Zoe By My Side- Our Journey with Cushings

Thanks guys,

Right now I just found gunk in her ears, something she never has had as well as a bit of a doggy ear smell so we will see GP vet tomorrow to make sure no ear infection before I use an ear wash on her. I cleaned them a bit last night with vinegar and distilled water but did not flush. I must have watched 10 videos on how to clean and flush a dog's ears. I have never had to do it.

Not sure about the laser treatments (if we have anyone doing them) but I want to continue the Azadoyl right now and Koko must go for his annual so, she will have to deal with using tramadol for now. She is much better when she has that the night before. I just cant skip two nights. I need to pick my battles and right now I have to focus on her stool, skin and now ears:rolleyes: She has so much wrong with her. I cant fix it all at once.

I wonder if these gunky ears are not allergies.. Last summer she had the allergy eye issues when her cortisol was lower.

She still is a happy girl and we go on our chicken walk every day, one day a short walk, one day a longer walk.

Koko's paw is much better now. Granddaughter came over the other night and she is feeling better about registration. Sure am going to miss the girl. My Zoe and my Kate are everything to me.
I probably should not say that as I do love Koko and my youngest granddaughter too- you know what I mean:):)

Fluid in the ears is common in dogs with allergies. If her ears smell yeasty at all, it s probably an infection. What color is the gunk? Is it think or thin?

So glad to hear that Koko's paw is doing better?

Hugs,
Kathy

Good news, no ear infection, okay to continue to clean off the crud with vinegar and water or any ear cleaner I chose.

GP thinks Zoe's skin and hair ( what little she has of it) look better:):)

GP says Zoe' labs are not that bad and he thinks we should stay the course as per new IMS. He does not agree with old IMS.

BAD NEWS- GP is leaving end of July. Major bummer. Not that I relied on him all that much but I knew he was there for me and I checked in with him every 4-6 months.:(:(

I'll think about that tomorrow;)

Right now, I am so happy no ear infection. I also bought another bottle of Azodyl - hubby extremely grumpy about that one:o


AND------- you will never guess what:p:p:p:p:p


Zoe used to have a honey colored spot on her rump and base of her tail. It went away way back in 2010, she only had white hair. They shaved the spot when they did her spinal block. She has had a bald spot there since her surgery.

Today I can see a few brown fuzzies poking through the skin.:D:D:D

It is a good day indeed:):):):)

I also scheduled Koko's yearly check up as well as his dental for the end of June:):):):):):)

That sounds great Addy a good report for a change. And hair regrowth is a miracle. Her cortisol must be just right. So happy for you. This will be a good weekend for all of you. Yahoo. Love, JoAnne

Well Addy, Some good news for sure !!! :D:D:D

Quote:

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Today I can see a few brown fuzzies poking through the skin.

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Now that is reason for a little celebration :D

Wow, this is all great news Addy. :) I couldn't be happier for all of you.
Drat about the GP, but hey, that is for tomorrow. :) Today we are doing happy dances and chicken walks and celebrating Hair!! whoo hoooooo

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Hey Addy, great news there! Nice to hear Zoe has some fur growing back in, that has to be a great feeling for you!

Bummer about the GP, maybe before he goes you can ask him for a recommendation to another GP that he respects and trusts? Amongst themselves, they usually know who is really good. Nothing says you have to stay in the same practice, so cant hurt to ask at all. Glad to that he has reinforced the new IMS ideas, sounds like Zoe is getting on the right track. Woot!

YAY a GOOD NEWS DAY!!! I like numbers Addy, how about posting some for those of us that are numerically inclined :D:D:D Renal ones good too? UPC done??

Stink about the vet leaving, how dare he!! Where's he going? Can you move?? Ha, we do get attached to the trusted ones don't we!

Aww a wee bit of honey fur reappearing, thats sweet and shows things are going well, the skin is the biggest organ of the body (I learnt that in trivial pursuit!) so if the skin and hair is going well that has to be a good sign. Glad the ear problem was nothing too concerning, I so love hear good news about Zoe :D:D:D:D:D:D xxxxx

Thanks for helping me celebrate. No numbers, it wasnt that kind of visit, we recheck renal, stim, etc August.

It was just good to go to any vet and have it be positive.:):) That does not happen very often.

