Confused and Overwhelmed-Diagnosed Anal Sac Carcinoma (Woody has passed)

Hi All

I found this site whilst looking for information on Cushings Disease, let me tell you our story.

I have a rescue Jack Russell Terrier age approximately 7/8 years, I,ve had him 3 years now and he is my life. I live alone with Woody, about 4 months ago I noticed that he had a little accident overnight, didn't think much of it cleaned it up and moved on. This happened again and again despite being let out for wee wee,s. I then started to monitor his water intake which had went from little to a lot, so I popped him over to the vet thinking UTI, but it wasn't. The vet asked me to closely monitor him over the next few days and bring him back towards end of the week with a sample. I monitored Woody very closely and realised that he was asking to go out more often and his fluid intake had almost doubled, so I took him back to vet with sample, he put sample on a meter (can,t remember name) and told me that Woody,s urine was very diluted and that he wanted to take bloods. So full blood work was done for diabetes and his urine was sent away with the blood for analysis. The blood results were no use as the blood had clotted (the vet thought this may happen as he struggled to get the blood in first place) but his urine showed very diluted and his calcium, phosphate levels were up but no sugar or protein in the urine. So one week later Woody went back into get the bloods re done, he also was to get a thyroid T4 test and an ACTH done where they injected took blood injected him then he was retested an hour later. These results showed up nothing significant other than in the vets words it could all still point to Cushings Disease as his liver enzymes were high. So on Monday Woody dog went back to vets for the LDDS test and I,m waiting on the results (gulp) his urine was still diluted on Monday and the vet down a full Blood Count too that he can run in his own clinic all others are sent away just to check on the things that were high calcium, phosphate, liver etc and they came back normal, some were at the higher level of normal but only the liver came back higher that it should but not greatly. So I know by reading that you all like facts and figures, so I will ask my vet for the results of all his tests and post on here. I have a feeling that the LDDS test will come back normal and I will never find out whats up with my boy. His symtoms are drinking loads 3 pints per day he weights 10 kg, weeing constantly, randomly panting, and he wont jump up on sofa any more he wants to be lifted, and he has developed a wee sacking tummy. I am confused and overwhelmed by all the figures and stuff my vets talk and just want my old Woody back. :(

Oh sorry this has turned into an essay, my name is Tracy and I live in Scotland.:eek:

Hi Tracy and welcome to you and Woody.

We will be looking forward to the testing results. Does Woody have a ravenous appetite? Is he losing any hair or is it getting thinner?

Many more will stop by and welcome you and help you and woody through this.

Welcome to you and Woody. There are some really nice, and incredibly knowledgeable people who will be along shortly to ask for more information.
If you have test results that you can post it will really help.

Hi Tracy and welcome to you and Woody! :)

Confused and overwhelmed, huh? Oh boy, do I remember those days! But you have done much, much better than I. To put it mildly, I was a total basket case by the time I found this group, which quickly became our family. I think my first post was several thousand words long and rambled all over the freakin' place, mostly incoherently and rather insane sounding. A dear friend later told me she had an image of a woman with her finger in a light socket, hair standing on end; she kindly left out the parts about the bulging eyes and flying slobber! :D:o I was frustrated, angry, eat up with guilt, terrified and cried constantly. It was as if my world was ending and I felt so helpless to stop it. But these kind folk didn't run away from the mad woman who had fallen into their laps but took my hand and started teaching me what I needed to know to help my Sweet Bebe, Squirt. It's almost 6 years later and this is our home, our family, who saved my sanity and helped keep my baby alive through thick and thin. Squirt was 15 this past Feb. so do not lose hope. You and Woody are now family here, too, and we will be right by your side the whole way, every single step.

It sounds like your vet is off to a good start in finding out what is going on with your sweet boy. When you get them, please do post the test results - as you noticed, we do LOVE details! :) Ruling out the UTI, diabetes and thyroid issues is a very smart move as they all share signs with Cushing's and can cause false positives on the cushing's tests.

