Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom (Post 2608466)

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)?

Originally Posted by stedmansmommy (Post 2613696)

I just wanted to say thank you so much for posting all that you did - I am most definitely going to have a test done to HOPEFULLY rule out Cushings. Although if Cushings is ruled out, then I have absolutely no idea what else could be causing all of this. I have already had a Thyroid test done and it came back negative...so all was good there. If it isn't Cushings, maybe it is just her awful, terrible allergies. At this point I just don't know what else it could be - but SOMETHING is going on. Yorkies just AREN'T supposed to shed/lose hair....and boy is she ever! (See pic below - you are going to FREAK. That picture was taken after I last gave her a bath and ran my hand over her back and then brushed her and removed all the hair from the brush. It is just absolutely crazy how much hair she loses. And the sink is just FULL of it when I bathe her. :( Even when she was put in the water tank for Aquatic Therapy there was a few gobs of hair floating around in the water. :(

Anyway, I am going to check out the links that you gave me - thank you so much girl! By the way, how is Wylie doing? I haven't had a chance to read any updates in the thread yet but I have been thinking about him and I certainly hope that he is doing well!

Give both of the boy tons of sweet hugs and kisses from the babies and I....and an extra smooch on the cheek to Marcel from his girlfriend Tator Bug! :kiss3:

Originally Posted by simonandhallie (Post 2614020)

How is Wylie? What are we doing now....waiting? I'm getting impatient so I can imagine how you feel!

Hallie sends Wylie some kisses

Originally Posted by wemple2 (Post 2614443)

Wow Ann, I just started reading this thread. Hoping and praying that all is well with Wylie and that it is indeed simply hypothyroidism. What thyroid test shows zero thyroid function? Did they do a T3, T4 & TSH? I'm confused because if it's the TSH a zero means over active/hyperthyroidism, right? What were his numbers and what test was done? Sending you and your little fella plenty of positive vibes...

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom (Post 2614523)

Hi Kathy :) -- argh, that was probably confusing - sorry 'bout that. His circulating thyroxine (free T4) was pretty much at zero :( -- which would mean his TSH was high. I don't have his numbers right now - I looked over them w/ the doc at the clinic and he was basically getting no thyroid hormone on his own, poor little guy. Thanks so much for your good thoughts :), it means a lot.