Wylie has Hypothyroid, Pyoderma, and maybe Cushing's Disease

[kalina82]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

That's also what's odd about this...he's only 4.5 years old, so it's unusual - but not unheard of. Isn't that weird? I will say, he did not come from a good breeder, so there is no telling if this is in his line or what. It seems the cause of Cushing's is not really understood.

I've been reading about the sugery...and I agree, it looks very complex and risky - and the dog is at quite a risk for the 6 mths following the surgery; I will be sure I check out the surgeon if it comes to that. The "mecca" of clinics I'm going to has all kinds of specialties - this is where the derm is - and she is the one who recommended this specific Internist - so at least I feel good about seeing this new vet tomorrow. I will ask the Internist about the surgeon specialties they have there too.

I don't even know what to hope for...I mean, on one hand - I'd rather it was adrenal so we could remove it...on the other, I almost hope it's pituitary and tiny and he could live w/ it forever w/ meds. But then, you get into the medications to manage it - and those are awful medications too.

And then the prognosis is alllll over the board ! Some say 2 years, some say a dog can live 10 more years. I think I need to remember that *most* dogs are diagnosed so late in life -- and that's probably why the prognosis numbers are skewed. Don't you think?

Thanks for all of your help and kind words...I know I'll get him through this...and I'm still holding out that it's only thyroid - but either way, it just helps to post about it and hear others' thoughts.

Yeah the prognosis is all over the place because its usually diagnosed in older dogs.

I"ll be waiting to hear how your appointment with Wylie goes tomorrow. I'm praying for hypothyroidism.

[QuickSilver]

I join everyone in hoping for the best for Wylie!

He is so lucky to have someone as observant and knowledgable as you for his mom. I didn't even know there was such a thing as a vet dermie.

[stedmansmommy]

OMG, Ann...I am sooo sorry to hear about Wylie!! I tell you girl, our babies are always going through something! You know that Tatum has TERRIBLE allergies as well as skin issues...although the skin issues have not been addressed yet - that is next on my list after she has gotten through all her LP stuff (still 2 more weeks of confinement ). Anyway, now I am getting a little worried because as I was reading your thread, my eyes got bigger and bigger Over the past 3 or 4 days or so, Tatum has been peeing ALOT more than normal. In fact, about 3 days ago she had an accident (pee'd) in her house and that has NEVER EVER happened, not ONCE since she's been confined to it and she has been in there for just over a month. It was strange too, because I had JUST taken her out not too long before the peeing accident happened - and normally she would have NEVER had to pee that soon after just being let out not long ago. Another thing is that Tatum has extremely dry, flaky skin. I brush her and there are just white flakes The top of her nose is so dry, almost scab like - that is where she itches THE MOST. There, and on the side of her mouth (her "cheeks"). And sometimes her ears when she gets recurring ear infections. And I don't know if you remember me posting about it or not, but over the last few months I have noticed that Tatum has started shedding. In fact, today we went back for more physical therapy and I was wearing a pair of white capris and they were just FULL of her hair, just from her laying in my lap in the car And when they put her in the tank for Aquatic Therapy there were a few gobs of hair floating around in the water I just don't understand this! I had a Thyroid test done right before she had her LP surgery and it came back perfectly fine. I am just so confused. I am so sick of all the dry/flaky skin, allergies and now hair shedding Ughhhh! When will it all end? Oh, and I also (JUST YESTERDAY) started reading up about Atopica online and I desperately want to start Tatum on this! She is currently on Hydroxyzine and has been on it for a LONG time now, but I am thinking that the Atopica will be better. I guess the first step is getting an allergy test done on her - I REALLY want to *try* and find out what all she is allergic too...cause these darn allergies are just kicking her butt!!

Anyway - I just realised that I sat here and typed all this in WYLIE'S thread....how totally rude of me!!!!!! I DO NOT want to take over your thread...but it just seems like our babies always have alot of similar things going on between them so I thought I would post about it. I hope and PRAY that sweet little Wylie will be ok! I wish I had more advice but heck, Tatum is having alot of these same issues and I am just totally clueless

Give them both huge hugs for me and I will be checking back for updates on Wylie...I will pray for him and will keep him in my prayers as well! Hugs to you all, we love you guys!

[Patti]

I am praying Wylie doesn't have Cushing's. I think I said in my PM that Maya had the adrenal kind, she had the one where you can't operate so it would have been the Pituitary kind. I was also told that because it usually affects older dogs that they give a 2 year prognosis. Maya lived almost 3 years from her first symptoms and most of that time was without meds due to other complications, so in a young dog on meds I would think there could be a longer prognosis. I know when Maya had the 8 hour test it took 2 days to get the results.

[bchgirl]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

LOL! I know!! I was thinking "I hope Deb doesn't see this bc she had me ALL calmed down earlier today...and now I'm catastrophic AGAIN" -- seriously, I started googling again and I was right back in worst case scenario. I told you I needed you to lock me a dark closet! Thanks for making me giggle.

I should've never left you alone. Thinking of you and Wylie today....and praying for the best.

[kalina82]

Good luck today! i'll be thinking about you guys and praying for hypothyroidism

[BonBon]

Ann, I'm sorry to hear about little Wylie! I'll pray for a quick, good diagnosis. Good luck today! Please keep us updated. {hugs}

[LunasMomma]

Sending good thoughts out for Wylie He is so lucky to have such a great Mom!

[marcerella02]

Good luck today. Please post when you know something. Thinking of you guys today!

[TresCutePiggies]

I'll be thinking about you and little Wylie today. I keep hoping it will only be the hypothyroid, which as I understand it is easily treatable. And I wanted to add good for you for keeping on these vets! I'm so glad you were able to find some specialists who were able to help diagnose your boys, so you could move forward with the appropriate treatment.

