Zoe By My Side- Our Journey with Cushings

[addy]

Sonja, you have wise words of wisdom for sure.

Love ya,
Addy

[addy]

It has been almost one year since we first noticed Zoe's hair not growing back from a grooming and our Cushings journey started.

I have been reflecting back over that year. Last March I was so excited I received Alexandra Horowitz's book Inside Of A Dog, what dogs see, smell and know. I wished I could go back to school and study animal behavior as it fascinated me.

On Zoe's birthday in April, her holistic vet told me Zoe had Cushings based on a UC:CR test which was done incorrectly. It turned out she was right.

Three things happened that day. One: I could no longer read Inside of A Dog's Mind or any other dog book in my library. Two: I suddenly could pronounce and remember the word metronidazole. For two years I called it flagyl even though my vets called it metronidazole because I simply could not remember it for whatever unconscious reason. Three: I stopped writing my book.

Monday, I picked up Inside of A Dog's Mind and started reading it again without the pain and anguish I had felt.

We are now on daily doses on metronidazole.

I still cannot work on my book.

Zoe's is not bald; she is still here and is a happy dog.

Just feeling a need for reflection today and looking inside not only a dog's mind but the human mind. My mind.



Hugs,
Addy

[apollo6]

Dear Addy
Like you told me to start drawing again, start writing again. Thank you for your reflection on your journey with Zoe.
Hugs Sonja and Apollo

[marie adams]

Hi There,

I have been away--that darn work thing getting in the way. I only have a quick moment to write.

Reflecting is a good thing. I keep reflecting to "I remember when..." I mostly am having pretty good days-not so non productive as much. I am still seeing people who don't know about Maddie and I have to tell them--sometimes I hold it together and sometimes not so much. I really am better, but....

As Sonja said why not go back to writing--it will feel like normal again after 21 days of doing it. If I can go back to walking the trail Maddie and I travelled you can go back to writing. What are you writing about?? You can tell me and get inspired again--hahaha!!!

Have a great weekend!!!

[addy]

Wow, Marie you must have ESP because I have been thinking about you and missing you. I was going to Maddie's thread to write to you tomorrow, I have a furlough day.

Did you travel for work? How's the weather and more importantly, how are you???????

I was reflecting on the last year, where we have been, where we came from, where we are now. Business at work has been really slow, very worried about my job for months now. Been there 25 years give or take, not exactly a spring chicken to start over.

I was thinking of making a batch of doggie ice cream and marketing it to local restaurants that are pooch friendly for the Summer. Then maybe getting one of those ice cream push carts to sell it on the weekends. What do you think, girl?

You know Addy, always thinking And the thinking usually involves dogs.

I can't write, I have writer's block. I can only write short snipets, like a few paragraphs. Maybe I should blog

Love ya,
Ice cream maker, with writers block
Addy

[addy]

I finally have time to post this:

I am going to post some of my questions and UTK's answers to them. I would like to share this information with direct quotes so it is clearly transmitted. To recap this relates to my dog. Zoe has colitis, mild Cushings symptoms, mainly bilateral hair loss and now some hind leg weakness. She has been on melatonin and lignans since October. For some reason, her blood work is now all normal with no indications of what you may see in a Cushing Dog. Previously her cholesterol and ALK where elevated but not hugely. She was diagnosed with a UTK panel and an ultra sound by an IMS. My IMS ran the UTK panel because of the hair loss and Zoe having no other symptoms at the time to see where we stood; that perhaps another hormone besides cortisol was causing the hair loss and she had had a ppositive UC:CR. Her estradiol and aldosterone are now normal and her other intermediates have come down. Her cortisol increased. She had been very sick in November and December with her colitis taking a turn for the worse. She is now on daily doses of Metronidazole to control it.

Questions and answers:

Can a dog showing mild symptoms of adrenal disease and also having a concurrent non-adrenal related disease at time of testing show an increase in the intermediate hormones due to the non adrenal disease?

>>>Non-adrenal disease can cause increased hormone levels; particularly 17-hydroxyprogesterone. But, I don’t think you would get the high levels of hormones that you are seeing from non-adrenal disease illness. Any chance that you are using hormone creams? You often see these very high hormone levels in dogs when owners are applying hormone creams, and the dog comes in contact with application sites.

Can a non adrenal disease affect the sex hormones?