One other thing to mention to your vet while ya'll are looking is Diabetes Insipidus, or DI. DI does not involve blood sugars but is a condition in which the body does not process water correctly so blood tests cannot pick this condition up. It is typically tested via a test called a water deprivation test, which can be risky. So most vets simply start treating for DI and if the treatment works, the diagnosis can be made. DI is treated with an eye drop called Desmopressin. DI is fairly rare but we have seen several cases here.

I'm glad you found us and look forward to learning more about the both of you as time passes. Please take a look around the Helpful Resource section of the forum where you will find a wealth of information, in particular a thread of info for newcomers to Cushing's. The most important things for you to know today are these - 1) Cushing's is NOT a death sentence. Cush pups can and do live out their expected lifespans and beyond, typically passing from old age or conditions unrelated to Cushing's and 2) you and Woody are no longer alone; we will be with you every step of this journey - all you ever need to do is reach out and you will find us reaching back.

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

Helpful Resources for Owners of Cushing's Dogs
http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=10

Sticky: Links to Cushings Websites (especially helpful for new members!)
http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=180

Hello and welcome from me too. :)
You have come to the right place! There are many K9Cushing's angels standing by to help and stay with you every step of the way. They love details, test results, any information you can get your hands on. The more the better. We will do all we can to help, but be ready for lots of questions! So again, welcome Tracy and Woody.

I was definitely confused, overwhelmed and completely exhausted when I stumbled upon this heavenly group of angels. Relax, sit back, and get comfortable. Our family welcomes and embraces you and Woody. Hugs,

Tracy, we all felt the same way when our dogs became ill. Cushings is a sneaky disease and the symptoms often progress for years before it's obvious that something is wrong.

There are many members here who can interpret the test results which is a good thing because not all vets are knowledgeable with Cushings.

Woody's symptoms do suggest Cushing's. Does he also seem to be hungry all of the time?

Thank you everyone I don,t feel so alone anymore, I think I scared myself reading all the information on Cushings and at one point I read it would shorten his life considerable and I guess I panicked as I,m not willing to lose him.:mad:

A bit more information now that I,ve calmed down a bit. Woody had an incident in 2011 where he was leaking urine, not much but enough for me to worry, this happened several times over 2 days so I popped him to the vet with a sample and tested for a UTI and it was negative, Woody was put on a broad stream AB and it seemed to help, so we (vet and I) thought it was an infection, later that year and early in 2012 Woody had 2 bouts of pancreatitis both times being hospitalised for several days, again we put it down to something he had eaten, but I,ve read somewhere that this could be a symptom of cushings. His appetite is shall I say ravenous, but Woody was a "street dog" so I,ve put it down to him being starved previously to coming to me, I can no longer keep a bin in the house as he raids it constantly, this is also been mentioned to the vet several times. I feel really guilty now that I didn,t push for more tests when he showed these symtoms back in 2011, does this mean I,ve made him suffer god I hope not.

Squirts Mum - That image made me laugh and I have to say I,m not to far away from that myself. No one seems to understand when they say "you look tired" "Yeah been up with the dog all night" they look at me as if I,m stupid.

The worst thing about this for me at the moment is when he has an accident like if I don,t wake up in time to let him out he will hide from me, head down as if he is waiting on getting into trouble, everytime he does this, it breaks my heart just that little bit more. As you can guess Woody didn't have the best of lives before he came to me, so I,m making sure he has a damn good life with me:)

My vet has mentioned to me about DI and feels if the cushings comes back negative then this looks like the next step, I forgot to mention earlier that when he got his LDDS test, they also took bloods to test his T3 thyroid.

