the tumor size is reduced? Do they expect the tumor to regrow, and if so, within what time frame?

Marianne

Those are all the ?'s on my list. She will be on meds for life even after the treatment. Laser will not complete obliterate the tumor so she will be monitored for life.
Yes this is cutting edge treatment, they have all bells and buzzers up here, no other facility out here that has this type of rad laser. Butters is lucky to not have to go through the older traditional treatment, will be less stressfully for her.
Spoke with her Vet at home who is a grad from UC Davis, she agrees that this new laser is amazing with amazing pinpoint accuracy and very powerful. 1 treatment is all that should be needed. This same equipment is use on humans also with great results.
I am creating an album to share her Cushing's journey.

Dawn, this will be fantastic for you to share your experiences.

As it turns out, I lost my own Cushpup to what we assume was an enlarging pituitary tumor. We never knew for sure because we opted out of an MRI. That was because we had decided in advance that we could not ask him to go through the extended radiation treatment even if the imaging showed a macrotumor. If only there had been the chance of a single treatment at that time -- we probably would have jumped at it! :o

What you learn during this experience will be super helpful for all our members in the future :). I'll surely be watching for all your updates!

Dawn:
Even though this is new it brings hope to many on here. People are looking for hope for there babies. It will be very interesting indeed to hear about this journey. I am just glad something is being done to stop this disease. Blessings
Patti

This is a forum that is known for having some firsts, first surgery on pituitary, first with radiation treatments etc and those that come after learn so much and gain hope from these experiences. Buttercup will be right up there leading the way.
Most vets tell owners of any dog diagnosed with cushings, that the life expectancy is 2 years, and we have proven them wrong, over and over again here. So, I don't know if there is any way to know for sure what the future will bring.
I think that this is very exciting though and I hope that the single treatment will do the trick and leave her with her eyesight too.
We'll all be anxious to hear all about it too.

hugs! You are doing such an awesome job
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Wow:eek:, what a whirl wind day. Meet with the oncology and rad. dept. today.
They have changed how they do the treatment the last couple years.
She will have 3 consecutive treatment 11-25,26,27. they have seen better results by breaking it down to 3, they can get a larger dose:D of radiation into the tumor by 1/3;). When they were doing the single dose(which was the equivalent of the traditional) they were not getting the reduction that they were looking for( reductions was comparison to traditional treatment) They are striving for maximum reduction.:D:D
She will have the CS done wed the 20th then the physicist will build a model of her from that image and will use that to do the trail runs and get the system completely dialed in just for her, that will take a couple of days to complete, then Monday the 25th we begin.
She was seen by just about every dept. there.
Neurology, endocrinology, ophthalmology, radiology, oncology, dermatology, and a host of students, residents and so on.
They do not want to start meds for the Cushing till after treatment because there will be some minor swelling from the radiation. If we reduce the hormone now and then need to put her on steroid for the inflammation the balance will be way off. She is of course producing plenty. They gave me Tramadol to ease any discomfort she has and
Simplicef (antibiotic) for the skin and some artificial eye drops to her
keep her eyes moist(ducts are slow at producing tears).
I did ask them about her adrenal and the possibility of adrenal exhaust. They did not see any abnormalities, no atrophy or anything else. Was concerned because the pit. has been whipping the heck out of it with the constant demand to constantly work 24-7.
Will get with vet for the DMSO for the skin. She is resting peacefully by me side.
Oh by the way I got the same 2year speech also so come on Miss Butters lets prove them wrong!!!!!!!!!

Oh here's more info. less the 10 percent will experience side effect and of the 10 percent only a few really got sick, no deaths. Dogs really do well going through the process.
On average they see tumor reduction around 40% by month 2, and then gradual reduction for another 4 to 6 months. Each case is different of course. Tumor will never disappear.
Not sure if I told you that the tumor is 2.5cm.it has risen out of the "saddle" by 1.5cm and is bleeding/seeping

Dawn:
I am so waiting to hear about this journey as it may mean hope for many dogs who otherwise had none. Blessings
Patti

You are so BRAVE! I pray this procedure works perfectly for our Buttercup and that she blows that 2 year prognosis out of the water!

Keep in touch and let us know how things are progressing. In 9 days, huh? Goodness, I'd be a basket case! :o:p Of course, I crawl in that basket over diarrhea so.... :D

Please keep in touch, we are all here with you.