Update on Thumper

[aweitzm1]

Thumper has been having clear urine for the past few weeks. I am taking him to the Vet on Monday for a check up. He has Kidney Disease and I am concerned this is a sign of it progressing.

I am also going to ask the Vet about Cushings and Addison's disease as he has been gaining weight and I read that can be an underlying issue.

Is there anything else I should ask or request to be tested? He is very happy, playful, and energetic.

Please keep him in your thoughts that this is not him getting worse.

Thanks

[KatysMom]

I can't add to your vet queries, but sending gobs of thoughts and prayers.

[dottiesyrky]

I hope that the clear urine does not suggest any further progression of the kidney disease. I wonder how the original diagnosis was made and what level was the kidney function?
I believe there is a test,SDMS, ???? That shows how well the kidneys are functioning before a major failure occurs. Praying your baby is ok.

[Wylie's Mom]

Let us know how it goes at the vet!

Does he have other symptoms of Cushings as well...? My Wylie only had polydipsia/polyuria, hair loss, a bit of hind leg weakness, chronic ear/skin infections - and that was IT. But yup, he had it! He actually had Atypical Cushings - had to send blood to U of Tenn, of course, for the specialized Atypical testing.

[Lovetodream88]

Clear urine that looks like water can be from either drinking to much water or it means he is unable to concentrate the urine. Addison’s and Cushings are the opposite of each other and weight loss is normally with Addison’s where gaining weight/pot belly are with Cushings. Does he have any other symptoms? Callie has Cushings both types.

[aweitzm1]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

Clear urine that looks like water can be from either drinking to much water or it means he is unable to concentrate the urine. Addison’s and Cushings are the opposite of each other and weight loss is normally with Addison’s where gaining weight/pot belly are with Cushings. Does he have any other symptoms? Callie has Cushings both types.

My concern for Cushings is that Thumper has gained a lot of weight in the past few of months. He doesn't have a potbelly but has gained 4 pounds when his routine has not changed. The only difference is that I put him on Hill's Science K/D Diet.

I haven't noticed an increase in water in take. He will have one episode of darker urine and than the rest of the day it is very light to clear urine. He can wait hours to go to the bathroom and it is still light/clear.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by aweitzm1

My concern for Cushings is that Thumper has gained a lot of weight in the past few of months. He doesn't have a potbelly but has gained 4 pounds when his routine has not changed. The only difference is that I put him on Hill's Science K/D Diet.

I haven't noticed an increase in water in take. He will have one episode of darker urine and than the rest of the day it is very light to clear urine. He can wait hours to go to the bathroom and it is still light/clear.

Light is ok it's when it is like water that it's a problem. I'm going to guess that food has a different calorie count then the old food and that is where your weight gain is coming from and not from Cushings. Normally dogs with Cushings have skin issues as well and not just putting weight on but a pot belly.

[aweitzm1]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

Light is ok it's when it is like water that it's a problem. I'm going to guess that food has a different calorie count then the old food and that is where your weight gain is coming from and not from Cushings. Normally dogs with Cushings have skin issues as well and not just putting weight on but a pot belly.

Thanks for the info. Will keep everyone posted once I see the vet. He had two episodes today of only clear urine and 2 light urines. Prior to the last few weeks it was always darker.

[Wylie's Mom]

Symptoms of Cushings:

Some dogs with Cushing’s disease show the classic symptoms, while other show only a few vague symptoms. The classic symptoms are:

- Polyuria/polydipsia (PU/PD)- This is excess urinating and excess drinking of water. It is one of the first signs of the disease, and usually precedes the other symptoms by a significant period of time. Several other important diseases cause these symptoms also, notably liver disease, kidney disease pyometra, and diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes).

- Pot bellied abdomen to the point a dog might look pregnant. It is due to hepatomegaly and abdominal muscle weakness (the mechanism of which was described above in the physiology section).

- Thin skin and usually symmetrical hair loss along the trunk. The hair might grow in lighter in color or lose its luster. It might not grow in well at all. Calcium deposits under the skin, called calcinosis cutis, occur on occasion. Secondary skin infections called pyoderma are common also. The skin might also be hyperpigmented.

- Muscle wasting over the head, shoulders, thighs, and pelvis.

- Polyphagia- excess appetite. This is often interpreted by clients as being healthy, since most people think of a sick pet as not eating well. In this case your pet is over-eating, which is consistent with Cushing’s.

