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Thread: Checking in for June 2009

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    139

    Smile Checking in for June 2009

    We suspect that we have a good number of folks here who read the messages regularly but who don't post very often. Maybe that's because their dogs are doing well and they don't have any questions to ask, or maybe they don't feel very comfortable about posting answers to other members' questions.

    It's perfectly understandable and acceptable for folks to only post here once in a while, but when we don't hear from people, many of us find ourselves wondering what those folks have been up to recently and how their dogs are doing.

    "Checking in" is a topic that we start on the first of each month, where folks can post a reply to let everyone else know how they are doing. You may just want to say "Hi! We're still here and we're doing fine" or you may want to tell us more -- about a really good test result, or something funny that your dog did recently, or a camping trip that you went on ... that sort of thing.

    We'd love to hear from you!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Cypress, TX
    Posts
    193

    Smile Re: Checking in for June 2009

    I am one those folks that magically appears and disappears, and just post as needed on her own thread....shame on me!!!

    But here we go : Truffa is doing well overall; we never agreed with her vets about the treatment of her atypical cushings, and as the only thing that they prescribed for her was the melatonin for the atypical cushings and the amlodipine and benazepril for her high bp, I decided to add the lignans, omega 3's, CoQ10 coenzyme, Cranberry, cushex drops, essiac tea and CAS Options (strong immunostimulant with antioxidants) ....ohhh and ester-C and other chinese-herbal things for her joints.

    Her eye: the pressure has gone from 48 to 28 (normal is around 13), and I think now is normal, in fact her eye looks kind of flat and depressed now, we have a follow up on June 25Th. I seldom apply now Tropicamide or Flurbiprofen.

    She lost her teeth or they decayed, I don't know, but her gums were really inflamed on December and her breath was terrible (like blood)... vets just said "oh...it's periodontal disease" but never prescribed a thing or a tx. for it.... hence I learned about CoQ10 about helping in the High BP department AND the periodontal disease..... and poof, gums are more normal, no bad breath at all...so I am hoping that maybe BP has also decreased. I am also using the Leba III Dental Spray. Her food is soften with chicken broth (Wellness Core) and in the afternoons she has Thrive (hydrated no gluten food) which is like a thick soup that they devoured.

    We have an appointment at Texas A&M University on June 11Th, where I ask them to do an ultrasound (on Oct/08 they detected masses, that they refer to as possible cancers, the only way to be sure was to open her up again -NOOO way---- or monitor their growing); then I'll know if maybe the CAS options and the essiac are working.... and how her adrenals and liver are. She'll have the Adrenal Panel and of course the measurement of her BP. She has a new big lump underneath her front right leg (it's not firm and hard as the other fatty tumors) and I'd like to know what that is, and she is having a lot of trouble with her left hind leg.

    I'll have to drive by myself (hubby outside USA) to College Station (2 hours from my house) and I am thinking on maybe going the night before and stay at a hotel............ Truffa gets so nervous or anxious when she knows we are going there....and she knows!!! (no food in the morning and a long trip are huge clues, so she cries every 10 min the whole way!!!), and if you all remember, I ended up in a wheelchair and an orthopedic boot after I fell into a hole walking Miss Truffa...... will see, this visit is going to be around $500 without a hotel... still thinking....

    I'll let you all know how everything goes. God-bless all your babies and of course all of you.

    And again thnak you for the new forum
    Marcela & The Choco Labs
    "Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened"

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    The Netherlands
    Posts
    9

    Default Re: Checking in for June 2009

    Hi all,
    Finally I found you!
    I've got some computer problems and when I got things organized the caninecushings forum was gone.. later it came back but closed.
    It took me a while but I have found you. I was getting realy worried.

    Tascha is doing fine but not so good as she was. I have a lot of new questions but first I am going to check on you all and the dogs and friends I was following before all went wrong on my computer.
    Later this evening I will go and post a new thread about my beloved Tascha.

    Best wishes,

    Karen & Tascha

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    rural central ARK
    Posts
    14,549

    Default Re: Checking in for June 2009

    Hi Karen!

    So glad you found us! I'm looking forward to your post later.

    Hugs,
    Leslie and the girls
    "May you know that absence is full of tender presence and that nothing is ever lost or forgotten." John O'Donahue, "Eternal Echoes"

    Death is not a changing of worlds as most imagine, as much as the walls of this world infinitely expanding.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Toronto Canada
    Posts
    151

    Smile Re: Checking in for June 2009

    Hello Everyone:

    It's great to have this forum back. It was nice of K9Diabetes to host us but it's not the same as our own forum.

