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Thread: 13 year old dog with "Cushings Light" (words the vet used)- Jackson gained his wings

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Spring Valley, Il
    Posts
    178

    Default Re: 13 year old dog with "Cushings Light" (words the vet used)

    Hi Julie,

    It was so good to see your post just to know you guys are hanging in there. I have been through the "dog doesn't want out of the car" scenario a couple of times and I really felt for you!

    I can't really add any med advice since our pups are on different drugs, but I can send you all the virtual hugs in the world. You must feel soooooooo frustrated in not being able to talk to your vet in person. I hope you get some answers soon.

    Anyway, as long as Jackson is eating and drinking ok, maybe you can tell yourself it's been mostly a good day, or a better day. Blessings to you and your family. Karen

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Chicago Suburbs
    Posts
    26

    Default Re: 13 year old dog with "Cushings Light" (words the vet used)

    Hello friends. I am finally getting a chance to sit down and share the ACTH results for Jackson.
    Pre - 0.4
    Post - 3.3

    When I finally was able to speak with the vet I was in a store and was writing notes on an envelope from my purse and now I can’t find the envelope. UGH! I do remember that she said to keep him on 40mg and we would redo the ACTH in 6 weeks but to definitely watch for the side effects.

    I think Jackson is experiencing senior anxiety and we aren’t getting much sleep. This is not new it just seems a bit worse recently. He licks everything and recently he developed a small wart on the top of his foot which he is now licking obsessively. We talked to the vet’s office last night and until we can get him in (which might be today or could be Monday) they suggested putting a cone on him so now he is banging around the house in a cone looking miserable.

    I know you can all sympathize with me but I am just feeling tired and overwhelmed right now. And it is hard to know what is age related and illness related in Jackson. Sigh!

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    15,292

    Default Re: 13 year old dog with "Cushings Light" (words the vet used)

    Quote Originally Posted by jaxr0806 View Post
    Hello friends. I am finally getting a chance to sit down and share the ACTH results for Jackson.
    Pre - 0.4
    Post - 3.3
    Hi Julie, and thanks so much for posting these results. However, they have me concerned. If I’m remembering correctly, Jackson had been taking the trilostane for only about ten days when this test was performed. The “post” number is right within desired therapeutic range, but the “pre” or resting cortisol number is very, very low. If his resting cortisol keeps consistently running that low, it would not be at all surprising to me if Jackson’s daily behavior is altered in a negative way.

    Since the test was performed after only ten days of treatment, we can assume that even had the dose remained unchanged, Jackson’s cortisol would continue to drop through the first month of treatment. Your vet has made only the very modest dosing drop down to 40 mg. from 50 mg., so I’m worried that this is still too high a dose for Jackson’s comfort and safety. Our staffer, Joan, just received almost identical monitoring ACTH results for her Cushpup, and the specialist with whom her vet is consulting recommended that the trilostane be halted entirely for the moment.

    If Jackson were mine, I would want to lower the dose more dramatically — down to no more than half what you were giving previously. Also, the next monitoring ACTH should not wait for six more weeks. Virtually all specialized clinicians as well as the manufacturer of brand name Vetoryl state that a monitoring test should be performed at the 30-day mark after treatment has begun. In Jackson’s situation, given these ten-day results, I think it’s imperative to retest again at that time, rather than later. When you go in to the vet today or Monday, I think it’s important to discuss both the dosing and the testing timeframe in more detail with your vet. It is always better to err on the side of caution if the risk of cortisol dropping too low seems more likely.

    Marianne

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    York, PA.
    Posts
    11,037

    Default Re: 13 year old dog with "Cushings Light" (words the vet used)

    I agree with Marianne, those results are low for a dog taking Trilostane for only 10 days, and as Marianne mentioned, the cortisol can continue to drift downward for the first 30 days of treatment. If this were me, I would definitely want the Vetoryl dose lowered to 20 mg once a day and have him retested in 2 weeks.

    Lori

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Chicago Suburbs
    Posts
    26

    Default Re: 13 year old dog with "Cushings Light" (words the vet used)

    Hello,

    I’m sorry I haven’t been out here updating in quite a while. Hope everyone is doing well. I am hoping to get caught up on everyone’s threads this weekend.

