Bella (Chihuahua) diagnosed today

[mariamicke]

I am so worried right now and could use any advice/suggestions. I know I need to get her off of kibble and snacks to something else, probably wet, any suggestions? What should I expect in the future? Meds are on back order until September so we won't be doing anything other than changing her diet for now.

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi and welcome to you and Bella!

Could you tell us more about your sweet girl, such as her symptoms and any test/s that were done and the results? How much does she weigh? And what medications are on back order?

Lori

[mariamicke]

She has gained weight lately, bad skin problems, drinks a lot, never active at all. She is 6.3 pounds. I don't know what med it is as I know there are 2 kinds she could take. She is 9 years old.

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi and welcome to you and Bella,

It would help us a great deal if you would get with her vet and get copies of the test results. NOT the invoice telling what they charged you but the actual results. Also find out which medication Bella is taking. That will be crucial for us to know in order to help you.

As for diet, there is NO one right diet for a cush pup. The main thing to watch is the fat content. Our babies are prone to pancreatitis so keeping the fats low is important. Other than that anything that works well for your dog is the right diet for your dog. Each dog is a unique biological entity so what is right for one dog may make another sick. If what Bella is eating now is working I would not change it at all especially right now. One of the side effects of an overdose with both meds is digestive upsets - which can also occur when the diet changes. So we DO NOT want to do anything right now that could confuse the picture. It is best to let her keep eating as she has been unless the fat content is high.

I look forward to those test results and learning the medication Bella has been prescribed.l
Hugs,
Leslie

[mariamicke]

Cortisol Serial 3 DEX

Cortisol Sample 1 7.2 (high)
Cortisol Sample 2 Dex 0.5
Cortisol Sample 3 Dex 1.5 (high)

Low-dose dexamethasone suppression test:

Normal: Cortisol level less than 1.4 ug/dl 8 hours post-dex.
Hyperadrenocorticism: Cortisol level greater than 1.4 ug/dl 8hours post dex
If the 8 hour post dex cortisol level is greater than 1.4 ug/dl the following can be used to differentiate pituitary dependent hyperadrenocorticism from an adrenal tumor:
1. Cortisol level less than 1.4 ug/dl 4 hrs post-dex is consistent with PDH
2. Cortisol level less than half the baseline level at either 4 or 8 hours post-dex is consistent with PDH
(samples taken at 2 or 6 hours are interpreted the same way as the 4 hr sample)further testing is needed to differenitate PDH from adrenal tumor cushings.

[mariamicke]

I picked up 5mg vetoryl today and she will start it tomorrow morning with a heaping spoon full of wet food for 2 weeks with blood work after it.

[Squirt's Mom]

Vetoryl needs to be given with a MEAL, not a snack. The manufacturer, Dechra, is very clear that a meal is to be given with the med. This drug is fat soluble which means it must have foods with fats in order to be absorbed. It can also be hard on the digestive system so a full meal helps prevent problems there. Per Dechra's Client Brochure:

How do I give VETORYL Capsules to my dog?

Give VETORYL Capsules with a meal in the
morning so they can be effectively absorbed.
Administration in the morning is critical so your
veterinarian can perform the monitoring test at the
appropriate time after dosing.

http://www.animalhealthinternational..._20HighRes.pdf

Of course, 2 tbsp may be a meal for Bella! Tho that would just make my Chi mad! But just in case I wanted to be sure you had this important info.

Hugs,
Leslie

[mariamicke]

My vet said a heaping tablespoon of wet food with the pill and to do the same brand/flavor of wet food so hopefully it won't upset her stomach.

[labblab]

Has anyone had any luck with the skin issues. I give Bella, my 5 pound chihuahua a medicated bath twice a week and her skin is still so bad. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hello and welcome back! I saw that you had posted this note as a visitor message on your profile page, and I wanted to transfer a copy here, to your main thread about Bella. This way, it’ll be easier for us to post replies and discuss what’s going on.

I’m surely sorry that her skin is still giving her problems. Can you update us as to how things are going with her Cushing’s treatment, generally? When you were last here back in 2018, she’d been started off with 5 mg. of Vetoryl daily. Is that what she’s still taking? Have you seen any improvement in her other symptoms, and has she had any monitoring bloodwork done recently in order to see whether her cortisol is indeed being lowered into the desired therapeutic range for a Cushpup? When skin problems linger, we do wonder whether the cortisol level is under adequate control. If so, then we’d want to think about the best way to handle any infection or ongoing irritation. Medicated shampoos and sprays can be very helpful — maybe you’d want to try something different from what you’re using now. We can talk about possibilities in other reply. But first, it’ll help us a lot if you’ll update us re: her overall treatment picture.

So we’ll be anxious to hear more about how Bella is doing. Thanks in advance for any additional info!
Marianne