>>>The only one that’s been studied so far is the 17-hydroxyprogesterone.

I did consider maintenance dose of lysodren rather than loading with lysodren to see if she can tolerate it. I am worried it will cause Zoe diarrhea as she has such a touchy system.

>>>With the high hormone levels, you probably will need something in addition to melatonin and lignan, and maintenance Lysodren is probably best.

If I do low dose Trilostane will it elevate her Estradiol and Aldosterone?

>>>It will, and they are already high to begin with.

Should I not consider Trilostane at all?

>>>With the profile of hormones that you have, I would prefer maintenance Lysodren along with melatonin and lignans

With cortisol as high as Zoe's in your experience, is a non loading lysodren maintenance dose a viable option?

>>>It certainly would be. There would be two approaches here; 1) you could do a more conservative treatment by continuing the melatonin and lignans, and add maintenance Lysodren; or, 2) you could do the traditional approach where cortisol is very elevated and load the dog to get the hormone levels under control, and then go to maintenance Lysodren.

I had hoped to start Zoe on a maintenance dose of lysodren but I am now concerned that her cortisol is too high for that to help. Do you have a cut off point at which the cortisol is too high for you to recommend that as a treatment option and loading would be the only option?

>>>You can give the melatonin, lignan and maintenance Lysodren, and if you don’t see improvement within 3 months, then you can consider a loading dose of Lysodren at that time. Monitor the cortisol levels in either case, like you would for a true Cushing’s case treated with a loading dose of Lysodren. When cortisol gets down to around 50 ng/ml (5 ug/dL), the intermediates as well as cortisol will be controlled. Estradiol is sometimes an exception to this.


What will do Zoe more harm, elevated cortisol or elevated intermediate hormones? If I have to choose between the lesser of two evils

>>>>This direct quote I did not copy correclty so cannot post now but he said they seem to do the same thing.


I will share Dechra's opinion on my dog at another time. This way we can all see both sides to Zoe's situation.

Again, I want to stress the questions and answers are based on my dog's own unique set of Cushing problems and concurrent health issue.

Hugs,
Addy

[apollo6]

Dear Addy
Very complex issues you have. I do not blame you for being very cautious about starting the Lysodern. You have no concrete signs to go by. Wish I could be of more help.
I like the idea about the ice cream. I have been thinking about designing a walker for seniors totaly different then out there. Like you, I have been in business for over 30years. will post about Apollo later.
Hugs Sonja and Apollo

[littleone1]

Hi Addy,

I know you're trying very hard to make the best decision you can possibly make for Zoe. Making a decision on which treatment to use can be a difficult one. I really hope that you will soon be able to start Zoe's treatment.

(((HUGS))) for you and belly rubs for Zoe.

[addy]

Thank you Terri and Sonja,

I posted the questions and answers so others may possibly glean something from it. I will post Dechra's answers as soon as I have some time to sit down to cut and paste and reread emails.

We have decided to hold off any treatment for two months. Zoe has gained the weight back she lost while ill and is much stronger now. I have not seen any leg trembling when I take her out for short walks up and down the hill. She is doing better on her metronidazole. She gets appx 62 mgs every am and 62 mg every other night. I will try to again discontinue the evening dose or push it to every two nights. I doubt that will work.

Until her symptoms progress, I am going to wait. I really want to change her food. want to change her protein. She has been eating only turkey for 1.5 years now. Changing her food is going to be hard and I have to do it before treatment starts. I remain concerned her system cannot handle bacteria from her raw pattys and have wanted to switch since last June but IMS kept saying no. She now said OK as long as we do it before treatment. I just want to give her colitis a chance to calm down and stabilize as the food change will flare it up again. She was so sick, I want her feeling good for awhile before I push the envelope.

Thanks for helping.

Hugs,
Addy

[labblab]

She is doing better on her metronidazole. She gets appx 62 mgs every am and 62 mg every other night. I will try to again discontinue the evening dose or push it to every two nights. I doubt that will work.

Hi Addy,

I am so glad to hear that Zoe is doing better!! Since that is the case, I am just wondering why you are again wanting to alter her metronidazole dose? I am thinking that your specialist has said that there is no problem with her continuing on the same dose, but maybe I am wrong about that. But if not, since she is doing so well right now, I guess I'm not sure why you would want to rock the boat -- especially since you are hoping to make a dietary change...

Marianne