Hi Janis,

No, Cushing's is not a death sentence. If it turns out that Kira does have Cushing's it will mean a change in your lives in some areas but as Glynda said, with the right treatment, cush pups live out their normal life spans, some longer. Vets will tell clients that a diagnosis of Cushing's means 2 years with or without treatment and this is simply bull-hockey! They are just repeating what they were told in school...and much of that is way out of date!

You need to know that Cushing's is a slowly progressing disease, taking years and years to do real damage in most cases. So don't let the possibility make you feel pressured into starting Kira on treatment now. Rushing into treatment is much more dangerous than waiting to make sure it IS Cushing's and then deciding the best treatment approach for her. So take your time, have her thoroughly tested, rule out all other possibilities like diabetes, thyroid issues and other non-adrenal problems, then proceed with treatment.

I so hope this is not the case for Kira but just the extra stress of the situation with Mira and that she gets a clean bill of health once the tests are done.

Hugs,
Leslie and the girls - always