10 y/o Dachshund recently diagnosed - (UPDATE - Prissie has passed away)

[molly muffin]

Do you have an Internal Medicine Specialist that you can take Prissie to see? They might be able to come up with a treatment plan since it seems that there are several possibilities going on with her.

This site can help you locate a specialist if you don't know of one.
http://www.acvim.org/websites/acvim/index.php?p=3

Often an Emergency Vet Hospital or University if you have one in your area, will have a small animal internal med specialist on staff.

I know that sounds scary, but I took my molly to one, and felt much better. It is worth it to have someone who has more knowledge in these specific areas to take a looksee.

HUGS,
Sharlene

[Doxielvr729]

I don't know if I'm supposed to post 3 times in a day, but I have a quick praise report and you guys are the only ones that will get excited about regular poops with me!

After not taking the Vetoryl today her poops were solid tonight and she's barking and acting a little more spunky!! Probably more validation that she was being overdosed. Yay for regular poops!

[molly muffin]

Whoooo Hooooo for regular poops! Absolutely you can post. Sheezzz..barking and pooping and being spunky, is all Very praise worthy! I couldn't be more excited for you and Prissie!
poop on wonder dog!

Big ole HUGGERS from me and a belly rub for Prissie.

[GabbySue]

I think that dog people are the only ones that get excited about dog poop.
Welcome Noelle!!
We too discovered some of Gabby's initial bloodwork changes when she had labs done for a preop dental!

I am thinking that an exam by a vet opth might also be a good idea as well there are all sorts of other things that they can get with their eyes and glaucoma or effects from an elevated BP can cause changes with the pupil.

Good luck with your tests.

Tiffany

[Doxielvr729]

Do you have an Internal Medicine Specialist that you can take Prissie to see? They might be able to come up with a treatment plan since it seems that there are several possibilities going on with her.

Thank you SO much for that link Sharlene! I had no idea where to even start looking and that site found there are 3 vet internists in the Greenville, SC area!

It was a really bad night and I'm needing some major encouragement, advice, suggestions.....anything, this morning.

Before bed Prissie was "pooting" very often, and this smell was the most horrible thing I've ever smelled. It was so bad, I was trying to air the house out, and had to step outside a lot to keep from getting sick. Nothing has changed in her diet and she is on Blue Buffalo healthy weight dog food, which I understood as one of the bests?? Once in bed (on the air mattress) she started doing the mouth smacking thing very badly and refused every offer of water. She would jump down and just cry and pace. When I would put my hand on her tummy she would flinch very dramatically like it was hurting really bad. I'm researching dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, gas in dogs with cushings, pancreatitis.......everything to see how I could help her up until 1:30am. One site had a recipe of a mixture to treat the electrolytes by mixing some sugar, water and other things. I am currently on a diet so I have NO sugar in my house. The gas site suggested trying a tums and after inspecting ingredients one tums has 2mg of sugar! I gave her one tums and let her take one lick of my diet drink to get her "drinker" going. She drank a lot of water, and we laid down and slept peacefully from 2-5:30am.

That was very lengthy and I'm sorry, but it seems like every detail is important with this disease. My question is, are these signs of pancreatitis?? Do the high levels of cortisol from cushings also cause pancreatitis?? If we control the cushings with the medicine will it resolve the other problems?

I don't know if I should give her the Vetoryl 30mg this morning and I'm stressing. Am I harming her by not treating the cushings, or making her worse because of the medicine??

[addy]

Hi,

Sometimes the Vetoryl can cause tummy upset. Could you speak with your vet about giving Pepcid and hour before breakfast and the Vetoryl dose?

I really think that 60 mgs was a hefty dose. If the tums seemed to settle her tummy we have a clue.

Our Cush dogs are prone to pancreatitis. They can have pancreatitis without a lot of warning signs.

A lot of this is trial and error. I am sure others will stop by but if she were my pup I think I would withhold the Veotry another day or so and see how your pup acts.

It is probably best to have a conversation with your vet. Ask about the pepcid and what the correct dose would be based on weight.

Hang in there.

[labblab]

I have only a moment to post this morning, so I apologize for being short-winded and blunt.

No, I don't think you should give any more Vetoryl at all until Prissie is examined by a capable vet. In the short run, risking overdose is much more dangerous than not having optimal control of her cortisol -- if she even has Cushing's at all.

Leslie has pointed out the numerous, very disturbing elevations in Prissie's bloodwork. Additionally, she is right, Prissie's LDDS test is not consistent with Cushing's at all. All of her abnormal lab readings in addition to her dilated eye -- all these things need to be pursued before starting back with the Vetoryl. Prissie's problems have the potential to be very complicated. It does not sound as though your current vet is addressing them at all. I think you need to consult another vet -- ASAP!!!!!!!!! First thing this morning, I would contact the specialist in your area and find out what you need to do in order to get a referral. Not trying to be overly-dramatic, but her life may depend upon it. Any of these potential problems -- liver failure, acute pancreatitis, Vetoryl overdosing -- can turn deadly on very short notice! Please keep us updated as the morning progresses, OK? If you cannot make arrangements today with the specialists, find out who they'd recommend on an emergency basis. Prissie sounds like an acutely sick little girl who needs to be evaluated ASAP.

Marianne

[Squirt's Mom]

Mornin' sweetie,

Please - no more Trilo for now, none, nada, zip. There is just too much that does not fit a Cushing's profile as well as several additional concerns, especially after the nite she had. What you are describing sounds more and more like pancreatitis to me and this is not a condition that can be played with. It requires immediate, medical attention. As Marianne suggested, call the vet first thing this morning and if you don't get immediate action, take her to an ER asap. I am very concerned that Prissie is in dire straits.

Also, Tums for dogs is not good. It is a human product based on human physiology and our physiology is not the same as a dogs. Pepcid AC, the regular and be sure it is the AC form, is fine for them as is Tagmet - but not Tums.

Please let us know what the vet says - we are very concerned about Prissie.

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

[molly muffin]

Okay, based upon the recommendations of our senior staff this morning and reading what you wrote.
Here is a link to an emergency vet hospital in Greenville area.

http://www.aecgreenville.com/staff/doctors.html
Clinic (864) 232-1878 Office (864) 234-4701

There are several other vet hospitals in the area too, do a google search on Greenville, South Carolina Emergency Hospitals to see if there is a closer one to you. Take All of Prisses lab results that you posted here with you.

Let us know what they say. It has been a horrible night for you and Prissie but maybe a specialist at the hospital can figure this out and get the appropriate treatment going.

I took my Molly to see a specialist at our emergency vet hospital. They will work with your current vet once a proper diagnosis has been made and no I wouldn't give her the Vetroyl until this is figured out.

Hugs hon, hang in there, you Can do this,

Sharlene

[Doxielvr729]

Called the vet internist. They couldn't see her until Monday and said she needed to be seen elsewhere ASAP. Just got an appt. with another known vet in town. Will update after. Please pray for my sweet girl.