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Old 06-12-2013, 06:47 AM   #5
Wylie's Mom
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Aw...poor Yoda man - give him a big hug and kiss for me! It's always scary when levels are off, and you don't yet have answers. You 3 will be in our thoughts...we're sending positivity your way .

Since Wylie has Cushings, I'll comment mainly on that. While *most* untreated Cushings dogs have the polydipsia/uria and hair loss, there are plenty of cases where those symptoms aren't present. Cushings has sooo many diffuse symptoms that it's rarely even properly noticed or diagnosed. Another really common symptom for a Cushings dog to have is a pot belly (not that he's fat, just a pot belly shape) - does Yoda have that? Wylie didn't have that - in fact, he looked his usual athletic self at the time. Another common thing to assess is whether you think Yoda has had any muscle wasting, especially in his back legs. Like, is he having any trouble jumping up on the couch, where before he did it fine? Almost all untreated Cushings dogs have muscle wasting bc of the excess cortisol raging through their bodies -- and it's most noticeable in the hind area. I know you mentioned he doesn't have loss of appetite...is his appetite excessive, like hungry all the time?

If you do want to approach Cushings, this is how it goes. The first test is a screening test - it doesn't tell you whether he has it, it merely tells you whether it's smart to proceed to the more expensive Cushings testing. The test is called the Cortisol Creatinine Ratio Urine Test -- if the test is positive and shows excess cortisol, then you should move forward and do the ACTH test (specific for Cushings). If the ACTH is positive, he has Cushings; if negative, likely does not have it; if borderline/intermediate then you have to send his blood to the U of Tenn to test for Atypical Cushings (this is what Wylie has). If he is positive for Cushings, most vets will want to do an ultrasound of the adrenals to see what state they're in from the Cushings.

So, that's the basics if you want to rule in/out Cushings. Here is a link that talks about the details of Cushings and gives a good overview: Pet Owner's Crash Course in Canine Cushing's Disease

I hope you're able to get answers soon. What does the vet think the next steps should be, did he say?
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°¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann | Pfeiffer | Marcel Verdel Purcell | Wylie | Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨°
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