I ordered her ear wash on line and should have it mid week. I'm still looking fo a spray or rinse for her dry skin that doesnt have oatmeal in it. From what I am reading the Ketcochlor can flush out the hair follicles. Her hair got so bad and was falling out when I started treating her skin and IMS said that is becuase old hairs fall out and there are no new hairs to replace it. Maybe flushing out the follicles will help as now we have a hairy vulva too.:D:D:D

I know they seem like very small things but I need to celebrate every victory no matter how small.:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Hey, hair is no trivial thing! Ask any balding man out there! :D:D Lots to celebrate :D

We are k9cushings! We celebrate hair! :) rofl!

huggers,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

LOL and good poos too, we celebrate them all the time on the forum:D:D:D

The GP was refering back to her labs from April. I've cut way more than 10% of protein out of her diet, we'll see what her UPC ends up being. If she ends up losing weight, not sure what else to do but if she goes down to 16 pounds, she has been there before so maybe that is not so bad. Have to try to find a balance to it all, a compromise I guess. A bit thinner but less protein.:)

OMG, How could I have forgotten the poo celebrations!!!!:eek::D:D

Hey Addy... Is Vinegar a good ear cleaner for normal use too?

Yes, it sure can. Mix 1 to 1 ratio with white vinegar and distilled water. GP said can be used for routine cleaning, no problem. Let a few drops go in ear to help change Ph for mild yeast too. Just make sure not too cold.:):):)

Hey you

Just nipping into say hello,

Was chuffed to read little miss has hair growing back and seems well overall apart for those ear and skin issues. Fingers crossed your perseverance with that will pay off

Hoping you are doing ok..?

Lots of love

Mel
Xxxxxx

Okay this was funny. Read what you wrote Mel

Quote:

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Was chuffed to read little miss has hair growing back

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immediate thought was, why is Mel unhappy with the hair growing back.:D:D Reread, hmm, chuffed is obviously a good/happy thing. :o :p

Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Sharlene, dont you love Mel's expressions? I luv the expressions Mel uses.:):):):):)

reminds me of when we had our trip to London and Maidstone and we thought we could not go out for New Years because we did not have "fancy dress" thinking that meant formal attire;):D

LOL Mel, Little Miss is putting her head over Koko's shoulders:rolleyes::rolleyes: She just has to start something;);)

Good thing Koko is such a good sport.:D:D:D:D:D

Hi Addy
Just checking in to say hello and see how your Zoe girl as doing.Hope she is having a good day-when they have a good day,our day is that much better.Thinking of you and Zoe.
Patty

I DO love Mel's expressions and Naomi's and Trish's. It's great!
Wait, what is fancy dress again? Costume? (guessing)

Zoe! Trouuuubbble! Watch out Koko, that girl's got your number!

huggers, Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Ha, of course fancy dress is a costume party!!

Chuffed, we say that here too :D:D Meaning very happy, delighted etc! I am wondering what you wore to fancy dress on New Year's??

I am very chuffed to hear that Zoe's heiny is growing hair again and that she is playing (annoying) Koko :D:D:D

Lol, we did not go to any of the establishments. We had a quiet dinner in a small pub, then later in the evening walked around the town. When we saw people dressed in costumes, walking about, we realized our error:D:o

I think it is so fabulous that we can get to know people in other parts of the world here on our forum. Heck, I even got to know someone in Turkey thanks to Glynda's tip about sweaters for girl dogs on Etsy!!! The shopkeeper even named a sweater after Zoe:):)

I just love our family. Sniff, sniff. So now, Trish, I have to go read about the history of New Zealand. I am loving Australia and New Zealand. A new part of the world for me. I'm chuffed:)

I love our family here too Addy!!! I love history, didn't at school but I do now and love hearing about where everyone come's from.

Has there ever been a K9C get together? When I first got into the internet in the late 90's I got addicted to a trivia game, after a year or so all the regulars decided to meet and we got together in California, what a blast it was to meet all those people I had been chatting with for ages! My family thought I was mad and and would be killed by an axe murderer for sure.... but off I went and had the best time, everyone was just like I imagined and we had a fabulous time meeting up. I am in still in contact with a couple of them all these years later :D

Chuffed is string here too, then again, I work in an environment where all but one of our administration staff are English, so it's no wonder. We have a large English contingent in Perth, with an ever growing Irish group too (as close as my neighbours). The words I get, sometimes it's the thick accents i stumble on, of course with the written words here, that isn't an issue :D

So yes, Chuffed is definitely a good thing, as is stoked. And fancy dress to me is costume, whereas we just go straight for Formal if we want people to dress their best. Of course, these days Formal now pretty much means black tie event.