Thank you for the warm welcome and as soon as I get test results you will all be the second to know

You are not alone in this. You have all of us now. We've all been up with our fur babies many a night, so we totally understand. We will help you and Woody anyway we can. Bless you for rescuing him from the streets. Hugs,

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Budster's Mom

You are not alone in this. You have all of us now. We've all been up with our fur babies many a night, so we totally understand. We will help you and Woody anyway we can. Bless you for rescuing him from the streets. Hugs,

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Thank you, your thread on Buddy was the first thread I ever read on here, and I have to admit to shedding a tear at some parts, I am so sorry he has passed, but he will happily be playing with all the other pups in Rainbow Bridge :

Tracy,
I am honored that you read Buddy's thread about my mighty lizard Hunter. Since there is far more than 1000 posts, that's quite a bit or reading!:eek: Yes, I had many sleepless nights and I would do it all again to have Buddy back healthy and pain free.

You and Woody are in excellent hands now. You are being loved and supported by a very special angel brigade. When you're told that you are not alone, it isn't just words. Our angels stayed with me 24/7 for several days after Buddy passed through the rainbow bridge. They would still be there now, in a flash if I needed them to be. They kept me talking when I was too numb to think straight and held me together with their love.

We truly are a family here. Feel free to tell us whatever you are feeling at the time. Yelling, screaming, ranting, crying, whatever, is allowed here. Your journey has just begun. We will be here to share it with you. That means, the joys and sorrows. Hugs,

Hello and welcome Tracy and Woody. :)

It sounds like your vet has things well in hand and is on his way to ruling in and out, what could be the issue.
Leslie covered the pertinent about maybe DI if everything comes back negative. Either way, Woody can be treated and live out a good long life.
I'm so glad that you and Woody found each other. A pair made for each other. Poor little guy, feeling so awful that he had an accident. :( My golden was horrified when she had an accident in the house. It just never happened and wasn't her fault, but hard to tell that to a dog.
I'm glad you found us and you'll have a place to ask any question, have a constant support group, whatever you need.
We'll be looking forward to seeing those test numbers. :) They help so much in trying to figure out what can be going on.

Welcome again,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

I,m struggling tonight or this morning its 1 am in the morning in Scotland and Woody has had 2 accidents tonight, whilst I was in the bath, was only in for 20 mins or so surely that can,t be right. He had his evening walk at 10 pm then back out at 11pm for toilet break, tell me I,m not imagining this, tell me that it,ll get better, tell me whats up with him. (cry)

I will now spend the next hour or so sitting on the floor , speaking softly telling him I,ll make sure he gets better and that its not his fault that he has accidents and if I,m lucky he will come out from behind the sofa where he is at present hiding he is a sensitive wee soul but don,t tell him I said that he likes to think he,s a matcho dog ha.

If his results come back on Friday positive I know with all your help I will be able to deal with it and get Woody on the right track, but what if they are negative again and I,m left not knowing whats causing this :mad:

It will get better sweetie.
With proper veterinary care and patience.

We've all been where you are right now and how I despised those little accidents.
When you have a moment, and if you care to, please read through my thread "Daisy Mae had just been diagnosed with PDH".

It will give you a timeline of how we've progressed as an example.

Hi Tracy,
Oh poor Woody, I am sure he feels awful and you do too. Make sure to get copies of all the tests and the results from the vet.
If this comes back negative, then you give the DI med a shot and see if that helps. If not, then you get an ultrasound. But before any of that, we want to see the numbers.
It's okay, we're with you. Do you have any pee pads that Woody could maybe use when he can't hold it? Put him in an area when you aren't with him, like when you are in the bath, or even bring him into the bathroom with you and put a pee pad down. It might take some time, but it won't hurt to try it.
Arriving at a diagnosis is the hardest part to get through. It does get better, once you know what you are dealing with and have a plan. A plan can be a great and wonderful thing.

