14 year-old Shih Tzu With Recent Cushing's Diagnosis

I hope you can get away, for me just the one day was amazing so you will reap many rewards and you know your mom will be great with the pups. I know it is hard to relinquish control and the what ifs start up but Im sure it will all be just fine.

Jean Donaldson is wonderful so if the trainer is coming to teach Izzy from her perspective I think that is wonderful.Her book Culture Clash was an eye opener for me and I also have her Dogs are from Neptune and Oh Behave books as well. Pat Miller is also a good source but honestly, if they come at this with clicker training, you'll see progress. If I can get Zoe, who is sick with mulitple health issues to respond to allow me to wash her face, love her eye drops, allow me to muzzle her, let me reassure you, there is hope for Izzy and any trainer refering to Jean Donaldson and her techniques will hopefully give you good tools.

I feel for you with the loose stools and hope you find what is causing it. I did that with Zoe for so many years and every test always came back normal. Drove me nuts:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Enjoy your Spring break, Julie!!!

Hi Julie
Hope you and hubby had a lovely break away, recharge the batteries! i bet your Mom coped just fine, they usually do :D:D I have 10 days away in three weeks time, Mum and Dad will take care of Flynn for me, I am pretty sure he likes it better at their house as they are much more forthcoming with treats than I am :D

How did the trainer go with Izzy? Hopefully you got tons of helpful tips.

Hope Miss Hannahs mouth is all healed up now and she is doing good :D
Trish xx

Hi Trish,

Thanks for checking on us! We are up north now. Heading home tomorrow. I have all week off for spring break. Hannah has her mouth check on Wed. She seems fine, in terms of her teeth. We have had some tummy issues so she is taking one metronidazole per day for now. I have decided she probably has done sort of stomach or intestinal cancer, between the strange diarrhea, tummy pain, and borderline anemia she's had the past several months. It's never good when I start internet research, but I do think it's possible. So that's my new worry.

They both need their yearly checkup, so I'll ask more about it then. I also have to decide if Hannah gets her distemper/ parvo vaccine, and if I should check her titers. Both vets seem to feel okay about just not vaccinating, but I'm not sure what to do yet.

The appt. with the dog trainer for Izzy is on Wed. afternoon. I am looking forward to it. I also got some books they recommended and have started reading.

Mom and dad say everything's going okay with Hannah and Izzy so far, so that's good. It's cold and gray with flurries up here. Very pretty, but I sure am ready for spring!

Julie & Hannah

My daughter told me I had to stop looking up stuff so I will tell that to you too. :) Oh Julie, it seems not that long ago when Hannah had back problems and Zoe was going splat on her face and it was warm out and things finally settled down and worked out somewhat. Now I am worrying Zoe has kidney problems and you are worrying Hannah has cancer.:(:(

Try to enjoy what is left of your trip. I know you are worried and it is hard. At least we did not get the awful snow storm.:):)

I am here for you and Hannah always, always here for you both. You have held my hand so many times, I get teary eyed thinking about it.:o

The grandparents usually are! Every time daisy stays with grandpa, I have to exercise her to get the extra weight off:)

I was thinking of you all day yesterday and wanted to come and ask how Hannah is and that I hoped you enjoyed your Spring break.

Zoe has a daily dose of metronidazole for 2 years now. I have cut the dose back usually I can get a way with a pretty small piece but I increase and decrease depending on her stool and stress. I hope it helps Hannah as it was the only thing that helped Zoe.

I am still waiting to see a robin but at least the snow has started to melt and Koko and I actually took a nice long walk this morning without my feet freezing.:):)

Let us know how Hannah is doing.

love ya

Hi Julie
How did Hannah's mouth checkup go this week, all healed up? Hope the other end of her has settled down a little too :)

What about Izzy's training, that would have been interesting! Get any good tips?

Trish xxx

Sending you and Hannah hugs, have a blessed Easter!

Hi Sweetie, thinking of you, Hannah and Izzy

Hi Guys,

Thanks for thinking of us! The mouth recheck went well. Everything is healing as it should. She peeked for about 1 second. The girls also had their yearly checkup last Tues. That went well too. I opted not to have Hannah vaccinated for distemper, parvo and whatever the other one is-some kind of flu??? Out of both vet offices where we go, neither thought she really needed it. We talked about titers, but the more holistic of the two vets said that unless I would need proof of vaccination she really didn't think there was a point. They both felt that since Hannah has had her vaccines for the past ten years that she should be fine. I'm hopeful that is correct.

I also talked with the vet about my fear that Hannah has some sort of stomach/abdominal cancer, based on her symptoms and my internet research. She said that if that was true Hannah would be losing weight and that a few days to a week of metronidaozle would not resolve her symptoms. She thinks it is more likely irritable bowel or something. That made me feel better for now. Of course now that I've been reading more on here, I'm worried she has a biliary mucocele, which I never knew about until about a week ago. This is why I need to limit my exposure to possible problems. It doesn't do anything good for my fears. :eek:

The training with Izzy went well. She basically confirmed what we though. Izzy is not mean; her reactions are based in fear. Since we adopted her and have no idea what her early life was, but can assume it was not good, and that she was not socialized, she just doesn't trust anyone much. We are to practice things like just calling her to us in a really cheerful voice, and then give her a treat. We also are going to make her sit, lie down or sit "pretty" before she gets treats, meals, goes outside, before we throw her stuffed toy, etc. In order to work on picking her up, we're supposed to approach her from the side and just get near her and give her a treat, then add touching her with one hand and getting a treat, then add the second hand before the treat. We've been good practicing the sit, down, pretty, but haven't done much with the picking up practice yet. Maybe I'll be better tomorrow when I get back in the routine and go back to work.

I've started adding the Atopica gradually again to see if that will help with Hannah's itching. We don't think it caused any of her stomach upset, but don't want to give it if she already has an upset stomach. I feel terrible that she still spends most of her life in a cone. Nothing has worked.

I'm thinking of putting her on a low dose of steroids to see if it helps. It's the last resort, but I don't want my poor sweetie miserable and itchy. She's been in the cone for 6 months. We've tried creams, sprays, shampoos, multiple antihistamines, Atopica....and a combo. of several...with minimal improvement.

On a side note, I saw this on pinterest last night. I REALLY want to do it, but it is pretty pricey. I thought I'd see if any of you have heard of it. You make a mold of your dog's nose or paw and make a necklace or key chain. I wonder if it would irritate their noses? I love the idea otherwise.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/59568560..._type=handmade

Back to work tomorrow. I can't believe my spring break is over, but I am excited to see my kiddos. I have such a wonderful group of 3rd graders this year, after having four really tough years. They were just what I needed.

Now I just wish the weather would warm up so it actually feels like spring!

Julie & Hannah