I love the language barrier thing, though half the time I find myself here writing "mom" not "mum". We use the later, not the former.:p

But yes, I too am stoked that Zoe is doing so well.

I am absolutely holding my breath because I am so worried this wont be but Zoe is down to 1/2 raw turkey patty per day, increased Zeal to 1 cup per day, poos are pretty good most of the time, usually brown unless she eats something outside. She gets a bigger 1/4 piece of metronidazole very other day, a smaller piece in between. I'm going to go pick up some Honest Kitchen LOVE since the Keen did not work. I only need to replace 70 calories to finish getting rid of the last of the raw food. It is so such a slow go with the diet but always has been.

But most importantly and this is what I am holding my breath about- she is growing hair on her neck where her growth was removed last summer, there is a tuft of hair coming from the scar. Her shoulder blades have been bare for a while now but hair is starting to slowly fill in. She is trying so hard to grow new hair but she has so much to grow.

After all of this and the old IMS saying it was her intermediate hormones causing her hair loss, she is now trying to grow hair. When I started treating her skin, her hair got really bad and she was almost bald but now hair is trying to grow. Do I dare even hope?

She never chews her paws any more, stopped last October, even when they are wet, she does not chew them, I thought she might start again in Spring but she did not.

Some days I think I wish I would have waited to treat her, her blood work and symptoms were not that bad when we started this journey but it seemed like every four months or so, I would see another symptom get worse. I waited a year as it was. I was so worried she would end up with diabetes or Sards.

Just musing, I guess. well, no more arm chair quarter back. It just has been a very long two years. She loves having her ears cleaned.:D:D:D I laugh at the look on her face. The other day, I was looking through an old journal for a writing about Kate to share with her on her graduation day. I found an entry I wrote in 2010 to Zoe.

Every book I read, I read for you
Every battle I fight, I fight for you.
Because I love you so.

That's my girl and as hard as this has been, it has made our bond even stronger.

It is graduation weekend, signing off for now.:):) I look forward to celebrating with my other "little girl".;)

Oh have a wonderful weekend Addy. Congratulations to Kate. I think that is a wonderful writing.

Wow, Zoe, that is amazing Addy. All that hair trying to come back in, is just fabulous. I'll hold my breath with you. Diet good, check, hair coming back, check, tried to roll around on her back, check, bugging Koko, check. That is an awful lot of checks for Zoe and all on the good side.

Enjoy your weekend, I'm sure it will be quite wonderful.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Oh Addy: That is so wonderful. You make me cry. We love these little dogs so much. Congratulations Kate, what a wonderful loving grandmother you have. Here is to a great weekend, enjoy every minute. Love, JoAnne

So glad to hear all the good things going on with Zoe, yay happy dance!

Addy,
I love your journal entry. That definitely sums it up!;):) thrilled to hear that Zoe is doing so well. Love that hair growth!:)
Hugs,
Kathy

Addy-

SOOOO excited to hear Zoe is doing well and her hair is growing back!!! I'm holding my breath with you. I sure hope the good news continues.

Enjoy time with your granddaughter this weekend!

Julie & Hannah

Hi Addy

Hope the graduation went well, I bet you had a tear in your eye watching her all grown up and graduating, what a special day for you all. Congratulations to Kate!! :D

OH and all the stars must be aligning if little Zoe is behaving as well... so you can go off and relax for a bit!!! How fantastic her fur is growing back in AND good poops for the main part!! I LOVE to hear good news and have my fingers crossed here for the last bit of diet transition :D:D You are quite the poet!!

Have a glass of bubbles for all of us while you are celebrating!!

xxxxx

WOW!! Talk about many reasons to PAHTEE!!!!! Zoe is a real fighter, just like her Mom. I bet that new hair fuzz is really soft as well. And how did Kate do? Was she the brightest star to cross the stage? Did she moon the audience? Did she win an award for best paper ever, ever? Huh, did she?

