Hello! New to board, cushings and CC

[cszvetitz]

I wanted to introduce myself and my sweet 11 year old, 22 lb Boston Terrier, Maddi. She was diagnosed with Cushings a few months ago in February. We have had her since she was a year old and has been amazingly healthy until this diagnosis. And wow this is a doozy. Now looking back, I see the symptoms but they came so slowly I didn't really notice. She stopped jumping on the furniture, her belly was dropped and huge, she didn't hold her head up very high and had a few accidents in the house. Not knowing anything about the disease, I thought it was just old age.

Then Nov. 2018 she needed a tooth pulled and the vet did blood work for the pain meds. I was told she had elevated liver enzymes and to bring her back in 3 months for a re-check. She had been drinking and peeing more as well but I didn't think much of it and thought she was just getting older. At the 3 month re-check her liver enzymes were very high and they recommended we test for cushings disease. We did the 8 hr dex suppression test Feb. 14 and the results confirmed cushings. I dove into research to find out as much as I could of this disease I have never heard of. It was quite scary for me and for a dog that has seemed healthy for so long. I was scared to treat her but scared not to. After much research, thought and prayer we decided to try Vetoryl. Our vet recommended we start with 30mg 1x day and test her after 14 days. After one week on Vetoryl, her skin started going crazy. She had hard lumps and thinning of her fur.

We took her in for the 14 day ACTH test and the vet didn't seem concerned about her skin. Said it was part of the cushings. Her test came back at 9 for post level. Sorry, I don't have all the pre and post numbers. He recommended we stay at the same dose to see if her levels go down and retest in 30 days. Her skin kept getting worse and after some research, I figured out she had CC. She had a lot of lumps, peeling, smell and fur loss. She lost most of the fur on her sides and down her back. It smelled so horrible at times, I could barely stand to be next to her. Took her to the vet and he gave us an antibacterial mousse and Cephalexin for the infection.

At the next ACTH test (30 days) her post level was 12.5. They recommended we increase her meds or start twice daily. I wanted to wait and see how her skin was. It started improving and now she has hardly any peeling and the smell is gone. It has been almost 3 weeks since the vet visit. She has grown back fur but the fur is a different texture/color. Still thankful it's not open skin and smelly.

Last week which was two weeks after the last ACTH test, her symptoms started coming back. The excessive drinking and peeing. So I called the vet and we are going to twice daily. He wants to start low with 10mg 2x day and test in 14 days. We have ordered the Vetoryl in 10mg and hoping it will be here soon to get started. I hope we can soon get a dosage that works and brings her levels down. As all of you know, this is an expensive condition to treat, the tests and the meds.

Thank your for reading and sharing your journey! It has been so helpful to read the threads!

Christina and Maddi

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi Christina,

Welcome to you and Maddi! I am so sorry for the reasons that brought you here but glad you found us. Could you do us a favor and get the results from all of the tests that were done and post those values that are abnormal with the reference ranges and units of measurement? Also, we are very interested in seeing the LDDS test result and all of her ACTH stimulation tests. Does Maddi have the adrenal or pituitary type of Cushing's?

Did the vet have Maddi's urine cultured to make sure that an UTI isn't the culprit for the increased drinking and urinating? Cush dogs are prone to UTI's so my advice would be to rule this out before an increase in her Vetoryl dose is implemented. Vetoryl has to be given with food to be properly absorbed, is she getting her Vetoryl with a meal? Also, the timing of those ACTH stimulation tests are very important, are they being performed 4-6 hours after her Vetoryl dose was given with a meal?

Again, welcome to the family and know we will help in any way we can, if you have any questions do not hesitate to ask them.

Lori

[cszvetitz]

Hi Lori, Thanks for the reply. I will work on getting the exact test results from my veterinarian. She has pituitary cushings. Her urine was cultured to rule out a UTI. She has been taking her Vetoryl with a meal. And her ACTH stim tests were done at the 4-6 hour mark after food. Thank you!!