Originally Posted by hartygirl (Post 3055993)

L~ Does it bother him to wear clothes?

Originally Posted by manolos mom (Post 3055985)

YEA...we love you Sunny D. Are you going to try a topical Melatonin?

Originally Posted by ladyjane (Post 3055946)

Yes, it is different. Her Wylie has atypical cushings. Pseudo Cushings is a cosmetic issue...they look like they have it in that they lose hair, but they do not actually have it.

Cushings is a very complicated illness...and I have found pseudo cushings to be even more baffling. They have HAC, but do not have the clinical signs so it is not actually cushings.

They say Melatonin helps with the hair replacement...I just had never heard of it and wondered if anyone had done this. Cannot really hurt anything....just very curious about it.

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom (Post 3058515)

Linda, just seeing all of this now. So, this kiddo *does* have HAC then? If yes, that means he does have elevated cortisol levels - so then, this wouldn't be "Pseudo-Cushings". To officially get a Dx of Pseudo, the main thing a vet has to do is rule *out* HAC / Cushings. Then, they can rule-in Pseudo-Cushings (more commonly known as Alopecia X) as a possibility.

Was a stim test done? What was the pre/post? That would be the most conclusive testing -- and if the post # is equivocal, that's when Atypical is suspected (depending upon signalment) - and that's when the blood has to go to Dr. Jack Oliver at U of Tenn.

If this is Alopecia X, then yup, Melatonin BID is a standard treatment to try - just make sure it is regular Melatonin and not fast release or extended. Melatonin is also used in Atypical Cushings btw (for some of the intermediate sex hormones). It can take a couple months to see results, btw.

Give this little fella some hugs for me, and bless you for taking him in :).

Originally Posted by ladyjane (Post 3058533)

I wondered where you were! :D

Actually, he does have HAC and was diagnosed with pseudo cushings by my vet and also the specialist. It is SO confusing to me. But....I found the following link that explained it well:
http://www.michvma.org/documents/MVC...s/Nichols2.pdf
My vet also gave me some stuff to read.

The stim test:

5.9 ref: 1.0 - 5.0
24.6 ref: 8.0 - 17.0

I really thought that with a diagnosis of HAC it was definitely cushings; but, because he has no other clinical signs it is considered pseudo cushings. He is young, has totally normal blood work (alkaline phos is normal) and does not have excessive polysypsia or polyuria, no enlarged abdomen, or any other of the typical signs of cushings. His urine specific gravity is also wnl. We did biopsies of his skin that also pointed to cushings or pseudo cushings.

Have you used or know anyone who has used melatonin for hair loss?

Originally Posted by ladyjane (Post 3058650)

Oh, he has skin issues. He was a mess when I got him. He had a nasty greasy looking mess that has since cleared up. Had a skin infection and it took a long time on antibiotics to clear it up. He has almost no hair on his trunk....some spots of hair and some peach fuzz.

The first pic is when I first got him.

Oh...and no, he has no other symptoms. Is a very happy, healthy looking, playful pupster.

Originally Posted by ladyjane (Post 3058658)

hahah I just proof read my other post....

I started to say excessive urination...then opted for poly.....

ended up with excessive poly...DUH

Originally Posted by ladyjane (Post 3055946)

Yes, it is different. Her Wylie has atypical cushings. Pseudo Cushings is a cosmetic issue...they look like they have it in that they lose hair, but they do not actually have it.

Cushings is a very complicated illness...and I have found pseudo cushings to be even more baffling. They have HAC, but do not have the clinical signs so it is not actually cushings.

They say Melatonin helps with the hair replacement...I just had never heard of it and wondered if anyone had done this. Cannot really hurt anything....just very curious about it.

Thanks! He is actually not ill. He just does not have much hair! We are working on a new bio for him now that we know for sure what it is. Probably going to say his mother was a yorkie and dad was a traveling chinese crested. :D

Originally Posted by ladyjane (Post 3058650)

Oh, he has skin issues. He was a mess when I got him. He had a nasty greasy looking mess that has since cleared up. Had a skin infection and it took a long time on antibiotics to clear it up. He has almost no hair on his trunk....some spots of hair and some peach fuzz.


The first pic is when I first got him.

Attachment 312717

Attachment 312718

Oh...and no, he has no other symptoms. Is a very happy, healthy looking, playful pupster.

Originally Posted by dwerten (Post 3059196)

not hypothyroid? This looks alot like dd but dd has more hair - did he have a staph infection could that have attributed to hair loss ?

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom (Post 3059104)

Oh Linda, he is just PRECIOUS. Can I just say, once again, thank you for all that you do in rescue :):):)!!! I am so happy he is with you.

I wonder why they aren't Dx Cushings since he has the elevated cortisol along w/ some unique signalment (skin infection, hair loss - this fella's pattern loss is SO like Cushings - Wylie only had some thinning). Did they say they wanted more signalment (because you usually look for at least 3)? Dogs may only have a few at a time.

You have such a marvelous vet though - but it might be worth contacting Dr. Jack Oliver when cases are not clear cut - for Cushings/adrenal stuff. He is very responsive and he is incredible at dealing w/ the oddball cases (look at his published studies, just amazing). I can't recommend him enough - Wylie's internist (who specializes in Cushings, and her own dog has Cushings) consults w/ him often and my generalist just consulted w/ him in Dec. for Wylie again (for a med change).

Oh! And I forget to answer one of your original questions - yes, melatonin can work great for some dogs! And, there are Melatonin implants you can get, if it does work. It really depends on the Dx and/or if there is something going on w/ the sex hormones. See this Treatment sheet, and also #13 for Dr. Oliver contact info. And here is their endocrine lab - this is where blood is sent to test the intermediate sex hormones.



I didn't even *see* that :p! I was tracking right with your description, and did not even see the "excessive" - my brain edited it out once I saw the poly, lol! That's funny :D. Excessive polyexcessiveness, I'm on board :p.

Originally Posted by dwerten (Post 3059201)

here is a pic of dd hairloss in same spot

Originally Posted by dwerten (Post 3059196)

not hypothyroid? This looks alot like dd but dd has more hair - did he have a staph infection could that have attributed to hair loss ?