    Kira is doing pretty well. She had her 12th birthday on May 22nd. She's still on 40mg of trilostane, twice a day and she's sort of back to her old self (the operative word being old). She really aged when she contracted Cushings. Most of the time now she sleeps. But I don't think it has anything to do with Cushings. She's just old and bored and her arthritis really bothers her. However, when there's something interesting for her to do, like a walk or a bunny or a squirrel, she's all gung ho to go. She's panting a lot too, but again, I think it's the arthritis and now that it's getting warmer her panting is also increasing. She always panted a lot in the summer. She's also horribly nervous whenever it rains (not just thunderstorms). We've had a lot rain in the past month so she's just been beside herself. She spends most of her days in the basement and lately has even been spending the nights there. To be fair, she's got a huge, custom made doggie bed down here and it's very comfortable. It's a fully furnished rec room and I even leave a nightlight on for her. I think we're both sleeping better for her being down here, rather than in bed with me.

    On her last stim test, her numbers were excellent and the vet said that barring any problems, he didn't want to see her for 6 months. That's a bit of a savings!!! The pills are costing me almost $300 a month. But she's worth it!! Also, I get 50% back from the insurance company.

    I've created any album of some recent pictures of her.

    Heidi & Kira

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Staten Island, NY
    Posts
    3

    Default Re: Checking in for June 2009

    Hi Everyone,

    I thought I'd drop by and say hello. I really do miss this site!

    It will be going on 3 months soon without Hotty. Sometimes it doesn't seem real.
    I literally lived half my life with Hotty.
    I do have to say Sausage is really helping out a lot! Of course there's no replacement for Hotty, but Sausage is looking more and more like her.
    I hope everyones cushpups are doing well

    Deanna & forever Hotty

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    3

    Default Re: Checking in for June 2009

    My dog is Lillie Mae. She is atypical cushings. She is doing great at the moment. Glad to have found the site. It took me forever to find it.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    27

    Default Re: Checking in for June 2009

    Glad to see you are all still around. As I no longer have a Cushpup, I don't post but I do read all of the stories. This is such a great support and resource board.
    Loraine (Coco's Mum forever, was also Zedley's Mum) now Iggy's Mum

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    1,076

    Default Re: Checking in for June 2009

    Hi Everybody,

    Thought I'd post a Munchie update. For those of you who are not familiar with Munchie, he is my MiniSchnauzer who was given a Cushings diagnosis with insufficient testing and absolutely no symptoms. In my ignorance I started him on Trilostane and he became very unwell. When he was unable to supress at all the treatment was terminated and he was temporarily on prednisone. I eventually took him to a new IMS, had him retested.....his ACTH test was normal, his ultrasound was normal.....he did not have cushings!!! I did not know whether to cry from relief or scream from anger over what I had allowed him to be put through.

    It has now been over a year since he's been off Trilostane and he still displays no symptoms. His hyperlipidemia is a challenge and he remains on a very low fat homecooked diet plus low dose Soloxine. It is still within safe range but I have to keep a watchful eye on him. Since his 59 bladder stones were removed in July '08 no new stones have formed and his kidneys are looking good. After his diet change last Aug. to homecooked fish & potato with supplements he no longer has allergy problems - no chewing of the feet and no skin sores. He lost one eye to Glaucoma and cancer but his other eye remains well. He gets a Xalatan drop every night as a preventative.

    His latest issue is a heart murmur which was discovered when I took him to see the IMS last week. Cardiologist took a look at him the same day and says it's nothing serious at this point and we'll just be monitoring him every 6 months.

    So now he has a Cardiologist, an IMS who is an Endocrinologist, a Nephrologist, a Dermatologist and an Ophthalmologist. Wow! That's a mouthful!!! Between driving all over the place to see specialists and cooking all that fish & potato, well, keeps me darned busy! He's worth it though and today he is one happy, active little fellow rough housing with his kitty playmates. I love my little Schnauzdog and treasure every second I have with him.

    Louise
    Last edited by MiniSchnauzerMom; 06-05-2009 at 09:32 PM.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Comox Valley BC Canada
    Posts
    81

    Default Re: Checking in for June 2009

    OMG I found you all again. I've truly missed being able to go to Canine Cushings But last night came the break through and now we are back in touch. Our Zoe Claire was diagnosed with "Atypical Cushings in January with the great help of this site. She had been on a horrible roller coaster ride until we got her medications all figured out and now she is doing amazing for being 8....she has not had any break through symptoms in over 3 months now. So glad to be back and can't wait to be in touch with all the folks that helped us wheather the storm with Zoe.

    Heather and zoe claire

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