Re: Nightime Panting and accidents
Thanks for sharing....I had hoped that the vetoryl would would change things for us as well. Rosie doesn't have the huge appetite ( in fact sometimes I have to put treats on her food just to get her to eat so I can give her the medicine.) But for us the hardest has been the constant panting and drinking, especially at night. It has been quite a challenge, both financially and emotionally.
Re: Nightime Panting and accidents
Has your baby had an abdominal ultrasound? If not I would want that done asap on a high resolution machine so they can see more of the internal organs clearly. It is possible something is pushing on the diaphragm making it more difficult to breath. I would also want to rule out ADH, the adrenal based form of Cushing's in which a tumor is growing on one or both adrenal glands. This form is more difficult to control so it helps to know whether that is in play or not and an US will show that - if it's done on a high resolution machine. ;)
The ACTH shows that the cortisol is still too high which can account for the signs still remaining. Has she had an LDDS to diagnose the Cushing's or only an ACTH? The reason I ask is because with a dog who has as many health issues as you say she does and who is already anxious the ACTH can often come back positive when the dog does not actually have Cushing's. Any stress, internal (such as a tumor on the spleen or other organs) or external (stress from going the vet or riding in a car) can easily cause the cortisol to rise in natural response to the stressor. My second dog diagnosed with Cushings' had a host of other conditions and illnesses and I always questioned the cush diagnosis as a result. After she passed I had a necropsy (autopsy for animals) performed and it proved she never had Cushing's. It was the other issues that caused false-positives on her testing. My first cush pup also tested positive on 5 different tests but the US found a tumor on her spleen and once it was removed her cortisol returned to normal. She did develop Cushing's a few years later but when she was originally diagnosed she did NOT have it - she had a tumor on her spleen which caused the cortisol to rise in response which caused the tests to show positive. So I am always nervous when a dog is treated based solely on an ACTH. :o
Something to keep in the back of your mind - if the increase in Vetoryl dose doesn't help you might consider switching her to Lysodren. Some dogs can't take Vetoryl or don't respond to it; others can't take Lysodren or don't respond to it. In both cases switching to the other drug can help. Do NOT let anyone pr anything you read scare you about Lysodren. BOTH drugs have the exact same risk factors; both drugs are very powerful; BOTH drugs are life-savers. So just keep that in mind if this dose change does not help.
Do let us know how things are going!
Hugs,
Leslie
Re: Nightime Panting and accidents
Thanks for your response Leslie. Rosie has not had an abdominal ultrasound but I will ask my vet about that. She did have the LDDS when she was diagnosed back in June at my former vets office. I don't have the report but I remember them telling me that she definitely had cushings and that it was the adrenal form rather than the pituitary form. I'm pretty sure she has cushings and since she's been on the vetoryl her coat has improved greatly. She's never had such a soft and fluffy coat since I adopted her. Next week she will have another ACTH and I'm hoping that her new vet will again increase her dosage. If it doesn't help with the panting and drinking we may need to consider trying the Lysodren. I will keep you posted.
Re: Nightime Panting and accidents
I know it's been a long time since I posted anything but wanted to finally report that Rosie is now on the right dosage of vetoryl (60 mg twice a day) and seems to be doing much better. We are still dealing with her anxiety issues which causes some panting but she calms down much faster. It has been quite a journey but I'm glad to see some good results!
Re: Nightime Panting and accidents
We’re so glad to hear that things are going well! Thanks so much for updating us, and please continue to do so ;-).
Congrats to you, and a big pat to Rosie.
Marianne