Merry Christmas to you and Butter!
I hope you have a wonderful holiday.
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin
Printable View
Merry Christmas to you and Butter!
I hope you have a wonderful holiday.
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin
Well we are at the 1 month marker since we did the 3 day radiation
treatment. I've updated her Cushing's album.
Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas
Dawn & Buttercup
Dawn:
I hope to hear soon that you are at the 2 month marker and all this is in the rear view mirror. Blessings
Patti
omg, Dawn. :( Poor Buttercup. :(:(:(
Has a Derm vet seen her? If not, I would sure think about getting her to see one asap. They may be able to offer you something that will help this heal faster. I'm just not sure how long it will take for the cortisol to be at more normal levels following the procedure she had. And surely there is something that would help her. In your shoes, I would almost want to put her on one of the cush treatments just for the CC but that would be counterproductive for the macro. :(:eek:
Did they give you any idea how it might take for this to clear up after the radiation?
I am in total awe of you, Dawn. So much to deal with and you do it with such grace and determination. You not only do all you can for Butters, but you reached out to others here who deal with CC to help them as well as others to come after. You are an inspiration, Mom!
Hugs,
Leslie and the gang
Hi Dawn,
From what I have read it is important to make sure there are no secondary skin infections and if there are to treat them. They can crop up at any time.
You are doing a great job, Dawn. Butters is so very lucky to have you.
Adding to the others comments - you are one fantastic mom. I've been following along and regret I have no experience with CC so I can't help other than to say you are doing a remarkable job and Buttercup is lucky to have you as a mom.
Hoping the CC is healing and getting better. As Leslie mentioned perhaps a small dose of lysodren or trilo would help with the CC but obviously that is a decision by your vet.
Sending healing thoughts and love to you and dear Buttercup. Kim
Dawn:
Keep up all the good work. You are the best mom Butters could have. Blessings
Patti
Hi Dawn,
I hope you had a good day with Butter.
From what I understand, reading and others on the forum, it is very important that the cortisol levels come down to help with the cc. I know Univ Davis looked at the cc and said it was the worst they'd ever seen.
It will be very important to find out what the levels are now and if the tumor shrinking is bringing those levels down enough. I sincerely hope they are coming down at that there will be a light at the end of the tunnel.
You are doing so awesome in taking care of her and helping her to feel more comfortable.
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin
Hi Dawn,
I just took a look at Butter's album. Poor sweet baby. Her CC covers a very large area of her body, which must be just miserable for her. Does she scratch / lick them?
Tobey's hasn't progressed that far yet to cover such a large area, although the lesions she does have seem to be quite sensitive and bleed easily.
Thank you everyone for.your supportive words. I am still working from home and then going into the office on the weekends when daddy is home to watch her. I try to never leave her alone, but times I must go to the market and get us food, so I make the trip as quick as possible. She is so smart, if she needs to pee while I'm at the market she will use 1 of the pee pads I have out for her, she's a good girl. I keep her as clean as possible and keep a close eye on all CC and as you could see from the pics it keeps me busy. So far so good no infections of any type at this time. She is not scratching anymore, well I don't give her the oppertunity. She does have a spot on her left front leg that she is licking, will bandage that up tonight for that is when she starts licking it.
Patience is a virtue that I must practice each day and not dwell on the past or the future but to live in the moment. At this moment she is resting on the couch after enjoying the warmth of the sun.:p
Jan 6 we return to Davis to see her Dr.'s and start her IM blood work, that should let us all know where we stand at that point.:confused:
No Cushing's meds.till we know how the tumor is reacting/shrinking. Would die :eek:if I pushed for meds.too soon and then the tumor has a major die off at the same time , that would be a complete nightmare:( to have her levels bottom out after all she has already been through. :p
She is still on her pain med and omegas and joint supplements. As for her pain med I have had to get real creative in what I hide them in, have done the pill packs, different types of cheeses, meat,wet food and she is to smart for her own good,:rolleyes: so now I use a mellon baller spoon and fill it with vanilla ice cream them jam the pill in it and give it to her, it is working well thank god, since it is so small and cold she just gulps it down.:D
Well its time to get back to work(while in my jammies-loving it) and keep the cash flowing in.:D
Everyone have a great day
Dawn & Butters
Omg , someone just returned to me my wallet that I lost back on 10/28 while visiting a friend at the hospital. :D
Now I wish I would have answered my door when he rang the bell. With all the crime going on and being home alone not expecting anybody I do not answer the door unless I know who it is. He left it under the door mat, it was completely in tacked money and all.