Hang in there.
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Hi Tracy,
We all know how you're feeling right now, the beginning of this is just an awful worry....but it will get better for you and for Woody!!
Poor little fellow is feeling so badly about his accidents.
Puppy pads will definitely help if Woody will use them. If you put them in the spots where he's already gone he may go along and use them.
I was feeling just like you only a few months ago. Thank goodness for everyone here on this board that helped get me through!
My dog was diagnosed is April. It's taken a few months of dose tweaking but she's much better now. Hope you get answers from the vet soon so that Woody will be on the road to feeling better.

Barbara

My poor little Buddy NEVER had an accident and refused to use pee pads. He would burst something before peeing anywhere in the house. I felt really bad for him and worried that he would physically injure himself trying to hold it. As his Cushings took over, his rear leg weakness made him unable to use his doggy door anymore. It was stressful for both of us. I worried because he couldn't get out while I worked and would rush home each afternoon. Buddy stressed trying to hold it. My point being, I would have preferred accidents. Yes, accidents worry some dogs. Since Woody is already having accidents, maybe you could get him to eventually use a pee pad in an emergency. It helps to mark one with his scent from a previous accident, so he knows that it's okay to pee there. None of this is ideal. We all cope the best we can. I have often done the crying and sitting up ALL night thing, to the point of exhaustion. Then going off to work in the morning with little or no sleep. It does help to talk about it. At least, it did for me.

Hopefully you'll have some answers soon.

Thanks again for all your kind words. Woody eventually came out from the sofa about 3 am and slept peacefully the rest of the night, where as me I slept rubbish, I kept watching him to make sure he didn't need out again. I,ve been this morning and bought pee pads, just have to hope that he will use them, this way he may not feel as bad when he has an accident. He did look at me strangely when I put them down and explained to him what they were for, don,t think he was listening though :p

Test result day is tomorrow and I,m feeling a bit sick about it all. I really cant believe that it takes so long to get a diagnosis, I had heard of cushings before all this but didn't realise how hard it was to diagnose until now. I have a really good vet which is half the battle I think and will listen to me rant on about Woody. Back at the beginning of all this he mentioned cushings but decided to rule everything else out, diabetes, kidneys, thyroid etc before cushings. I trust him as does Woody as we see him every month as Woody takes other medication, and needs to get it checked regularly. Thank god for pet insurance as the bill is sitting pretty high at the moment.

I,m popping to work for a few hours so will leave pads down and see if he uses it.

Tracy and Woody x

Hi and a belated welcome from me too.

It looks like you and Woody have settled in just fine here and have received some great advice.

We are all looking forward to those results as well.

Terry

PS -- What other types of medication is Woody taking at the moment and for what conditions?

Welcome to the forum. I know what you are going through as well as many others on here and it sometimes can be overwhelming.
Please don't get discouraged. I have had to literally take one day at a time and not worry about things that might present themselves later.
Your story is somewhat similar to mine as far as peeing goes and just when I thought he was stabilized last night I came home to almost a lake in the kitchen and excessive thirst again. Sometimes they throw you for a loop with behaviour but again, one day at a time
Once you get your test results, you'll know what course of action to take and you'll feel better.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mytil

Hi and a belated welcome from me too.

It looks like you and Woody have settled in just fine here and have received some great advice.

We are all looking forward to those results as well.

Terry

PS -- What other types of medication is Woody taking at the moment and for what conditions?

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woody takes fortekor I tablet 5mg each morning for a grade 4.5 heart murmour. It was diagnosed at the rescue centre so he has always taken it woody also has a luxating patella on the right leg but its not bad enough yet to operate I did think that his reluctance to jump up now was related to his leg but vet checked it and there has been no change to it. He also had an accident nov 2012 where he was running around like a loony jumped for his toy and landed funny he slipped 2 discs on that occasion L4 L5 but recovered well with crate rest, again I thought this could be why he was jumping on the sofa and struggling a bit with the stairs but an x ray confirmed although he has been left with a weakness all has healed. Oh sorry I ve just waffled on and given you info that's probably irrelevant a complete guide into woody,s medical history the only thing left is he is suffering from hayfever this year this is a first for him

Just want to welcome you to the forum. Great knowledgeable people here, you definitely are in the right place.

oops... I see I already did... won't hurt to welcome you again.