    Things on the Cushings front are going well but we’ve been dealing with some other issues with Jackson. Jackson’s last ACTH results were pre=1.7 and post 3.2. His thirst and urinating are back to normal but he picked up giardia at the end of April/beginning of May and it has wreaked havoc on his intestines. He did two rounds of antibiotics before the parasite was gone but now he is on a probiotic because the good and bad bacteria are out of balance. Hopefully we have him on the mend but it’s been an uphill battle.

    Have a good weekend everyone.

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    15,292

    Default Re: 13 year old dog with "Cushings Light" (words the vet used)

    So good to see you guys back again :-), but I’m so sorry about Jackson’s giardia :-(. I know that can be a bear to treat. Not only from the bug itself, but also from the antibiotics. My nonCushing’s girl was on a week of protective antibiotics after a dental cleaning a couple of weeks ago, and her poops have been “off” ever since, too. The probiotics are a good idea — I probably should think about getting some for my girl.

    Meanwhile, though, those ACTH results are great! So hopefully once you get the GI issues cleared up, Jackson will be feeling a whole lot better.

    Do keep the updates coming!
    Marianne

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Spring Valley, Il
    Posts
    178

    Default Re: 13 year old dog with "Cushings Light" (words the vet used)

    Hi Julie,

    I just wanted to jump in here to say hi. So sorry to hear about Jackson's latest struggles but hopefully he's on the mend. I know this hasn't been easy for you either. Just wanted you to know I have been thinking about you guys and sending healing thoughts your way. Blessings, Karen

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Chicago Suburbs
    Posts
    26

    Default Re: 13 year old dog with "Cushings Light" (words the vet used)

    Happy New Year everyone.

    It has been quite a while since I’ve been on the forum. When I look at the date of my last post I know why. June is the month my dad was diagnosed with mouth cancer. He had surgery to remove the spots on his tongue. It had not spread anywhere else and he is doing well. Then there was some stuff going on with my nephew and then the holidays. But I am glad to be sitting here now with my cup of coffee, reading the forum and getting caught up.

    Jackson is doing well for an almost 14 year old Cushings pup. There has been a lot of playing around with his Trilostane dose as his potassium was elevated. He is currently on a pretty low dose but it is still controlling the drinking and urination and his potassium is coming down. It’s been a cycle of changing dose, waiting 3-4 weeks, go in for tests, changing dose, waiting 3-4 weeks, go in for tests. He will have more labs in a week or two and I’m hoping his potassium is normal and we can stay at the current dose. Other than that he is doing pretty well. He does have some aches and pains in his back legs but we started him on Galliprant and the legs seem to be doing better.

    Have a great Sunday everyone and I’ll be checking in again soon.
    Julie

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    15,292

    Default Re: 13 year old dog with "Cushings Light" (words the vet used)

    Julie, thanks so much for your update! Gosh, I’m so sorry for all your worries during these past months. But it’s so good to hear that Jackson is holding his own. Yay!!

    Please do continue to let us know how things are going for you guys, and Happy New Year!
    Marianne

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Chicago Suburbs
    Posts
    26

    Default Re: 13 year old dog with "Cushings Light" (words the vet used)

    Hello everyone! Hope you are all well and are getting by ok in this bizarre COVID world we now live in. Luckily my husband and I are both still working and haven’t been impacted in that regard other than being remote. Jackson is still doing well on his Trilostane but his musculoskeletal system is starting to fail and I believe he has some doggie dementia. He turned 14 in May. Our vet mentioned a drug called Anipryl for the cognitive issues. I’m wondering if anyone has an experience with the use of that medication in their senior dog. Also she mentioned laser therapy, acupuncture and some hydro therapy for his back and legs. I’m torn about doing all of that and my husband says straight out “no”. We would have to take him to therapy twice a week which is at his vets office and he is frantic when he gets in the building. My husbands says why would we stress him out like that. And I get that but I feel if we can relieve some of his discomfort it would be worth it.
    Looking forward to the experienced words of all the great members of this group.

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