Cushings? Kidney failure? need advice!

[My lil friend]

I am the keeper of my mother's 13yr old pom/Taffy. My mother is in an alzeheimers facility. Taffy has suddenly come up with demodex and had a couple of potty accidents on the floor that look more like a 30lb dog left it,instead of 6lb.
Today we go to the vet,yes it is demodex,did scraping. Did a fasting blood panel and urine sample. It turns out that she has all of the symptoms of cushings,is anemic because she has a substantial amount of blood in her urine but not enough to see when I clean her small lakes up. She has to stay in the pen to control where she puts the pee,because you never know when it is going to happen. Her liver enzymes were high as well.
The vet is consulting with an oncologist,there will be more blood testing to make sure that she is diagnosed properly.
What do others feed their dogs that have been diagnosed with cushings. Please share your knowledge.

[Maximo]

I am very sorry Taffy is ill. Here is one thread that might offer you a little insight: http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...-cushings.html

Blood tests will determine if Taffy is in kidney failure.

Praying for Taffy.

[yorkietalkjilly]

I don't know about any of those conditions but I can pray for Taffy and your mom and for you. Having a parent with Alzheimer's has got to be heartbreaking. Thank you so much for helping her dog. You are special and Taffy blessed to have you. I hope it's not as bad as it sounds right now.

[Patti]

Sorry to hear about Taffy. I had a Pom with cushings and did not have to feed her a special diet ,although she was always hungry from the disease. If she has kidney failure they will most likely put her on a special diet. I hope you can find out for sure what is going on.

[CouversMom]

I am sorry to hear about Taffy. I do not know anything about Cushings, but I am sure your vet will recommend a special diet for her. Let us know what your vet says.

[kjc]

Sending prayers for Taffy and you... My Peek A Boo is on Hill's Prescription Diet K/D since he was diagnosed with early stage kidney failure. I'd wait to change her diet until all the results are in. For dogs with multiple problems going on, your vet would be the best to recommend any specific food, as one might be right for one medical problem, but bad for another. You may want to contact a canine nutritionist, who can make up a special diet just for her, taking into account all her medical issues.

PetDiets - VNC putting pets' health first! is run by Dr R Remillard, a board certified veterinary nutritionist. This may be your best option for Taffy if you are able to home cook for her, as she does indeed have a number of medical issues going on.

[My lil friend]

We did round one of blood tests today. I made sure that it was a fasting test and she waited to go potty at the vet for a sample. We also discussed the KD food but that will wait until I can sloooowly get her off of temeral-P and get the steroids out of her system so we can do round two blood test. Partially to compare the numbers.
I am not looking forward to telling my mother,she asks about Taffy every week when I visit. I havent taken Taffy for a visit lately because I was hoping that she would be in better shape at some point. After her skin clears I am hoping she will get to visit.

[kjc]

Originally Posted by My lil friend

We did round one of blood tests today. I made sure that it was a fasting test and she waited to go potty at the vet for a sample. We also discussed the KD food but that will wait until I can sloooowly get her off of temeral-P and get the steroids out of her system so we can do round two blood test. Partially to compare the numbers.
I am not looking forward to telling my mother,she asks about Taffy every week when I visit. I havent taken Taffy for a visit lately because I was hoping that she would be in better shape at some point. After her skin clears I am hoping she will get to visit.

Hopefully it is steroid induced Cushings, which will resolve once the steroids are stopped. May help the Demodex too. any idea what she's allergic to?

[Wylie's Mom]

I'm very familiar with Cushings, bc Wylie has Atypical Cushings. As you're probably learning, it's a very complex and confusing disease. It sounds she is having the excessive peeing...is that right? So is she also drinking excessively? Those are both cardinal signs of Cushings -- as is excessive hunger, pot belly, muscle wasting, hind leg weakness, HAIR LOSS (big one!), ongoing skin and ear issues...and the list goes on and on.

Cushings is prominent in Poms, btw. It's smart to get her off of all steroid like meds bc you can't get a true diagnosis of Cushings w/ steroids in her system. If she has steroid-mediated Cushingoid symptoms -- then all that will go away when the steroids clear her system and things balance out.

There is no special diet for Cushingoid dogs - just feed normally. If she has the pot belly and/or has gained weight, don't restrict her food - the hunger is so bad with Cushings that I'd just wait until you get a diagnosis. At that point, that's when you address her weight...if it's even an issue. The proper treatment will in turn treat any weight / hunger symptoms.