I hope there's gonna be a pool party. I'm on my way. I'm bringing Bailey and hats for everybody and noisemakers and balloons. Helium balloons. Then we can all make funny voices. Who's bringing the cake and ice cream?

I hope your weather is at least half as nice as ours is today. That way you'll have a gorgeous day. Stop your worrying for one entire day and enjoy all that you have. Life is good.

Love,
Sus
BIG HUG :)

Addy:
So pleased to hear that your sweet Zoe is doing so well, I hope she continues to improve. Blessings
Patti

Thank you all, graduation was wonderful. Saturday night was the first time I left Zoe after dinner since last September. She did just fine, no problems. Hubby teased Kate she isthe only one I put before the dogs. There is truth to that:o Yes, Susan she wore her white cord for her high grade point, ,Trish- I shed more than a tear when the orchestra was playing,

Zoe's skin and hair remind me of a Dechra case study Lori received as it seems improving her skin is helping her try to regrow hair. She does not have much hair as she lost so much after surgery and then when we started treating her skin but the fact her brown spots are trying to come back I take as a good thing. I think arthritis is an issue too with her back legs as when she has her tramadol at night, she does better the next morning. She is not the dog she was last year, much slower, stiffer but then so am I and hubby. I think we all aged about 10 years this past year.

Happy Monday everyone!!!

Glad graduation went so well. I'm sure it was a heck of a great day. :)

That Zoe, she is just full of surprises. I know we've talked about it many times, but controlling the cortisol at a good level does seem to help with the hair regrowth, eventually.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

But the dog in the case study was at post 7ug/dl if I remember correctly. It was not until they treated his skin issues that he started to regrow hair. Zoe was post 7 in January and her hair got worse, post 4 in April and her hair continued to get worse until now since we have been treating her skin issues. Maybe she dropped lower now than 4. The point of the article was that a dog did not necessarily have to be under 5 to grow hair I think:):):)

She got her Kong stuck on her lower jaw after supper. In six years of chewing that medium size Kong she has never done that:eek:
I thought we were headed to ER:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Oh good lord Abby! This is the kind of ER visits I end up doing. LOL Glad that one was averted. A stuck Kong. I don't think I've ever heard that one before.

That is very strange about the 7ug number. Maybe it is like everything else with cushings. You have guidelines, but every dog reacts differently to what is optimal for them. Didn't one vet write you and say under 5ug post was best for cc and hair regrowth? I know we have talked about this before, but again, nothing seems to be written in stone.

Everything just seems so hard with this disease. The good thing is that people who end up here are more than likely going to be the ones who persevere and Will find the answers for their pup because they don't give up, they just move on and try something else, or tweak, tweak, tweak, until it comes up right for their furbaby. I think that this forum enables them to do that because we all support each other and we banter ideas back and forth like a tennis tournament. Got to love that about this forum. It's too easy to become discouraged without anyone to stand with you shoulder to shoulder and give that much needed support.

I have to think that it is Zoe's cortisol, combined with your diligence in keeping an eye on what is going on with her and Knowing her so well, that the least little change you catch it right away, that has had the biggest benefit of all.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

I know I shouldn't but that Kong story made me laugh... :D:D:D I really am not evil and I so hope Zoe was not traumatised but it sounds so funny :eek::eek:. You should have got hubby to take a photo while you got it off and I am pretty sure it would have made photo of the week!! No really, I hope she is ok hehehehe. She is so cute!

Addy,
I'm with Trish and I'm not evil either!:D.I thought,how the heck did she manage that?Glad that it was able to be removed-no trips to the dreaded ED please!

Just catching up on your thread-sounds like you had a wonderful weekend and went out and enjoyed yourself at the graduation.And I'm glad you're able to see some improvement with Zoe with the hair regrowth.She's lucky to have you as her mom and your hard work and diligence shows!Keep up the good work!
Patty

Hi Addy:
Just wanted to let you know Tipper got a kong ball that had a hole in it stuck on her lower jaw too. At first it looked funny, but it really made Tipper angry and she was running her head into things in a effort to get it off. They are so hard, and heavy it was tuff to manipulate it off of her. I hope Zoe continues to do well. Blessings
Patti