Welcome Tracey and Woody, so glad you found us, we love having you join our family and Woody too..this forum is awesome, lots of info and encouragement with it, we are here for you!!! Hugs

It's been much the same with me...dog sleeping peacefully but me wide awake watching the dog!! I had so many nights like this, it's hard to sleep when you feel so worried.
Great news that you have a good vet and someone you feel comfortable and confident with. That will certainly make an easier time dealing with all this.
Hope Woody will test out the puppy pads and start using them-it will make your life much easier. My dog will use them thankfully. I still leave a couple down just in case but as she's getting controlled she doesn't need to use them much anymore.
We'll all be wanting to hear what you learn at the vet tomorrow. Try not to worry too much....once you know what you're dealing with you'll be able to help Woody get better!
Barbara

Well todays result day, I feel sick, nervous, got to wait till this afternoon so popping into work to take my mind of it (like that will happen).

Bought pee pads and put them down, he did try and use them bless him, but he had dribbled on the pad and pee,d at the side of it, I did laugh as he looked pleased with himself. I think in amongst all this doom and gloom that has been happening recently I need to keep my sense of humour and Woody has always made me smile on a daily basis so I have to think that this is all just a blimp and Woody will be back to his old self soon enough (not strictly true but helps me) Back later with the results wish us luck :confused:

My little male Chi is blind but peepee pad trained...when he can find them! ;) I get so tickled at him because he will find one, get his front feet on the pad but his weewee is not quite on the pad so he pees by it. But he thinks because he felt the pad with his paws that he done GOOD and stomps off across the dry pad with that tail just flying in pride! :p:D:p

Tracy:
I too have a wonderful Jack Russell named Tipper. This dog is my world. I was devastated and scared to death upon her diagnosis. She has been on Vetoryl for a year now, I am picking up her latest test results today. It will get easier, but never less worrisome. My dog has done well on treatment so far. Her symptoms were so sever that she would not have made it without the help of the Vetoryl. I am praying her tesst come back good today. I wish you the best with your baby. You will get thru this just like the rest of us. Blessings
Patti

Results are in. Woody suppressed adaquately on his LDDS test so no signs of cushings. I,ll post some more when I,ve stopped crying

YAY!!! I am thrilled both of you! Go Woody, Go Woody!!:):D

Ok so I,ve composed myself and had to re phone vet, as I was a bit off with them. Although Woody,s LDDS test was negative for cushings, I,m still at a lose at why he is drinking and peeing all the time. When I rung back I got the Locum vet Emma who I,ve dealt with before I explained I was still at a lose at to his symtoms and she finally agreed to refer us to an endo specialist a 2 hour drive away. She has also said she will speak with the specialist about a water deprevation test for Diabetes Inspidus and send all test results to them, although she will also ask if it can be done at home instead of the surgery due to Woody getting stressed. I have also asked for ALL Woody,s results from the last 4 months, I,m being told she needs to ask the senior vet if that,s ok to do, surely I paid for them and I have a right to see them.

I,m not sure how I feel now ( I did cry on the phone to vet) I think relieved that nothing was found, angry that I didn't think they believed anything is wrong with Woody dog, guilty oh so guilty for putting him through all that testing for nothing and sad really sad that I still have to watch my precious sweet boy drink and pee all day long.:( The vet mentioned something that I,ve never heard of which is Psychogenic Water Drinking which means its a behavioural problem anyone heard of this.

I'm sorry this is so frustrating.. :( I found a little info on Psychogenic Water Drinking. Seems toward the end of the article that if this is indeed the case, water has to be allocated, But I would really want to be absolutely positive that this is the case and not something else causing the issue.


http://www.mypetsdoctor.com/psychoge...dipsia-in-dogs

Well I'm glad for you that it isn't Cushings...but I can understand being upset and wondering what could be going on!
Once you can post all the various tests and numbers there are people here who will have some ideas and advice. I know how hard it is to see your dog drink and pee so much...it upset me so much too.
I hope you and the vet will get to the bottom of this soon.

