Experience with Cushings Disease?
 

I have 9 year old spayed female that was diagnosed with Cushings disease over a year ago. She has probably had it much longer but finally got her to a vet that pursued lab testing until she diagnosed her condition. She kept being treated for UTI's because of urinary frequency and on U/D science diet because of a few crystals in her urine.
She was on medication which helped the symptoms some up till about 4 months ago. We are trying her on a different medication now without any noticeable decrease in symptoms....
She drinks tons of water...........and hungry all the time!
She has had tons of lab work to check for diabetes and other conditions. The vet did a cortisol suppression test (?) which confirmed the suspected diagnosis of cushing disease.

Thanks for listening and would love to hear from anyone that is familiar with this condition.

What exactly is that disease? I'll say prayers that she's feeling better.

Adrenal problem
 

Basically, the dog's normal ability to control hormone levels - specifically the cortisol levels maintained by the adrenal glands is not functioning properly.
Thanks for your concern and prayers....we'll just keep trying other avenues to provide her with the best quality life available to her.

My 10 year old pom was diagnosed in April with it but like you I know she had it a lot longer. I have gone to 2 specialists and have been treating her with Lysodren since April. SHe was getting sicker and sicker, that's whay I switched specialists. She lost 3 lbs since being on the medicine and was like skin and bone, also no real relief in her Cushings. I just had bloodwork done again and her liver values were off the chart, so they took her off her Cushings medicine and did an ultrasound and liver biopsy(which she stopped breathing during and they breathed for her for over 30 minutes while the critical care dr worked on her) and she has severe liver disease and chirrois so all Cushing's treatment have to stop as the vet said the liver is more critical for her now. Maya had normal bloodwork in April and I really believe the medicine was what caused her Liver disease. So I spent 4,000 on trying t get her better and made her worse, I feel so terrible. Please just make sure you are going to a vet who has treated a lot of Cushing's dogs and ask about side effexts of the meds. If you see any decline in your baby's health mention it to the vet. I hope you can successfully treat your baby. Maya is now on prednisone which is the exact opposite of what a Cushings dog needs but she needs it to try and reverse her liver disease. I will keep your baby in my prayers

Peanut has been diagonised with Cushings and is on meds, he also has a tumor on the back of his brain, he has done so well with the meds, but we still have our ups and downs with him...he is 10 going on 11...good luck to you and I will be praying for your baby too....:(

Meds used...
 

Sassy was on Seligiline for about a year - decreased the symptoms for about 9+/- months - so now she is trying her on ketoconazole x 2 weeks with no decrease in symptoms. She is trying the less aggressive approach first and if no improvement will have to discuss more delicate treatment options.
Thanks for sharing your experiences....

cushing's
 

My Ashlee was diagnosed with Cushing's at 14 years. She had multiple other problems one of which was severe disc disease. We did not treat the cushing's because the cortisol provided almost total relief from her pain and she lived 2 more years. She then contracted guaridia which she did not survive because of her weakened condition. The drugs and thier side effects are sometimes worse than the cushing's itself in my opinion.

We are in the same position with our 13 year old mixed breed. They are not treating him for the Cushings.

No treatment?
 

If they don't treat it - do you limit their water intake so they don't pee all the time? Sassy drinks sooooooo much water and pees constantly it seems!
She's so hungry - even if we wipe our mouth on a napkin and throw it in a trash can without a lid - she will smell it, dig it out and tear up the napkin.
She has to wear a diaper constantly - and its usually soaked completely through by the time I get home..the new meds are not working at all yet.
I just keep hoping...

Maya is starving all the time and since she is off the cushings meds and on prednsione it is much worse. She barks all the time at me for more food. Today for the first time she went after Cali who had a treat, Maya gobbled hers down, she has never gone at one of the others like that. As far as peeing. I am home a lot so she gets out enough that it's not a problem but she does wake up really early to go out. I wish they could find a cure fo this disease, The meds definatley have serious side effects. I wish now I had not treated her Cushings.

My yorkie who is 1year 11 months old diagnosed with mild cushings disease today
 

Anyone have a dog that was young with it was diagnosed? My Harley was diagnosed today he was also diagnosed with thryoid problems this week. All started because of itching... He is not got the symptoms of hungry, thirsty, peeing all the time. It started with allergy testing that was negative and then we went to skin biopsy and it was inconclusive and then the tests of thyroid and for the cushing disease. thyroid was borderline mild and Harley was started on meds tuesday and today wht results were mild for the cushings disease and he starts meds on tuesday. If anyone can give any advice I would desparately appreciate it...
Thanks Sonya

Our Krissy at three was tested for everything and it looked like it was Cushing. She had all the available test done and now we supect it was due to using Excel Hydrocortisone spray and she licked it. I was using this more than once a day for a few weeks.

She had all the symptoms and after stopping the spray on 8/10 she is improving daily. She gained three pounds going from 9.4 to 12.8. She drank tons of water and peed and panted all the time.

It took over two thousand dollars to find this out. I'm just glad she is OK. Make sure you are not using any meds with cortizone in them. We never though the spray could be the issue but due to licking she absorbed it in her body.

This was her problem:
Iatrogenic: Iatrogenic Cushing's Disease means that the excess of cortisone has resulted from excessive administration of cortisone. This may occur from oral or injectable medications. Although the injections or tablets were given for a legitimate medical reason, their excess is now detrimental.

CanineCushings.net
 

I was given this info in another posting and went to this site and the people on this forum were wonderful in helping me.