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-   -   Anyone know about Cushing's Disease?? (https://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/off-topic-discussions/105294-anyone-know-about-cushings-disease.html)

ocmommyof2 11-29-2007 11:35 AM
Anyone know about Cushing's Disease??
 
My maltese, Joey, was just diagnosed with it, among other things. I only know a little about it. Anyone have a furbaby with it and what is being done about it? Please help!

MyFairLacy 11-29-2007 12:00 PM
I don't know a whole lot about it right now other than it is an endocrine disorder where there are high levels of cortisol in the blood. My dad's cousin has a maltese that was diagnosed with Cushing's disease and she found some type of treatment that worked well for her maltese

Ladymom 11-29-2007 12:16 PM
This is an excellent explanation of Cushings from the Pets With Diabetes website:

http://www.petdiabetes.org/cushings.htm

Bonnie's Mom 11-29-2007 12:19 PM
I had a mixed breed with Cushings, but the Vet advised against treating it, because he also had arthritis and the medicine would only make the arthritis symptons worse.

How old is your dog? Good luck with however you decide to treat him.

ocmommyof2 11-29-2007 02:11 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ladymom (Post 1563558)
This is an excellent explanation of Cushings from the Pets With Diabetes website:

http://www.petdiabetes.org/cushings.htm
Thank you so much for this website. It was very informative. Joey has so many of the symptoms listed :(

ocmommyof2 11-29-2007 02:13 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonnie's Mom (Post 1563569)
I had a mixed breed with Cushings, but the Vet advised against treating it, because he also had arthritis and the medicine would only make the arthritis symptons worse.

How old is your dog? Good luck with however you decide to treat him.
Joey is 9 years old. How long did your mixed breed live after diagnosis? My vet doesn't want to treat it in Joey either, because he has so many other problems. I just don't know what to do.

Patti 11-29-2007 03:28 PM
My 10 1/2 year old pom was diagnosed with it in April after many months of treating her for a thyroid problem (it was really cushings). After many tests, toxic medicine and lots of expense and switching her to a different specialist she ended up with severe liver disease most likely from the cushings medicine. So now she cannot be on cushing's med so we can't treat it and she is on prednisone for the liver disease and some other pill. The problem is is the prednisone is producing more cortisone which is what you are trying to get rid of in the Cushings disease. In my experience it is a very difficult disease. What are Joey's symptoms? Maya had skin sores, tons of hair loss mostly in the back half, excessive drinking and always starving. Right now we are just taking it day by day and trying to wean her down on the prednisone. I do know that a lot of dogs have been treated successfully for it. Definatley get a good specialist. I will keep him in my prayers

Bonnie's Mom 11-29-2007 04:26 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ocmommyof2 (Post 1563959)
Joey is 9 years old. How long did your mixed breed live after diagnosis? My vet doesn't want to treat it in Joey either, because he has so many other problems. I just don't know what to do.
4 yrs since they started noticing symptons. They never did all the extensive testing to formally diagnose it, because she said she wouldn't want to treat it, but I know that is what he had with all the symptoms, and the vet said so too. He would have been 14 in January and we just had to put him down Nov 1.

ocmommyof2 11-29-2007 04:47 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patti (Post 1564228)
My 10 1/2 year old pom was diagnosed with it in April after many months of treating her for a thyroid problem (it was really cushings). After many tests, toxic medicine and lots of expense and switching her to a different specialist she ended up with severe liver disease most likely from the cushings medicine. So now she cannot be on cushing's med so we can't treat it and she is on prednisone for the liver disease and some other pill. The problem is is the prednisone is producing more cortisone which is what you are trying to get rid of in the Cushings disease. In my experience it is a very difficult disease. What are Joey's symptoms? Maya had skin sores, tons of hair loss mostly in the back half, excessive drinking and always starving. Right now we are just taking it day by day and trying to wean her down on the prednisone. I do know that a lot of dogs have been treated successfully for it. Definatley get a good specialist. I will keep him in my prayers

Joey's symptoms sound just like your Maya. He has sores all over his body that are very itchy. He has hair loss on his back. Just recently it seems like he can't get enough food, and you are right, he drinks a lot of water. He is now being treated for a thyroid problem, but now I wonder if he really has one.

Thanks for praying for him!

ocmommyof2 11-29-2007 04:51 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonnie's Mom (Post 1564459)
4 yrs since they started noticing symptons. They never did all the extensive testing to formally diagnose it, because she said she wouldn't want to treat it, but I know that is what he had with all the symptoms, and the vet said so too. He would have been 14 in January and we just had to put him down Nov 1.
If I think back, Joey has had some symptoms for about 2 years. They are getting much worse now. On top of it all he has a pretty bad heart murmur.

I am so sorry for the loss of your baby. :littleang

Patti 11-29-2007 05:50 PM
Maya also has an enlarged heart, collapsed trachea, rectal hernia and lost a lot of weight in a short time. The specialist and I talked on the phone the other night (she is treating her over the phone based on my observation and a periodic blood test since I told her I couldn't keep bringing her in at 125.00 a visit to go over her progress) and we both agreed that quality of life was the main thing not quantity. The treatment for Cushing's is very hard on them until you get them loaded and on a maintenance dose. I read somewhere that dogs generally live up to 2 years from diagnosis on average. But one reason is it usually hits older dogs who may only have a few more years.

ocmommyof2 11-29-2007 06:31 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patti (Post 1564743)
Maya also has an enlarged heart, collapsed trachea, rectal hernia and lost a lot of weight in a short time. The specialist and I talked on the phone the other night (she is treating her over the phone based on my observation and a periodic blood test since I told her I couldn't keep bringing her in at 125.00 a visit to go over her progress) and we both agreed that quality of life was the main thing not quantity. The treatment for Cushing's is very hard on them until you get them loaded and on a maintenance dose. I read somewhere that dogs generally live up to 2 years from diagnosis on average. But one reason is it usually hits older dogs who may only have a few more years.
You are right. I just want to make Joey as comfortable as possible and not overload him with meds. He wasn't supposed to live past 2 years old because he had an autoimmune disease that they were surprised he even overcame. He has been on steroids off and on his whole life. He also has chronic ear infections. We call him our "Million Dollar Dog".

He has been coughing lately, and we are not sure if it is from his heart, or if he has a collapsed trachea.

All I know, is I just love my little guy so much. He is my shadow. I am so thankful to have had 9 years with him so far...hopefully it will be more!!!

wemple2 11-29-2007 06:53 PM
Sorry, I know little about Cushings...but I wanted to wish you and Joey luck at finding out what's wrong and that he will be comfortable and well taken care of.


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