I do not care that it took so long, just the fact that someone took the time out of their day to find the owner of it is just amazing considering how much our society has changed, it restores my hope and will pass a act of kindness forward to a stranger( I pretty much always help when I can) what else all I can says is wow and thank you to the unknown individual that was so kind, may 2014 bring this person much happiness;)
Dang it, just gave her a shower an a couple of areas on the back of her neck cracked open and a spot on the underside of her tail are now weeping blood. She actually yelped and bit at my hand :eek:through the towel will I was drying her, I'm ok she was pressing her head really hard into the towel at the time and then she twisted her self into it and that's when she did it , poor girl, she does smell better now and still loves me:p. I gave her her pain meds in little balls of ice cream so all is well. Now its time to apply the hibistat and neosporin to the areas , thank god I buy those by the gross, I should own stock in them by now,! :D
That is such wonderful news that someone returned your wallet. How awesome is that. :) Yes, there are still good people around. :)
Awww, so sorry that some of Butters spot started bleeding. Poor thing, I'm sure it does hurt sometimes.
You are doing good with her though. No one else could give her more than you are, that's for sure and no one knows or loves her more either. (I have stock in kleenex :) )
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin
I repeat - you are a saint!
Don't do anything without consulting your vet but I was given a spray that is wonderful to heal wounds quickly. It is so good I use it on myself and it does work. It is like a spray gel. No odor. It is called Vetericyn VF wound and infection treatment. Ask your vet about it next time you go. I wonder if it would work faster than the neosporin.
Others here have used it and swear by it.
I do NOT know of any CC users that have tried it so like I said - ask the vet!
Continued healing thoughts sent to dear Buttercup and strength to you. Oh and what a story about your wallet! Unreal. Makes you believe in mankind. Hugs, Kim
Oh Dawn - I just hate, hate, hate when the sores crack open and bleed. :mad: I know it must hurt so bad, and it's so painful to watch. Poor Buttercup. I've been too afraid to bathe Tobey with her CC.
I only shower her when she gets real stinky, since she is such a big girl she can make a big stink:eek: ( my stinky linky:rolleyes: ) that takes about 8-10 days. In between I just do the compresses and gently rub her down.:p
So hold off on the bathing and just keep doing the wet compresses and rub downs, hopefully your baby will like them as much as mine does:D
Thanks Sharlene, laughed at the (I have stock in kleenex :) )
So true.
Hugs back at ya
Dawn & Butters
Thanks Kim, Im just a mom like all of you and just doing my job as best I can like everyone else here. And yes the wallet coming back to me also helps restore my faith in mankind. I will check into the Vetericyn VF , thanks for the info.
Hugs back at ya
Dawn & Miss Butters ( who is no passed out on the couch:p)
Dawn,
I'd lost my car/house keys at the mall over the summer. I went back to each store and the security office every day for a week and nothing turned up. On the 8th day, someone had finally returned them to Macy's. Even the expensive "Coach" keychain was there! I asked the employee why they thought that it took so long and she said that sometimes small children pick them up and parents' don't find them right away.
It's a great feeling :-)
I'm so sorry that Butter's sores broke open. Poor girl!
How WONDERFUL your wallet was returned AND returned complete! There are good people out there in this "wicked" old world! :D This reinforces my hope for mankind!
Bless Butter's heart. :( I think I would learn to live with the Stinky Linky girl as best I could if bathing causes her such pain. Is there some dry shampoo or powder or something along those lines you could use that doesn't require water yet might help with the BO and not worsen the CC? Then there is always the swimmer's nose clips. ;):p:D If you chose to go the nose clip route, I want your phone number so I can hear you talk! :p:p:D:p:p
Hugs,
Leslie and the gang
Leslie, you are to funny:D!!
