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

[ltret0294]

I should take a piccie. Maybe I could spike his hair down the middle to give the full effect of the shaved sides. He does look a little goofy...but it's a cute goofy.

Do it.



Oh gosh Bob. Has he gained weight along w/ the lethargy? I'll tell ya, the signs can be sooo insidious and diffuse, that it can be hard to tell what's going on and you begin to wonder/question what you're seeing. I'm so glad you're taking Zeke in. Any hair loss? Some reasons for biting at the tail area could be fleas, clogged anal glands, mange, fungus, pyoderma (which is often more all over, like w/ Wylie). Please keep me posted and PM me if you need anything! [/quote]

Ann
Vet visit went ok. Looks like another allergy and he is very allergic to fleas already. PM you w/more details.
Bob

[stedmansmommy]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

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)?

See post below....

[stedmansmommy]

OMG!!! I am so furious! I just spent I don't know how long quoting your post above...I was trying to reply to it, and I did, but I have absolutely NO IDEA what happened....every *single* word I wrote got deleted when I tried to post it!!!! Omg. I am going to just cry. lol...

SIGH....I don't even remember what all I wrote. Actually, I am not even going to TRY and remember at this point. Darn it! I just can't believe that happened! Ugh!!

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!

[simonandhallie]

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

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by stedmansmommy

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!

Oh Brooke - I know what you mean about typing a looong post up and then *poof* - gone. Seriously so frustrating.

I can't believe all that fur in your hand from Tate ! I'd be concerned too, it looks like too much. If it's not thyroid and not Cushing's, I wonder what this could be from. Wylie's Derm. did say that his fur loss is not only from the hypothyroid (and we don't know yet w/ cushings until Monday) - but also bc he has the pyoderma - so his follicles become irritated and infected and just push his hair right out. Oddly, we never saw him shedding, never found his fur, never came out after bath - just gone (?)...weird. I think I'm going to try to take pics of his fur and skin so people can see what it looked like.

Marcel sends his Tater-love LOTS of hugs and puppy kisses and wants her to feel better!

Originally Posted by simonandhallie

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

It's the waiting game...I'm supposed to find out Monday, seems so far away.

I started his thyroid med and he's had 3 doses - I swear his eyes are brighter already, but maybe it's just me being a dweeb about it . He is still drinking/peeing a lot though....so it makes me wonder, if it *is* only thyroid...how soon would that go away after starting Rx? Ugh...I so hope it's not cushings.

Wylie sends great big kisses right back!

[linda44]

aww Wylie will be in my prayers.

[wemple2]

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...

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by wemple2

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...

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.

[Lou]

Oh Ann! I am just now reading this thread too. How horrible! You and little Wylie are certainly going through a lot. I will be checking in on Monday to see what his test results are and believe me I will be praying for the little guy. I'll be praying for you too! Good luck Sweetie and give the little guy a hug from Adie and Skeeter!



Brooke! Could Tatums problem be related to the surgery or the meds she is taking or took? Just a thought. Hope she is doing better too. So prayers going out to you two also!

[Robin Lodal]

You tell Wylie that we are praying for him and that he is going to be just great! from Max and Molly...

[Patti]

Ann, with Maya I never found hair either it was just gone and where her skin sores were you could just gently tug and the hair would come out in my hand. I now with the thyroid medicine they said it would take 3 weeks to get the full effect. We saw no relief even after 3 months so hopefully it is a good sign that you are seeing some relief so soon. Hopefully the thyroid is the problem and not Cushing's.

[wemple2]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

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.

Okay, thanks for clarifying that for me.Still have your little man in my thoughts and prayers...praying that his under active thyroid is the root of his problems...

[donnarod]

Baby Wilie, saying lots of prayers for you and your Mommie.

[Tami and Taylor]

I was wondering if you could post pictures of your pups with the hair loss. Mine just got a schnauzer cut to blend in her hair loss due to flea bites, and everything under the sun, allergies.

[BonBon]

Hi Ann, I was just checking in on little Wylie. Do you get the results back today?