[chachi]

Ill be praying for the best for Wylie

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by stedmansmommy

OMG, Ann...I am sooo sorry to hear about Wylie!! I tell you girl, our babies are always going through something! You know that Tatum has TERRIBLE allergies as well as skin issues...although the skin issues have not been addressed yet - that is next on my list after she has gotten through all her LP stuff (still 2 more weeks of confinement ). Anyway, now I am getting a little worried because as I was reading your thread, my eyes got bigger and bigger Over the past 3 or 4 days or so, Tatum has been peeing ALOT more than normal. In fact, about 3 days ago she had an accident (pee'd) in her house and that has NEVER EVER happened, not ONCE since she's been confined to it and she has been in there for just over a month. It was strange too, because I had JUST taken her out not too long before the peeing accident happened - and normally she would have NEVER had to pee that soon after just being let out not long ago. Another thing is that Tatum has extremely dry, flaky skin. I brush her and there are just white flakes. The top of her nose is so dry, almost scab like - that is where she itches THE MOST. There, and on the side of her mouth (her "cheeks"). And sometimes her ears when she gets recurring ear infections. And I don't know if you remember me posting about it or not, but over the last few months I have noticed that Tatum has started shedding. In fact, today we went back for more physical therapy and I was wearing a pair of white capris and they were just FULL of her hair, just from her laying in my lap in the car And when they put her in the tank for Aquatic Therapy there were a few gobs of hair floating around in the water I just don't understand this! I had a Thyroid test done right before she had her LP surgery and it came back perfectly fine. I am just so confused. I am so sick of all the dry/flaky skin, allergies and now hair shedding Ughhhh! When will it all end? Oh, and I also (JUST YESTERDAY) started reading up about Atopica online and I desperately want to start Tatum on this! She is currently on Hydroxyzine and has been on it for a LONG time now, but I am thinking that the Atopica will be better. I guess the first step is getting an allergy test done on her - I REALLY want to *try* and find out what all she is allergic too...cause these darn allergies are just kicking her butt!!

Anyway - I just realised that I sat here and typed all this in WYLIE'S thread....how totally rude of me!!!!!! I DO NOT want to take over your thread...but it just seems like our babies always have alot of similar things going on between them so I thought I would post about it. I hope and PRAY that sweet little Wylie will be ok! I wish I had more advice but heck, Tatum is having alot of these same issues and I am just totally clueless

Give them both huge hugs for me and I will be checking back for updates on Wylie...I will pray for him and will keep him in my prayers as well! Hugs to you all, we love you guys!

First, thanks to everyone for such support and kindness - I even showed Wylie (lol) and said SEE? Everyone is pulling for you and praying for you, so let's take it all into that little body of yours.

Brooke - don't feel bad at *all* - I'm so glad you posted this bc I was actually going to PM you about this very thing. When I found out about Wy and learned more after the research, I TOO thought of the issues you've been having w/ Tatum! So, you might want to (for now) just rule out Cushings and it's very simple -- you want to catch a urine sample at home; Wylie has been peeing tons inside lately on/near the pads - lucky for me () he sometimes just puts his front paws on the pad, and then goes - so his pee ends up on the tile floor - I took a clean, empty syringe (clean it w/ hyd. peroxide or alcohol, if needed) and sucked up the pee (about a small syringe full), put it in a plastic baggy, wrote the time on it, and put in fridge until it was time for the vet. The reason you want an at-home urine is bc if they collect the urine at the vet, when they're stressed, there will be cortisol in the urine from being stressed - so it's not accurate.

The cortisol/cortisol-creatinine test is just a screening test - sooo, if the dog does not show high cortisol or ratio - Cushings can basically be ruled out. If there is high cortisol (normal is <13 - Wylie's was 23), then you'd definitely want to proceed to the ACTH test or Low Dose Dexamethasone Test. Now, I have read here and there (but not much really) that SOMEtimes in a negative urine cortisol test -- they *may* still want to do the diagnostic type tests I just named -- if the dog is showing too many signs of Cushing's. Dogs w/ cushings are very prone to recurrent infections, skin issues, fur loss, UTIs etc -- so it make me wonder a little about Tate.

Here are a couple of links so you can read more and see what you think:

Pet Owner's Crash Course in Canine Cushing's Disease

Cushings

I hope she doesn't have it - it really could be something else...I'm going to keep thinking about her symptoms and see if I can think of anything. Does she have signs of diabetes at all? Is her tummy skin "thin", any red patchy/weird areas (another skin infection related to cushings or hypothyroid)?

[abby2473]

...just reading this....I will be sending good thoughts and prayers out for your little guy today.....

[ARCHIE]

I am just seeing this and want to send good vibes Wylie's way today Ann.
Hopeing the test comes back negative for Cushings. You must be so frustrated knowing you could have done something sooner had your vet
picked up on the symptoms and taken them more seriously.
I feel your frustration and you have every right to feel that way.
I will watch for an update later in the day.
That stinks that your vet made not one but two misdiagnosis.
I hope the Atopia works well for Marcel and he's free of his allergies
soon or at least feels better on it.
We're praying for you Wylie,

Hugs,

[Ladymom]

I am so sorry you are going through this with Wylie. He sounds like my Lady who was perfectly healthy until she was 4.5 years old and then those "genetic time bombs" from being poorly bred started going off.

Hopefully his skin conditions are just from his thyroid imbalance, not Cushings. Lady is hypothyroid and it is such an easy thing to deal with, much easier than her diabetes.