Doxiesrocks, I was thinking the same thing, that a kid might have found it and put it in their back pack and forgot about it, and that they may have gotten a new one for christmas and when they emptied the old one their parents found it. Just so happy it was returned safely to me.
Losing your keys must have been a real nightmare too, its amazing who those 2 items when lost can reek such havoc in our lives:rolleyes:
Butters is snoring, she just to dang cute:D
Yes it was. Those electronic key fobs are expensive to replace.
Oh I love that gentle snoring sound they make. Molly I swear to god, can drop to sleep in a nanosecond and drop right into snoring full out. Puts me right to sleep when she does that. (must be catchy like yawning)
Oh good lord, those electronic key fobs and even the keys are ridiculous expensive to replace. It's like there is the vehicle and then there are these things made out of gold you need to get them to run!
hugs all,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin
Dawn:
Such a great deed someone did to get that wallet back to you, but I do not blame you for not answering the door. I am glad you got it back though that was very sweet of whoever did it. I am hoping for a great year coming up for you and Butters. I looked at all her pictures, and all I can say is God Bless you both as this CC is the most awful thing ever. Her whole dis almost covered now. I am praying it goes away soon. When do you return to Davis? Do you speak with them weekly? If so are they happy with her progress so far? Do they have anything to suggest for the CC? Blessings
Patti
Happy New Year Dawn and Buttercup
I hope this year brings a better one than last year and continued progress for Butter.
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin
This whole Cushing's situation is just so depressing especially the CC, it seems to never end, I ? Myself if I have done the right thing for her, her qaulity of life is so poor right now! Its heart breaking to see her this way. I cry often for her. Was I being selfish to put her through all this? Would it have been better if I were to have released her from all of this? Feeling guilty .
We go back to Davis Monday the 6th, I'm praying that all that I have done and put her through is not in vain and that her levels are coming down.
She truly is the best thing that has ever happened in my life and want to honor her for all the love she has given me all these years and give her every chance possible as I know she would do for me if she could.
Dawn & Buttercup
Some days are harder than others I think. Until you know the actual numbers and how she is doing clinically, it is hard to try not to second guess yourself.
CC is the hardest of all symptoms to get to totally clear up and Butter had a very bad case of it, so it might take a while, a Long while for it to get better. I've read on the internet 6 months or more sometimes.
Lets see what the docs have to say and ask them to in addition to everything else, evaluate the cc.
Do you feel like it is still spreading? or do you feel like it is stable or even a couple spots might have cleared up?
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin
Dawn:
I don't think you are selfish. You did the very best you could for your wonderful sweet Buttercup. You had her best interests at heart. Yes part of this is for us too, but we are only human, and do not want to face losing our best friend in the whole world. I think you will have a much better understanding that what you did was for her best interests after your Davis appointment. Hang in there until then. I am crying all day with Tipper too. Cushings is the worst thing I have ever been thru. Just try to get yourself thru to the 6th. You are doing a wonderful job, and you are the best mom Butters could have. You gave her that one shot in a million that other dogs don't get to have, so don't for one nano second think you are selfish. Blessings
Patti
my flynn had severe cc too last summer, it was bleeding from time to time. i did not know what it was then, i thought he ran through some plants/bushes he reacted allergic to. during autumn it began to dry in and when he died it was almost gone totally by itself, i put vetramil on it, but nothing else, so i hope it will spontaniously heal with buttercup too.
i noticed people thought that he was contagious and avoided us. and were giving not so nice comments sometimes. do you experience that too? watch her carefully; as long as she still enjoys life, go for it, if not then it is time to think about letting her go. hope they can give you some good news the 6th.
I think Butter is a fighter just like her mum. I think she has responded well to the radiation treatments and we'll know for sure on the 6th. The cc I already commented on, about asking what they think at the university.
Hang in there Dawn. You are doing GREAT!
