clinical symptoms combined with ACTH results - Sammi is now in heaven

[labblab]

So how does one know if Sammi is producing cortisol or if it's the steroids producing cortisol?

That is an excellent question! An ACTH test cannot distinguish between the effects of cortisol vs. prednisone. For this reason, a dog should not receive any prednisone for 24-48 hours prior to an ACTH test -- that way, you know it's only the natural cortisol level that is bring measured, and not the added effect of the prednisone as well. I'm guessing your specialist will want to retest her within a couple of weeks or so?

As far as the duration of the dexamethasone, you'll need to rely on your specialist's instructions as far as how soon to start the prednisone. I don't know the answer to that.

Continued good luck!

[sammisam]

Oh wow! Glad to know! Hopefully the vet will tell us that UNLIKE when they tell you to fast your dog but give them the Vetoryl 4-6 hours prior to the stim test!

We've always fed Sammi prior to her stim test only because I learned that here!

Well my husband went to pick up the prednisone and hopefully, hopefully her appetite will come back. She now doesn't even want to lick the juice since breakfast. She at least hasn't thrown up in over 24 hours!

For anyone where their dog will lick and not eat I found that the immersion blender made liquid soup out of some broth and actual large chicken pieces! Hopefully she'll want some later like she did this morning where she actually ate a few little chicken pieces.

When we tried to feed Sammi this morning, we were on the floor with her and chicken pieces, ground beef, soup, wet dog food all over the place (she seems to like to lick and eat it out of our hands). Food and liquid was all over the floor, the wall, on the feeding towel, on Sammi's back, on Sammi's head, on our legs, our feet, everywhere!

But... we have a reddish-brown garbage disposal that cleans up all the mess without even turning the switch on. His name is Taylor (our other Boston Terrier), lol!

C'mon SammiSam.... eat lil girl, eat.

[Harley PoMMom]

I know how worrisome it is when your furbaby doesn't want to eat. I'm including these two posts with the hope that they may help with Sammi's appetite.

Some food toppers I have used are: tripe, grated parmesan cheese, yogurt, warm meat broth, baby food (make sure it doesn't contain onion or onion powder), scrambled eggs, and boiled potatoes.

Medications used to stimulate an appetite: meclizine, mirtazapine, cyproheptadine. And a new prescription drug manufactured by Aratana Therapeutics Inc was just approved in 2016 called capromorelin (brand-name Entyce.)

Entyce product insert: http://www.aratana.com/wp-content/up...5x11-FINAL.pdf


A good information source regarding inappetence can be found on the DogAware site: http://dogaware.com/articles/wdjinappetence.html#meds

Sometimes just heating up the food was enough. If not, then other ideas I have tried in small amounts were canned dog or cat food, or fish (tuna, sardines). I've also cooked meat such as chicken or turkey, steak, meatloaf with lowfat burger/turkey burger and fresh veggies.

A supplement that you may want to try is slippery elm bark (SEB) which I and others have used with success. One caution note with SEB is that it slows down the absorption of other drugs or herbs so it is recommended that it be given 2 hours before or after other herbs or medications. I'm providing a link with information regarding SEB: http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/slippery-elm/

I hope that Sammi's appetite picks up real soon.

Hugs, Lori

[sammisam]

Oh thank you so much!

Sammi just ate a good amount of ground chicken!!!!

It's been the most she's had and I would say at least three to four good size tablespoons! When she's done, she's done because she just turns her head and doesn't want one more bite, but I'm really relieved she actually ate some solid food and more than just a thread size piece!

Just waiting for my husband to get home with the prednisone but I hope she keeps eating more!

[molly muffin]

I'm wondering if she doesn't feel nauseous from the food when she eats and maybe that is why she only licks a bit or takes a sniff and walks away.
If so hopefully the pred will help with the appetite and then once she starts eating regularly that feeling will go away. Like the empty stomach I feel sick thing us humans get. That's just a thought.

Even eating a little bit is a big help to her system. Yay!! Come on Sammi!

[sammisam]

Woo hoo... Sammi went back for a few bites two more separate times since that little bit she ate earlier.

She went to the plate all on her own!

Got the liquid prednisone in her too! She took the bites prior to the meds and then after we went for a little walk/stand outside (20 min after giving it to her she ate a few more bites).

That actually makes sense. . not eating for 3 days so little licks and bites would be like a meal and she probably can only stomach tiny bits at a time.

That would match up with what she's been doing. Now how would we know if her cortisol starts to go too high?

Cushings symptoms reappear? Thats hard when some of the symptoms are similar but i think we know her well enough to notice... Hopefully.

Vet gave her .05 for the liquid and she's 8.25 lbs. I have to check the pill dosage.

I'd say she's steadily improving compared to the past three stressful days.

Thank you so much for helping us through this rough time. Really does help tremendously!!!

[DoxieMama]

Now how would we know if her cortisol starts to go too high?

Cushings symptoms reappear? Thats hard when some of the symptoms are similar but i think we know her well enough to notice... Hopefully.

I believe so. The only way to know for SURE is to test, but watching for symptoms is a good indicator of WHEN to test.

C'mon Sammi! EAT!

[sammisam]

Oh my God this is such a roller coaster. Sammi kept readjusting and licking her lips all afternoon and all night. She just got up and went in the bathroom and threw up.

It looked like it had small dark brown flecks and I remembered something about ground coffee beans but I'm not sure if thats even what it was. There were only a few spots of them but there's nothing she licked or ate that would've been that color.

She didn't want to eat since her last few bites this afternoon but being that she just threw up and has been licking her lips I'm guessing she didn't want to eat anymore because she was feeling sick like you mentioned.

I don't even know what to do. She's lying down right now so hopefully it's just because of her licking different foods (but she barely licked enough of anything in my opinion and mostly ate the ground chicken and ground beef).

The only other thing she had was the liquid prednisone???

[sammisam]

Sammi just threw up again and there's definitely those brown specks and more of them that I would describe as coffee ground looking. I did also notice her stool being very dark yesterday (before any prednisone today) All I keep reading about is possibly a lower intestine ulcer but I don't know if it has anything to do with the prednisone she just got.

I also noticed on her bottle of the liquid prednisone they have her weight as 4.5kg and she's 3.75kg which means their formulating her prednisone for a dog weighing slightly more than her. Don't know if this makes a difference or not.

I'm just really worried now because that's twice she's thrown up now with those brown specks.

[sammisam]

i was reading that prednisone taken on an empty stomach can cause stomach irritation but i don't know if her throwing up twice last night is from that. I don't know how she can take it if she's not eating but needs it to start eating.

I'm also not happy that the .05 may have been too much for her being that it was calculated for 4.5kg weight dog when Sammi was 3.75kg. they must've not looked at her recent weight just the other day.

Can prednisone be given by injection but would it then be a daily injection?

I'm so upset right now and she's sleeping and I don't hear her licking her lips as much but I don't know how she's going to feel today.