My big boy Gable - sweet Gabe is now at peace

[labblab]

Hey Joan, I just wanted to give a shout-out to our sweet Gable. I so appreciated your note on Peg’s thread. And now that I know that both you and I are crossing our fingers for our older babies, Gable and Luna, I’m especially hoping for still more good days ahead for us all. I figure that whatever makes our babies happy at this stage, makes us happy, too!

Please give Gable a hug and kiss from his Auntie Marianne, OK? And big hugs to you, too ;-)))

[Joan2517]

Done and done, Auntie...he seems okay, except for the food aggression, panting and weakness showing more in his back end. He's a good boy, never complaining, always happy (except for the panting episodes, then he looks just like Lee did, panicky). I know I should get him tested, he might need an increase. I'm waiting for the money that I should be receiving from the sale of my mom's house. As long as he's still eating and drinking, I'm not too worried. He's always been so sensitive to the increases that I'd rather his cortisol stay high than low. He's also sleeping all night most nights, in fact I'm up early this morning and noticed that he didn't even get up to drink water until I was up. Usually I can hear him roaming and getting up a few times to drink.

Hopefully our babies will have more time with us than we think...

Did I tell you that Jeremy got another dog?? I already told him that this time it will be his mistake if it doesn't work. I am not taking another! But it seems to be working out. He's a black-mouthed Cur, approximately six years old, weighs about 80 pounds, and is a sweetheart. He's had him for two months now, and they have bonded completely. He's good with people, even though the reason for him being at the shelter was that he was in an abusive household and the husband beat the wife and the dog attacked him...I'm not sure I believe it because so far he's been fine with everyone. I think there is more to the story because he seems too calm, too trained and kind of sad. He's a couch potato, but does love his walks. He has Lyme and has started antibiotics, but also seems to have a sensitive stomach and finding the right food/meds has been challenging (and expensive!). It has taken him this long to feel safe I think. He won't play, doesn't seem to know how, but he can sense when Jeremy is having a panic attack and will sit near, or practically on him. He's been registered as an ESA and Jeremy is waiting for clearance from the school to bring him to work. He has already been there twice and wasn't a problem at all...met Jeremy's coworkers and some of the students. He will come up to you, smell you, then lean against you for petting. I was worried the first time I met him because of the story and how big he is, but he was just fine. And Jeremy seems to have finally got the dog he can love and pamper to his heart's content...they need each other.

Just wanted to share that bit of news

Love, hugs and kisses!!

[labblab]

Oh Joan, I’m so glad to hear about Jeremy’s new companion! For sure, this is definitely good news to be shared and I’m so glad you did. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that everything continues to work out for the two of them.

And I totally understand about thinking it’s better to let Gable’s cortisol run higher rather than lower at this point. I agree with you and would do the same. We just take one day at a time now, and have to feel so grateful for the good ones!

[Joan2517]

Well, finally got some money so had Gable in for blood work. The only thing I didn't get done was the Thyroid panel because I was doing the PVT and the Thyroid panel needs to be done 4 - 6 hours after taking the pill. These are the results:

Cortisol: 3.8

Blood work:
Alk: HIGH 1688 ref range 5-131
Phosphorus: HIGH 6.1 ref range 2.5 - 6.0
Triglycerides: HIGH 381 ref range 29 - 291
Precision PSL HIGH 474 ref range 24 - 140

Okay, so he is panting and drinking like crazy. Insane whenever there is food around, which only makes him pant more. Wondering if we should up the Vetoryl to 5mg at dinner so then he would be on 5 am and 5 pm. Should I get the T-4 panel done first before adding the extra 5?

What do you think?

This is from blood work in July 2020, everything was much lower, except for the cortisol, which was only slightly lower.

3.0 on the cortisol test ref range 1.0 - 5.0

ALK: 616 ref range 29 - 291
Triglycerides: 959 ref range 29 - 291 (he hadn't eaten before we went)
Precision PSL: 273 ref range 24 - 140

[labblab]

Hey Joan, I would want to have Gable’s thyroid level checked before increasing the Vetoryl dose. If he’s getting too much thyroid supplementation, that could account for the excessive panting, thirst and appetite. Since his pre-pill cortisol level is OK for a Cushpup who’s clinically doing well, it wouldn’t warrant a med increase if those symptoms are being caused by a high thyroid level instead of cortisol. If his thyroid level does turn out to be fine, though, it’s at that point that I’d increase the Vetoryl. Since his other labs are creeping up, it’s certainly possible that he may need more Vetoryl. But I’d want to recheck the thyroid first,

Marianne

[Joan2517]

Thanks, Marianne. I had the thyroid panel done yesterday. It came back low, 1.8. I had stopped giving him the second pill a few months ago when he started drinking more (like he did that time his cortisol dropped too low).

My vet wants to start back up with the second thyroid pill and also give him the extra 5mg at night, so that he would be taking 5am and 5pm. He doesn't think the panting and ravenous appetite is from the low thyroid, but more from high cortisol.

What are your thoughts?

[labblab]

Yes, I would have suspected that his panting and appetite could be related to a high thyroid level, but not to a low level. So I can’t argue with a trilostane increase at this point. And my only reservation about increasing his thyroid med at the same time is that once you start bringing down his cortisol level, his thyroid level may spontaneously bounce back somewhat on its own. So even though it’s a pain and an expense to monitor both his cortisol and thyroid, I believe I’d do so not too long after the increases. Because if he *does* end up being oversupplemented on the thyroid again, you’re risking a return of those very same symptoms — the panting and the appetite.

[Joan2517]

Right...so check in two weeks? Or sooner?

I'm getting a little panicky. Lena started having breathing issues a few weeks before she died and he's breathing really fast for the last week or so, and there's like a snore sound more than usual, but he's always breathed faster than any of the others, it's been really humid and hot here, plus we've had thunderstorms which he reacts to the drop in pressure, so I don't know. His blood pressure was perfect the other day and they didn't say anything about the fast breathing, he's eating fine, and I'm on "high alert" watching and listening.

I'm doing the same with my husband. He's not tolerating the chemo pills and we have to keep lowering the dose. He's not eating, he's cold all the time, and exhausted...I'm listening for changes all the time. I so looked forward to not having to work anymore and now I can't do anything but watch and wait...

[labblab]

Oh gosh, Joan, I’m so sorry about all your worries! I’d be exhausted and a nervous wreck, too. I surely hope things start turning around for your husband. And as far as Gable’s breathing, I’m afraid I don’t have any answers other than to think maybe it’s also a result of his cortisol elevating.

As far as re-testing, no, I don’t think you need to do anything sooner than two weeks and maybe you can even stretch it out longer than that if he seems to be doing OK — or hopefully even better — by then. The thyroid testing, especially, can probably be stretched out longer because I’m guessing it takes a while for significant changes to register with that. I’m afraid I’m not super knowledgeable about that. But let’s see how he’s outwardly doing over this next week or so, and then go from there.

In the meantime, sending tons of healing (and restful!) wishes to you all!

[Joan2517]

Thanks, Marianne...I'm listening to him breathe right now, and I think he sounds more comfortable already. Although it is only 60 degrees out! LOL!