Quote:
Originally Posted by DesertChildAZ  The ACTH test is known to have alot of "false negative" results. It's hit or miss. Sometimes it takes several tests to get the positive result. This is why it's so hard to diagnose.
My 15-year old, Tahoe, needs his teeth cleaned. His blood tests showed some elevated cortisol levels, so my vet suggested testing him for ACTH before allowing him to go under anesthesia for the teeth cleaning. (Cushings dogs need a different anesthesia than what he usually uses.) Tahoe has several of the symptoms of Cushings, including:
1) Pot belly
2) Deaf and mostly blind
3) Calcified bumps under his skin (dozens)
4) Diluted urine
5) An enlarged liver (though his blood panel shows a normal enzyme level now after 2 years of Ursidiol treatment).
I read up on the ACTH test before having him tested and was concerned because I read that there is often a "false negative" result with the ACTH test. I was concerned that we would get a "false negative" and then we'd treat him with normal anesthesia when he was, in fact, positive. Well, as it turns out, he tested positive.
My point is that you can have several ACTH's done and get false negative results. Something to think about.
~ Kelly |
Oh, he also has two other symptoms I forgot:
1) muscle atrophy in his hind legs. He used to have very pronounced muscles in his back legs (from humping pillows!) and they are mush now.
2) He went from humping pillows whenever I left the house to absolutely no humping. I discovered that "loss of reproductive ability" is a symptom of cushing's as well....which explains his loss of interest in the pillows! Not that I mind, nor does my couch!