Zoe By My Side- Our Journey with Cushings

[frijole]

Addy,

Ironically I mentioned the tylan and within days I had to buy it for my gal Annie who was just diagnosed with bacterial overgrowth. She doesn't have diarrhea - she won't eat. I've been giving her anti nausea pills and that got her eating. Now I'm giving tylan to give her relief. She must have cramping and internal gas because other than a bit of growling in her tummy for a few days I didn't notice anything.

Anyway - I cannot treat the cushings until this is done either. So I understand your situation. Hang in there - we can lick this thing. Kim

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi Addy,

My boy Harley was scared of thunderstorms until he started taking the melatonin, now he's no longer bothered by them According to the Treatment Option Considerations Sheet:

Typically, a dose of 3 mg is given q12hrs (BID) for dogs <30 lbs;

http://www.vet.utk.edu/diagnostic/en...ings201005.pdf

Harley gets 3mg twice a day (BID). When buying melatonin, you want just the regular melatonin...not the rapid-releasing or fast-acting kind.

Harley takes the flax hulls with lignans also. The lignans that Harley takes are high in fiber and since he has such an elevation in the estradiol hormone I was giving him a little more than what the UTK Treatment Option Sheet recommended. With Zoe having some issues with new food tho, I think I would slowly introduce the flax hull lignans over time.

Her elevated ALP could possibly be from the gastro stuff or it could be from the elevated estradiol and cortisol or the combination of all of them. This only means that her liver is having to work harder, there's no real harm done, ok? Many of us do give our pups some kind of liver supplement like milk thistle or denamarin...ask your IMS about this.

Hope this helps.

Love and hugs,
Lori

[addy]

Thanks for the input. It seems like July 6th is so far away!!!

I am continuing the metronidazile until I get Zoe off the Shen Calmer so I am able to see what is happening without starting something new. I am keeping her on 125mgs 1 x per day. The weaning off Shen Calmer is taking longer than I expected, we are having storms almost everyday and it seemed like whenever I try to ielliminate the pm dose of Shen Calmer, her poops get bad. So internist said give metronidazole every day or 2 times a day if storms are bad.

Any thoughts about weaning her off Shen Calmer? I tend to be too conservative which will make me go slow but she has been on it since last August at different doseages. I have her down to 1/8 teaspoon 2 x per day and 2 days ago again tried to cut pm dose to 1/16 teaspoons hopefully for 3 days and then get rid of it.

I bought 1 milligram melitonin (regular) yesterday. Maybe I should just make the switch? He current vet IMS doesn't know anything about Shen Calmer. Should I start at 1mg or do the 3mgs right away?

Appreciate any input. Like I said, I start things small and go very slowly, sometimes too conservative.

Lori-where do you purchase your lignans, what brand are they?

Can she be on the melitonan and lignans prior to loading in August? maybe I should wait on the lignans.

I worry all of this will take so long that I won't know if her poops are really better by mid August.

Thanks for letting me ramble again.

Addy

[apollo6]

You might try to call a licenced Holistic vet. in your area about withdrawing from Shen Calm and explain what other medications Zoe is on, symptoms, condition. Maybe suggest an alternative which won't interfere with the other medications. Again make sure your IMO knows before making any changes.
Below is a link to find one in your area.
Herbs can be tricky, even in humans.

http://www.ahvma.org/

[Harley PoMMom]

I bought 1 milligram melitonin (regular) yesterday. Maybe I should just make the switch? He current vet IMS doesn't know anything about Shen Calmer. Should I start at 1mg or do the 3mgs right away?

Appreciate any input. Like I said, I start things small and go very slowly, sometimes too conservative.

Some pups can get sleepy or a little lethargic on the melatonin so buying the 1mg and trying that first and watching her reaction, I think, is a very good idea. You can always increase her melatonin by 1mg increments, and of course watch for any change in her behavior/poops.

Lori-where do you purchase your lignans, what brand are they?

I buy Harley's flax hulls here: http://www.flaxhulls.com/order.html

Can she be on the melitonan and lignans prior to loading in August? maybe I should wait on the lignans.

Yes she can but like I mentioned before, if it were me, I would add the lignans slowly to her diet.

I worry all of this will take so long that I won't know if her poops are really better by mid August.

Thanks for letting me ramble again.

Addy

We are here for you Addy, hang in there, ok?

Love and hugs,
Lori

[addy]

Lori- thanks you so much for the info. I will wait on the flax hulls. I also emailed Honest Kitchen to ask how much flax is in their Embark. I don't want to over due it.

I will try the melatonin 1mg at a time. I think the storms have stopped for the new week.

Sonja-

Thank you for the link. I do have a holstic vet but her advice sometimes concerns me-she will say "just stop doing it" I usually have to rethink whatever she tells me. I will call again tomorrow but so far not liking info I get on the phone from her tech and never can talk to her directly unless I schedule appoitnment.

Her poops were better today on the 1/16 even though we had another storm. Maybe need to go slower. Yikes! Pretty soon I won't have to worry about her poops and loading because it will be winter and she is always better then

Thank you all so very, very much.

Addy

[apollo6]

Dear Andy
Sounds like you need another vet. on the site I gave you maybe look up another vet and just call see if they will give you an answer about the Shen Calm. If you are not happy with the vet , listen to your gut feeling.

[apollo6]

I tend to be slow at doing things also. You are doing the right thing.
Trust your gut feeling. Never be afraid to ask questions.

[addy]

I called another vet today after dear Sonja prodded me (I need prodding so thank you)

She said I could continue using the Shen Calmer with the melatonin but if I wanted to stop it I don't have to wean her off. Last night I stopped the pm dose. I did have some panting from Zoe last night. This morning I gave her 1/8 teapsoon and again no dose tonite. No panting tonight.

Thursday am will be her last morning dose. I am home for 5 days so I can watch her.

Hope to start her melatonin July 5th, Dr.Oliver gets back July 6th, sounds like a plan to me

Oh, Honest Kitchen emailed back right away (they are so nice) Zoe eats 1/8 cup of EMBARK with her raw. They told me that had 14.5 grams of organic flaxseedin it.

How do I figure that into the flax hull equation?

Thanks!
Addy

[apollo6]

Glad to hear. you are in my prayers also.
Keep fighting like the rest of us.