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin
Stay strong Dawn. You are an amazing dog-mommy, and your Buttercup is lucky to have you fighting for her.
I think we all question and second-guess ourselves when things seem so bleak. The CC has been just horrible for us too, and probably the most emotionally painful part of cushings to deal with. It just seems like such a terrible thing for the babies to go through, and your Butter has a very terrible case of it. When Tobey's was cracking open and bleeding, I was wondering if we would ever get through it.
That said, you can get through this part and so can Butters. Hang in there and see what comes at your appointment on the 6th.
Thanks Flynns mom, so it sounds like it lasted about 4 to 5 months and it did heal, that gives me hope that it won't last for what seems like forever(2 months already under our belts).
Butters is dealing with head aches also from the tumor and it appears some are worse then others at times and that's when she looks at.me with those sad droopy eyes that say I don't feel good at all momma. I just hate when those strong ones come on and its not time yet for her pain meds and she has to wait it out till its time. She has enough issues going on that I do not want to chance over dosing her in anyway. Once she gets her meds and they kick in I can tell that she feels better no more droopy lower eye lids and follows all my moves, life is pretty good. :p
I only take her out around work and family and they all love her, when in public she is covered up, and by the way I carry myself no 1 has dared look at her or me cross eyed , I send out messages with my body and eyes that say:mad: "don't get in my way for if you do I will run you down so don't even think about opening your mouth and say anything:mad:" nothing like being the crazy:eek: scots/irish woman that I am :rolleyes:
Thanks for the support I was having a redheaded moment and through logic out the window and was running on pure emotions earlier. :p
Wishing all of us a peacefully new year , May the road rise to our feet and the wind be at our backs.:D
Dawn and Buttercup:D
Dawn, I had to laugh at the crazy scots/irish woman remark. No one would get in your way! :) You are Butter protector and best friend.
Ehh, those moments, hit all of us now and then, there is no getting around it. We do the best we can and luckily the forum comes in pretty handy when those moments happen. :)
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin
i am sorry about buttercups head aches. can't you call her doctor and ask if you can give her some extra painmeds?
i like what you said about people making comments. i gave them the evil eye too.
on the other hand i can understand that people would think it is scabies or anything like that. i would avoid contact with such a dog also.
it is a lousy disease!
hope you will get some good news next monday!
Hey Dawn
Just nipping into see how you both are doing today?
Hoping you see some improvement with her cc soon, I know it's tough to see day in day out.
Hang in there
Big hug
Mel
Xxxx
Dawn:
Will Butters let you massage her head when she gets the bad head aches? Are the Dr.'s aware she is getting them so badly? I hope they go away, and that her CC goes away too, she has gone thru enough from this terrible disease. God Bless you Both
Patti
Just popping in to say thinking of you. I wasn't sure if you drove to Davis tonight or leaving early in the morning.
Hoping for an Excellent report! hugs to you and Buttercup!
Sharlene and Molly Muffin
You might consider acupuncture for those headaches... I had great success with it for my Annie. Kim
Really hoping that all that Butters has gone through is working. We go back to Davis in the morning.
Have been going back over her blood work from 11/02/13, when they said that they were high they should have said a couple were off the rictor scale.
ALKP 1479 U/L
ALT 503 U/L
GGT 57 U/L
CHOL 363 mg/ dL( changed her diet during sept and oct to get her weight down to help ease her back pain)
And the test from back in Aug.were ( blood work done twice that month)
First test
ALKP 512 U/L
ALT 283 U/L
GGT 10 U/L
CHOL 517 mg/dL
Second test end of Aug
ALKP 550
ALT 262
GGT 14
CHOL 502 mg/dL
Will post her results when I get them . Will also ask again about acupuncture therapy, last time they said it would not make a difference since the root cause was the tumor and an issue of it creating intercranial pressure vs nerves.
Keeping my fingers crossed
Dawn & Buttercup
Good luck to you and Butters for your tests tomorrow Dawn, hopefully those liver tests will trend back down now. Good work on getting the cholesterol down.... Paw's crossed here xx