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Thread: My big boy Gable - sweet Gabe is now at peace

  1. #401
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    Default Re: My big boy Gable

    I had an ACTH done yesterday, he's still panting a lot, drinking a lot and breathing very heavy so I just wanted to make sure his cortisol didn't drop too low.

    Cortisol Sample 1: 3.9 ref range: 1.0- 5.0
    Cortisol Sample 2: 7.6 LOW ref range: 8.0 - 17.0

    Does that sound weird? Vet said it was great, keep doing what I'm doing, but it doesn't sound right to me. He's getting 5mg morning and 5mg at night, and the extra Soloxine at night. I didn't have the thyroid panel done because I wasn't too worried about that, not yet anyway.

    He seems so uncomfortable and he's having trouble getting up and walking. When we got to the vet yesterday, they were running about 10 minutes late so we walked a little over to my husband's office to pick up his mail (we've done that walk before), but this time I didn't think we would make it back and that I might have to call them to come get him. We did make it back, but he was so tired. He backed up when they went to bring him in and the leash slipped off his neck and he turned around to run, but couldn't move fast enough and I grabbed him before he could get out of the parking lot onto Glen Cove Road, which he could've done at any other time. They weighed him and he's lost almost 10 pounds even though he looks really heavy to me. I think I might start him back on the Gabapentin 300mg and see if it helps. I also got that supplement that someone mentioned but he's only been getting it a week or two.

    I'm getting this panicky feeling that I had with Lee the week before she died...
    Joan, mom to my Angel Lena, Angel Gable, Angel Phoenix, Angel Doree, Cooper, Sibble, and now Raina.

  2. #402
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    Default Re: My big boy Gable

    Oh Joan, I sure understand your worry and I’m so sorry. I think it’s impossible not to flash back to other bad times in situations like this. But as far as Gable’s cortisol, no it’s not too low. The range you’re citing above is the one for the ACTH when it’s being used for diagnostic purposes. That’s the “normal’ range for a dog who doesn’t have Cushing’s at all.

    When used for monitoring trilostane, you want the post-ACTH result to be between 1.45 and 9.1 ug/dL for safety purposes. And if the Cushing’s symptoms are not being well controlled, the range can be dropped even further, down to between 1.45 and 5.4. So as you see, Gable’s cortisol is not too low. If anything, you might be hoping that it will continue to drift downward a bit more over the next couple of weeks if, in fact, his cortisol level has anything to do with his current symptoms. I think you started adding the extra 5 mg. about three weeks ago, so there’s still some time for it to lower a bit more. Since he’s been so sensitive to increases in the past, I’d agree with your vet and not yet want to add any more trilostane. But as far as his cortisol, if it stays where it is after another month or so, you maybe could consider another little increase if his symptoms don’t improve at all.

    But of course the big question is whether it’s the Cushing’s causing the symptoms or something else. And that is the million dollar question. I so wish I could relieve some of your worry but I know that’s impossible. But I’m definitely thinking about you guys and hoping that Gable will start feeling better again soon!!

  3. #403
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    Default Re: My big boy Gable

    Thanks, Marianne...so that post LOW in okay?
    Joan, mom to my Angel Lena, Angel Gable, Angel Phoenix, Angel Doree, Cooper, Sibble, and now Raina.

  4. #404
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    Default Re: My big boy Gable

    Yep. It’s annoying that your lab report doesn’t print the range for the ACTH when it’s being used for trilostane treatment monitoring. Most lab results these days have the three different ranges printed for all ACTH tests:

    Normal range for initial diagnostic testing to see if a dog has Cushing’s (this is the range you were given)
    Therapeutic range for monitoring dogs taking trilostane
    Therapeutic range for monitoring dogs taking Lysodren

    The range is different in all three cases. For Gable taking trilostane, his post-ACTH would have to be less than around 2.0 (technically, 1.45 according to Dechra) to be considered too low.

  5. #405
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    Default Re: My big boy Gable

    Okay, thanks!
    Joan, mom to my Angel Lena, Angel Gable, Angel Phoenix, Angel Doree, Cooper, Sibble, and now Raina.

  6. #406
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    Default Re: My big boy Gable

    Gable started throwing up last night around 1am, 2 times food, 1 time white foam, the twice after drinking water. He was very shaky and having a hard time walking. Went out and wouldn't come in. Took him to the ER around 2am and they did blood work and looked him over.