This is a great overview for Cushings: Cushings (Hyperadrenocorticism)

[lynzy420]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

I'm very familiar with Cushings, bc Wylie has Atypical Cushings. As you're probably learning, it's a very complex and confusing disease. It sounds she is having the excessive peeing...is that right? So is she also drinking excessively? Those are both cardinal signs of Cushings -- as is excessive hunger, pot belly, muscle wasting, hind leg weakness, HAIR LOSS (big one!), ongoing skin and ear issues...and the list goes on and on.

Cushings is prominent in Poms, btw. It's smart to get her off of all steroid like meds bc you can't get a true diagnosis of Cushings w/ steroids in her system. If she has steroid-mediated Cushingoid symptoms -- then all that will go away when the steroids clear her system and things balance out.

There is no special diet for Cushingoid dogs - just feed normally. If she has the pot belly and/or has gained weight, don't restrict her food - the hunger is so bad with Cushings that I'd just wait until you get a diagnosis. At that point, that's when you address her weight...if it's even an issue. The proper treatment will in turn treat any weight / hunger symptoms.

This is a great overview for Cushings: Cushings (Hyperadrenocorticism)

Wow, excellent information here. You are well spoken on this topic Ann, I'm impressed! I actually printed this, hope I never need it, but thanks for your insight.

[rubymoon2072]

i have no experience with this but wanted to say ill be keeping taffy in my thoughts and prayers.

[spiritwings1202]

I am so sorry Taffy is ill. I don't have any advice but praying that you get the help and support you need to take care of this poor girl.

[My lil friend]

Ann, Asside from the weight gain issue,she has actually lost a pound in the last year and is weighing what she should, you have described Taffy to a T. The dose of Temeral -P that she takes is actually very low but we are slowly taking her off of it anyway and hoping that her cough does not return. She has a cough syrup now and I will start using that if she begins coughing much. I knew something was wrong with her when demodex suddenly showed up,she hasnt ever had it before. The other symptoms have come on pretty quick as well. She has been taking Tramadol and Temeral P for a couple of years now. Her knees are very bad,weak,arthritic.
So for the next two weeks its about getting her off of the temeral P,watching for coughing,keeping her diet like it has been.
Thank you all for the information. I have a bit of homework now.

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by My lil friend

Ann, Asside from the weight gain issue,she has actually lost a pound in the last year and is weighing what she should, you have described Taffy to a T. The dose of Temeral -P that she takes is actually very low but we are slowly taking her off of it anyway and hoping that her cough does not return. She has a cough syrup now and I will start using that if she begins coughing much. I knew something was wrong with her when demodex suddenly showed up,she hasnt ever had it before. The other symptoms have come on pretty quick as well. She has been taking Tramadol and Temeral P for a couple of years now. Her knees are very bad,weak,arthritic.
So for the next two weeks its about getting her off of the temeral P,watching for coughing,keeping her diet like it has been.
Thank you all for the information. I have a bit of homework now.

Ya know...there may be a bright side here...you said the 'symptoms have come on quick', and that's rather unusual for true Cushings. My hope is that this is just steroid-mediated Cushings, which would actually be wonderful bc it would all go away with time, after the excess steroids get out of her system. I know TemP is low dose, but ya just never know how sensitive her system might be.

What is that cough about anyway? Does she have allergies?

[My lil friend]

The cough: Im pretty sure that it is allergies. She will cough 3 or 4 times a day when the weather is wet cold/hot,kinda like asthma. Her heart is still very strong. What brought the cough on was KC. About 2 yrs ago,she was one week away from needing her KC shot,she came down with a resperatory infection with all of the symptoms of KC,however she doesnt go ANYWHERE except my backyard and the vet. There were 5 other dogs in the house at the time,including an elderly dog. I kept her on a seperate floor of the house for 3 weeks in a pen. We did 3 round of antibiotics before the coughing slowed down to just 4 or 5 spells a day. She just never got over it. No pneumonia,lungs stayed clear,noone else got it. She has only had one or two spells a day sense I cut the TP dose in half. The spells are coughing 5 or 6 times,gagging and then acting like she is going to throw up. Then it just stops. We have already ruled out CT. Kinda weird.....