Australian Cattle Dog with Cushings & Diabetes

[labblab]

P.S. Are you still waiting to be approved over on k9diabetes? If so, I’ll try to contact the staff to try to speed things up!

[Nutlike2102]

Thank you for your help. I honestly don't have anyone else who I can talk to about this.

The vet did not check anything yesterday. They gave her fluids but not an IV. The vet said the blood reading I took from home (299) wasn't all that high as they normally see 300 to 700 ranges. So we are not getting any insulin, just the cushings medications, of which I don't know the exact one.

I am trying not to voice my personal opinion of my vet but I am concerned and I'll leave it at that.

I brought in 3 mornings urine samples (always refrigerated) when my dog was given her LDDS test and I was hoping they would test her cortisol levels in the urine as well. If both came back positive, it would have lent more weight to a cushings diagnosis. I got this from David Bruyette. Urine was not used. I bring in a urine sample every visit, as it's no trouble for me. The vet cannot get the ACTH tests they said. I thought the vet would take some x-rays after her positive LDDS result to see if it was her adrenal glands or pituitary. But no x-rays. The vet does try to keep costs down but I don't mind paying if it means my dog is getting the care she needs.

I bought my own Alphatrak meter and am going to test her blood when I am confident I have it figured out. I'll update here with the result. I hope I don't have to re-home this meter soon.

The vet said my dog didn't look that bad yesterday and that they have seen worse. I highly disagree as I have never seen my dog look this bad. She stumbles when she walks, walks incredibly slow and is always cold to the touch. You can feel her ribs and she continues to lose weight. I'm biased of course as I am her owner but I don't see her coming out of this slump unless she's given more care and attention.

I have been searching for another vet but it's going to be a long drive when I do.

Update:

Her reading was 442.

I have an appointment at the vet in the morning.

[Nutlike2102]

P.S. Are you still waiting to be approved over on k9diabetes? If so, I’ll try to contact the staff to try to speed things up!

My username is Zoology1603 (randomly generated by my password manager) over there. Still waiting approval. I appear to be a spammer as I don't share personal information online. Any help you can lend me would be greatly appreciated.

[labblab]

My username is Zoology1603 (randomly generated by my password manager) over there. Still waiting approval. I appear to be a spammer as I don't share personal information online. Any help you can lend me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for this info — I’ll send off a note to the administrator over there right now. I hope they can start talking with you ASAP. Please keep us updated after your vet visit tomorrow!

[labblab]

I’m so relieved to see that you’re now registered and getting help over at K9D. I’m a member there, as well, so I’ll be monitoring all your updates over there, too. That’ll save you from having to report everything twice in both places unless it’s a help for you to do so.

Definitely good luck with your vet visit this morning!

[Nutlike2102]

We just got kicked over to using Wedgewood pharmacy now. I am seeing other posts on the forum that it is not a good choice and that I should instead be using https://www.cfspharmacy.pharmacy/vet...ets-compounded. I ask because we are not doing well at the moment and I am unsure if it is the Trilostane that is at the heart of our issue. https://k9diabetes.com/forum/forum/d...321#post254321

[labblab]

I’ve been checking over on K9D daily to try to keep a watchful eye on Bear and also a couple of other dogs we share. Since we’d not heard anything for a while, I was *so* hoping that things were going well for you guys. Darn!

I just now quickly scanned your thread over there, and it sounds as though there are several moving pieces that could be injecting variability — her heat cycle, the insulin change, and also the shift to Wedgewood. I know I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know, but it does make for a puzzle. As far as Wedgewood, they are used nationally by a lot of vets. Years ago, there were some issues with them, but I don’t know whether there have been any recent problems. It could be, though, that switching the formulations could have an effect on how Bear is metabolizing the medication.

Were you ever able to get her cortisol level checked by the old vet? I think I harped enough on that in the past that you’ll know that remains a top priority for me, especially in conjunction with increasing her dose. As always, I’ll be letting the K9D folks guide you in terms of the insulin. And either tonight or tomorrow I’ll plan to also add a note over there in order to consolidate our thoughts on that thread so that you don’t have to post in both places. So I’ll be talking to you again soon over there. I’m sure sorry you guys are having another rough patch, but I’m glad that you’re checking in so that we can all put our heads together.

Marianne

[Nutlike2102]

Nope. I haven't actually been to the vet again since I was finally given the insulin. So no tests were done. They have new owners now.

[labblab]

OK, I just now posted my new reply to you over on K9D, so we can continue our conversation over there now ;-)

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi,

Just wanted to offer a VERY belated welcome to you and your sweet girl.

I wish I could offer more input but I know very little about Diabetes mellitus...and in truth that is the only disease that scares me to pieces. I've dealt with cancer, diabetes insipidus, Addison's, Cushing's, hydrocephalus, and other diseases but DM turns me into jelly. I give injections so it's not that part that bothers me and I can't really say what it is that gets to me but something surely does. So I always have the utmost respect for all who deal with this particular disease. You are all heroes in my book!

Hugs,
Leslie