    Lymphocytes 0.99 ref range: 1.05 - 5.10 K/μL L
    Eosinophils 0.03 ref range: 0.06 - 1.23 K/μL
    Hemoglobin 20.8 ref range: 13.1 - 20.5 g/dL

    BUN 29 ref range: 7 - 27 mg/dL H

    ALT 142 ref range: 10 - 125 U/L H
    ALP 1,442 ref range: 23 - 212 U/L H
    GGT 14 ref range: 0 - 11 U/L H

    Amylase >2,500 ref range: 500 - 1,500 U/L H
    Lipase 5,971 ref range: 200 - 1,800 U/L

    Resting cortisol was >10

    They took his blood pressure which was fine, checked him over and he seemed okay other that the drooling, wasn't dehydrated and gave him a shot of anti-nausau

    He still didn't seem okay so took him to my vet and they did the pancreatitis test which was positive, gave me pills Cerenia, for nausau.

    He's outside laying under a bush and won't come in...I think he's dying. I don't know what happened. He was perfectly fine all day, except for the excitement of the trick or treaters. I gave both him and Cooper 5mg diazapem to calm them down, which did nothing. He ate his dinner fine around 6 or 6:30, then all this started happening. The vet said he might feel like he's dying but they said no. But he won't come in and he's hiding from me.

    I don't know what else to do!!!!!
    Joan, mom to my Angel Lena, Angel Gable, Angel Phoenix, Angel Doree, Cooper, Sibble, and now Raina.

  7. #407
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    Default Re: My big boy Gable

    Oh Joan! I’m right here with you! I can’t think of anything else for you to do either — I think you’ve done all you can, and now it’s out of your hands. Either he’ll get better or not. But how awful for you!! I think you’re right, that it sounds like he’s gone off to be by himself the way that animals do there at the end. I keep expecting the same thing to happen with us and Luna, and I don’t know how to handle it, either. I guess don’t force him to move if he doesn’t want to. Try to stay as calm as you can (I’d be going crazy!), and just tell him what a good boy he is. If it’s pancreatitis, maybe the Cerenia will help settle his stomach and he’ll start to feel a little less sick in a while.

    I’ll be here and I’ll keep checking on you.
    Hugs, hugs and more hugs

  8. #408
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    Default Re: My big boy Gable

    Thank you, Marianne. I'm so afraid and upset. I took him back to the vet for another look because he kept hiding in the dirt and poop out in the yard and drooling. They looked him over again and said that he's not dying, that he just feels so bad that he thinks he is, and that this is normal behavior for how bad he feels. Because of the Cushing's it will take longer for him to respond and feel better. All I can do is hope they know what they're talking about. It's so weird not having him hover in the kitchen while I'm preparing dinner...

    The only good thing is that because of how he's avoiding me and not letting me help him, I think that you were right that Lena didn't even know that I wasn't there at the end...at least I think that makes me feel better, I'm not really sure

    I will update tomorrow...thank you for always being there <3
    Joan, mom to my Angel Lena, Angel Gable, Angel Phoenix, Angel Doree, Cooper, Sibble, and now Raina.

  9. #409
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    Default Re: My big boy Gable

    Joan, thanks so much for the update, and I'd be so afraid and upset, too. I totally get it. To be honest, I don't think the vets can know what's really going on right now, either, and they're just making their best guess. But truly, you've done all that's in your power to do and now it's up to Gable and how the story of his life is meant to be written, if that doesn't sound too goofy.

    I do think that animals -- and humans too -- can withdraw into themselves when they feel the end is near. It's a final journey that they will be taking on their own and they are setting their own course. I remember some of the things I wrote about when you lost Lena, and I truly do believe them to be true. Souls who have been blessed with love carry that peace inside of then forever. But at the end, I believe the passage from this world is a mystery for them alone to experience.

    The vet may be right and you may be wrong for right now. But you may also be right in what you are feeling. And if not now, probably the time for Gable is not far away. Truly, no matter what happens, just like with Lena, I believe your love will forever soothe his spirit and connect your hearts. And for now we'll just have to wait and see. But I'll keep checking in through the evening, too, if you want to talk more.

    Love, Marianne

  10. #410
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    Default Re: My big boy Gable

    He won't eat, so I'm not giving him any meds including the Cerenia. He doesn't want the chicken I boiled for him, which is so not him. He got two shots of Cerenia today and I don't want to fight with him trying to get the pill down. Maybe he'll feel like eating later. Right now he's outside laying on the deck. I'm not letting him loose in the backyard to pee or poop, so he's annoyed at me everytime I put the leash on him and wont go. I can't be searching for him in the dark in the garden and dragging him in if he doesn't want to budge. He got up and made himself comfortable on the couch where I sleep at night, which he never does. He usually lays on the ottoman next to me, but not for long. He's been more comfortable on the floor since the Spring, I think.

    I hope tomorrow will be a better day for both of us, so please don't stay up checking on me. I am exhausted from being up all night and hopefully so is he.

    I still cannot believe how suddenly this happened...after all my watching over him, bang!

    Good night, dear Marianne...
    Joan, mom to my Angel Lena, Angel Gable, Angel Phoenix, Angel Doree, Cooper, Sibble, and now Raina.

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