- Other occasional symptoms include:

-Pruritis (itchy skin)- due to secondary bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infections of the skin
-Panting- due to affects on the lungs or the respiratory center in the brain
-Obesity
-Anorexia (poor appetite)
-Straining to urinate or blood in urine due to urinary tract infection or bladder stone
-Weakness
-Depression
-Aggression
-Lethargy
-Corneal plaques
-Irregular heat cycles in female dogs
-Testicular atrophy in males and clitoral enlargement in females
-Emesis (vomiting) due to pancreatitis
-Ataxia (incoordination), blindness, circling, and seizures due to a large pituitary tumor or spread of a malignant adrenal tumor
-Lameness due to a ruptured cruciate ligament
-Intra-abdominal bleeding near the kidneys (retroperitoneal space) resulting in anemia, weakness, and abdominal pain

[aweitzm1]

Went to Vet yesterday and they did a Urinalysis. The vet is hoping it is just a urinary tract infection. If urinalysis comes back normal we will do an ultrasound and blood work to check for hormone issues.

He will check for Cushings Disease if we need to but he feels that it is unlikely given the symptoms.

Will update more once I get the results of the Urinalysis

Thanks all

[maxdog]

Sending good thoughts to you and Thumper.

[aweitzm1]

I heard back from the Vet's Office. Poor Thumper. The Urinalysis came back as follows:


1. Very Diluted
2. Protein in Urine
3. PH Level Elevated (forgot to get numbers)


The next steps is to test for Cushing's Disease and do a Urine Culture


I drop Thumper off on Monday for an overnight stay as the Cushing test is 8 hours long and I cannot take off from work. I will pick him up after work on Tuesday and hopefully have the results by Wednesday/Thursday.


Please keep him in your prayers. I am going to be a nervous wreck this week. He is getting extra hugs and kisses from me tonight.


The Vet said if everything comes back normal than the next step will be an Ultrasound but she wanted to rule out all other possibilities and perform less expensive test before ordering an ultrasound.


My main vet is off until Saturday so I spoke to his colleague. I will speak to my main vet on Monday before the test and discuss a game plan of next steps.


In a weird way I am kind of hoping it is Cushing's Disease and not a progression of his Kidney Disease because with Cushing's I can monitor it with medication.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by aweitzm1

I heard back from the Vet's Office. Poor Thumper. The Urinalysis came back as follows:


1. Very Diluted
2. Protein in Urine
3. PH Level Elevated (forgot to get numbers)


The next steps is to test for Cushing's Disease and do a Urine Culture


I drop Thumper off on Monday for an overnight stay as the Cushing test is 8 hours long and I cannot take off from work. I will pick him up after work on Tuesday and hopefully have the results by Wednesday/Thursday.


Please keep him in your prayers. I am going to be a nervous wreck this week. He is getting extra hugs and kisses from me tonight.


The Vet said if everything comes back normal than the next step will be an Ultrasound but she wanted to rule out all other possibilities and perform less expensive test before ordering an ultrasound.


My main vet is off until Saturday so I spoke to his colleague. I will speak to my main vet on Monday before the test and discuss a game plan of next steps.


In a weird way I am kind of hoping it is Cushing's Disease and not a progression of his Kidney Disease because with Cushing's I can monitor it with medication.

Which test are they doing that is 8 hours? Callie only had to be at the vet a few hours for hers.

[KatysMom]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

Which test are they doing that is 8 hours? Callie only had to be at the vet a few hours for hers.

I'm not aweotzm1, no surprise there, but PetMD article, "Cushing's Disease in Dogs," [n.d.?] has section, "Diagnosis" that includes (emphasis added):

"The most common test used to diagnose Cushing’s disease in dogs is the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (LDDS). A blood sample is taken to measure a dog’s baseline cortisol level and then a small amount of dexamethasone is administered by injection. Blood cortisol levels are measured four and eight hours after the dexamethasone is given..."

Hope this helps.

[aweitzm1]

Originally Posted by KatysMom

I'm not aweotzm1, no surprise there, but PetMD article, "Cushing's Disease in Dogs," [n.d.?] has section, "Diagnosis" that includes (emphasis added):

"The most common test used to diagnose Cushing’s disease in dogs is the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (LDDS). A blood sample is taken to measure a dog’s baseline cortisol level and then a small amount of dexamethasone is administered by injection. Blood cortisol levels are measured four and eight hours after the dexamethasone is given..."

Hope this helps.

You are correct they are doing the dexamethasone test which takes 8 hours. I was told that there is another test only 2 hours long but the vet prefers this one. She said there are pros and cons to both.