Barbara

YAY!!! that is wonderful news.
Of course, now you are in the same boat I am in. In that my dog too fully suppressed both 4 and 8 hour on the LDDS.
So, now you have to figure out what is causing the peeing. You can pursue the DI diagnosis, give her the meds and if that takes care of it, then wala you know what the problem is and it should resolve.
Um, you know that once you come here you're family right?! :) So, whatever the issues may turn out to be, we'll just keep you if you don't mind. :)

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Oh my goodness Molly Mum how do you cope with that. Does Molly still present with Cushing symtoms? I'm not convinced Woody doesn't have it as DI doesn't explain all his symtoms but if tests where negative what can I do, except accept them. It's 4 am here and Woody has been up most of night drinking peeing and looking for food.

I did think cause Woody was,nt a Cush pup then I would have to leave the forum but glad to know I can stay :)

Oh my gosh no!! Don't leave!! Cushings brought you here, but it is a family of dog lovers and caring that keeps you. :)
Molly doesn't have the excessive drinking, peeing, eating. She has a bit of a pot belly, a positive ACTH test, a could be positive ultrasound, thinning hair, high liver enzymes. Her first LDDS test in 2011 was negative and everyone since has consistently been negative. We still don't know what the root of the problem is. I give her liver support supplements from the vet and have her blood work checked about every 3 months to keep and eye on things and I watch her food and water intake to see if it is increasing at all.
I know how worrisome it is though. One accident that was very unusual, sent us off to have a urine culture done the next morning. You just do what you can do and pay attention, hoping that it will be figured out by you or vet or someone at some point.

Hang in there!
Sharlene and Molly Muffun

I agree... don't leave. My dog is still peeing and drinking excessively even though supposedly diagnosed with Cushings. The jury is out on that still after 3 months.

Maybe together we can figure out what is going on? I can't give advice as I'm not knowledgeable enough but I'll go to the ends of the earth to figure out what his problem is.

Hang in there and let us know how or what you are doing.

I'm not sure I would allow the water deprivation test. It is rather risky. I would rather choose to start the eye drops and see if that helped. If they do, there is the diagnosis. If they don't, we keep looking. Do some research on this test and decide if you want to put your baby through this or simply start treating. ;)

I'm so glad that Leslie posted her note above, because I was just getting ready to write the same thing. We have had a few members on the forum with dogs who ended up being diagnosed with DI and successfully treated via the method she's suggested -- simply trying the medication to see whether or not it works. I don't believe I'd feel safe doing the water deprivation test with my own dog.

And I just want to join in the chorus of folks urging you to stay right here with us!!!! We have many different issues that we're all dealing with, on top of or instead of Cushing's. So we don't want you to stray away, OK?

Marianne

Thank you I'm not going anywhere don't get rid of me that easily. Where else can I find like minded people who know and understand what I'm going through. :p

Woods had a bad night last night up and down drinking peeing hungry so he,s quite flat today think he maybe tired I know I am ha.

Squirts mum - I did express my concerns to the vet about the deprivation test as I,d be worried that he would dehydrate and 30 mins from the vet so will hold off on that. Is there any other mess other than eye drops as I don't think woody would be happy letting me do that.

Desmopressin isn't cheap. You can get it in tablet form but it's even more expensive than the eye drops or nasal spray. I would have gladly paid the price had it worked for my dog, Jojo, but it didn't. You can read about the drug on Dr. Mark Peterson's blog here: http://endocrinevet.blogspot.com/201...-diabetes.html

Thanks for the link lulusmum some interesting stuff there. I've decided that I will wait for IMS to call me to discuss things with him before I decide our next step I want what's best for woody (as we all do) 🐶