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Thread: Pookie - Dog not eating and has Cushing's

  1. #1

    Default Pookie - Dog not eating and has Cushing's

    Hello,

    My baby Pookie, which is a 15 ½ year old Pekingese has been suffering from Cushing’s for a year. The vet advised not to treat until the water and food intake excessively increased. She started of with panting and has had acth, low & high dose dex. The vet feels it’s pituitary based. Recently, I took her in because I wanted to start Trilostane with her, but her Kidney values were high after the Vet did another ACTCH test. They also found a minor UTI, which I’m hoping her Kidneys were high. After this test, my Pookie was excessively panting and listless/lethargic. Brought her to the ER for IV’s and antibiotics and her Kidneys got normal again. Now the main concern is her weakness and her lack of appetite. She doesn’t eat much at all and I’ve been feeding her Gerber baby food by syringe. Before the recent ACTH test, Pookie was doing pretty good. I had her on melatonin, lignans, ginkgo, adrenal harmony, fish oil, and denamarin advanced for her liver. Now I’m extremely worried about her and hate Cushing’s. I just started to give her the supplements she has been used to, because she has been off of them for 10 days. Maybe these supplements were helping her all this time, but I want to do everything I can for her. Her right eye is red too, which has got me worried. The vet gave antibiotics for the eye, but it didn’t change anything. Luckily, I have been on vacation this week and have been able to help my Pookie get by. She was running before the ACTH test and after that, Pookie went downhill. I don’t know if it was Adrenal fatigue, Macroadenoma possibility (loss of appetite and red eye), or her being off her supplements. She has been through so much the past 10 days and was going to have an MRI done, but held off to give her a break. Any clues, suggestions, or feedback would be appreciative. Pookie has a half sister who is older and is doing just fine. Pookie sleeps well, but her weakness and loss of appetite has me very concerned. I know she is old, but her blood tests are pretty good given the circumstances. She has always been a strong girl, and still carries herself outside to pee, but it’s challenging for her. I know that day may come for me to put her down, but if it’s Cushing’s that’s causing this or Old Age, I don’t want to put her down if something can help her. Sorry for all this info,
    FK

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    York, PA.
    Posts
    11,036

    Default Re: Dog not eating and has Cushing's

    Hi and welcome to you and Pookie!

    I am so sorry your precious girl is not feeling well, and I understand how worried you must be about her. Getting her to eat, I believe, is the most important thing right now. Baby food is good as long as it doesn't contain any onion or onion powder. Another thing you may try is boneless, skinless chicken breast (baked, boiled) mixed with some very mushy rice, if she doesn't like the chicken you could give her lean hamburger instead.

    Could you post the results of all tests that were performed on Pookie? We need only see those values that are marked abnormal with their reference ranges and units of measurement...as an example ALT 150 (5-50 U/L)...thanks! Has the vet mentioned about performing a SDMA test for the kidneys? If not, I do recommend having this test done.

    Please know we will help in any way we can, and if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask them.

    Lori

    PS...Here's a link to a thread regarding inappetence in dogs: https://www.k9cushings.com/forum/sho...etence-in-dogs

  3. #3

    Default Re: Dog not eating and has Cushing's

    Just got back from the vet and her blood looks good, but they think it's a Macroadenoma. I'm preparing for the end, but don't want to. Her ACTH base was 181 and post was 494

  4. #4

    Default Re: Dog not eating and has Cushing's

    I also have tried cooked chicken, ground beef, baked salmon, hot dogs, honey nut cheerios. She ate a little hot dog one day and never again. She at the cheerios one day and never again. She did it the bacon I made, but only about 1 strip worth. I'm afraid her days are coming to an end and am extremely sad about it. Her sister who is older is running around the house while Pookie is lying on the floor.

  5. #5

    Default Looking for Dr. on East Coast for Pituitary Tumor Removal

    My poor little Pookie may have a Macroadenoma. Does anyone know of a Dr. on the East Coast that removes these types of tumors? I really want to take care of her and am holding off putting her down. I don't mind maxing out my credit card for my baby...

    Thank you,

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    York, PA.
    Posts
    11,036

    Default Re: Dog not eating and has Cushing's

    Quote Originally Posted by fkhan View Post
    Just got back from the vet and her blood looks good, but they think it's a Macroadenoma.
    I am so sorry that Pookie may have a macrotumor and my heart breaks for you both. I'm including this reply from one of our Administrators, Marianne, to a member whose dog was diagnosed with a macro because I believe it has information you may be interested in:


    Quote Originally Posted by labblab View Post
    I am not surprised to hear this news about the tumor, but also very sorry that yet another major challenge - and major decision - may now be facing you. Through the years, we've had members who have undergone a variety of treatments for enlarging macrotumors. Initially the only option here in the U.S. was the prospect of over a dozen traditional radiation treatments over the span of a month, with general anesthesia required for each procedure. Over time, more specialized options have been introduced in some centers, including cyberknife-type treatment that only requires a very few sessions, and also actual surgery. Returning to Dr. Bruyette, he helped pioneer successful canine surgery as a joint effort between UCLA and Cedars-Sinai Hospital in L.A. One of our very own members, Lucy, was his first patient in that pilot program, and I believe surgeries are still bring done there on select patients. Here are some write-ups:

    http://dogaware.com/articles/newscushingssurgery.html

    https://www.cedars-sinai.edu/Researc...st-Friend.aspx

    We've also had members who have received advanced treatment at UC Davis and Washington, among other centers. I think Florida may also offer advanced options, as well. As you might expect, results have been variable. Some dogs have had very good responses and remained neurologically improved for an extended period of time. Some have not. Some have had an extended respite from Cushing's treatment. Others have had to continue with Cushing's treatment even though the tumor size was reduced enough to relieve neurological symptoms. I think a lot will depend on the actual location and dimension of the encroachment, as well as the vets' assessment of Yogi's overall viability as a treatment candidate.

    Age may be a factor in his candidacy and also your decision. I'm guessing he may now be eleven. I've not had either of my two retrievers (Labs) reach twelve, with or without Cushing's. So one consideration may be the length of his expected lifespan, even with successful treatment. In other words, would he really have enough quality time left to gain from an invasive intervention. However, on the flip side, if he could benefit substantially from 2-3 cyberknife sessions and affordability was not an issue for you, then maybe that would be a worthwhile option.

    I'd say, let's see how the actual MRI report reads, and then see what your vet recommends. And then we'll be here to talk over all your options.

    Marianne
    We also have a thread dedicated to macroadenomes so I'll include a link to it too: https://www.k9cushings.com/forum/sho...ht=macrotumors

    Quote Originally Posted by fkhan View Post
    Her ACTH base was 181 and post was 494
    Was this Pookie's initial ACTH stimulation test used to diagnose her Cushing's? Also, could you post the abnormal lab values from her Chemistry and CBC blood work test results?

    Hugs, Lori

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    York, PA.
    Posts
    11,036

    Default Re: Looking for Dr. on East Coast for Pituitary Tumor Removal

    I don't know of any veterinary hospitals on the east coast that perform pituitary removals, I did find a hospital in Fairfax VA that specializes in Oncology and Neurology, their website: https://vcahospitals.com/southpaws?u...ergency_Center

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    rural central ARK
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    14,549

    Default Re: Looking for Dr. on East Coast for Pituitary Tumor Removal

    Hi FK,

    First I want to welcome you and your baby, Pookie. No matter what is going on with her we are by your side all the way. Please never hesitate to ask any questions or to just talk when you need. We understand what you are going thru because we have walked in your shoes. You and Pookie are part of our little family here at K9C now.

    And I wanted to let you know that I have merged the two threads you started. We like to keep all info about each dog in one thread. That way it is easier to look back thru the history. Plus this thread will serve as a sort of diary for Pookie's cush journey. Any time you need to post something just come to this thread titled Dog not eating and has Cushing's.

    Hugs
    Leslie
    "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.

  9. #9

    Default Re: Looking for Dr. on East Coast for Pituitary Tumor Removal

    Thank you all for your replies. I brought Pookie in for an MRI yesterday. I was concerned to have this done, but needed to confirm what a Specialist said that the cushings was from a pituitary tumor. It has been diagnosed as this earlier this year, but this is not the case. The Cushing's is coming from her left adrenal gland and her pituitary gland is fine. A little dissapointed in my vets and specialist, but I know Cushing's is difficult to diagnose without an MRI. The ultrasound showed calcification on the left adrenal months ago, but given both adrenal glands were close to the same size, they thought it was pituitary based. They thought Pookie was one of the small percentages that failed to suppress on a high dose dex test. Poor little Pookie has been through so much. She is trying to recover from the anethesia now. I have loaded my credit card with 8k in debt now. Not good news and may take me a year to pay it off if I'm lucky. I have to plane for another 6k in credit card debt, because I think I'm going to have an adrenalectomy on her to cure her of this nasty disease. She is 15 1/2 and am worried about the surgery. Before I even do surgery, I have to get her eating again. She had bloody diarrhea during anesthesia and as suffering from it afterwards. The neurologist thinks she has an infection causing her not to eat. I had fecal samples tested prior and they were negative. Going to try a course of antibiotics on poor little Pookie to see if the blood goes away and she starts eating again. I may have to start looking for a higher paying job soon, because my Pookie is worth every penny to me. I think I must be in love with these dogs, because I get more joy and comfort from them than going anywhere on vacation. Haven't had a vacation in over a decade. I think these little rascals are my vacation....

  10. #10

    Default Re: Dog not eating and has Cushing's

    Pookie had an ACTH Stim last year and didn't show she was cushinoid. The low dose dex did, but did not show from where. I pushed for a high dose dex to find answers, but still no answers were found. She failed to suppress on the high dose test. Given all the costs, it may be wise for new cushings owners to have both an ultrasound and MRI done if the dog is a candidate for anesthesia. If I had to do it over, I would have gone this route, because the truth will set you free. Not knowing is stressful in itself and just treating clinical signs and lab work is treating on probability and not the truth. Just my opinion from everything Pookie and I have been through. Also, I worry that when a dogs has cushings and we inject more sterioids into them for these tests, it has to hurt them in some way, because if they are already stressed and in that Fight of Flight moment, why do we want to add to that... An ultrasound and MRI could alleviate all that stress.
    Last edited by fkhan; 08-11-2019 at 07:33 AM.

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