Cushing symptoms but not cushings

My 13 year old miniature poodle has signs of cushings for several years.  Her first symptom was over eating.  She has had a pot belly for a long time.  several years ago she developed what we think is allergies.  Where depending on the season she would have episodes lasting 4-5 days where she was reverse sneezing a lot and seemed nasal.  We treated with benadryl for a couple years and when that wasn't working we would treat with prednisone courses for 5 days or so.  The frequency of these episodes started increasing to being every month and then ongoing.  Urination and drinking of course increased during the prednisone treatment.  This escalated to the point where she was leaking =urinating without knowing while sleeping.  She was placed on an antibiotic and we escalated our testing.  An ultrasound  and xray was done,  She has a heart murmor, enlarged liver, enlarged heart, enlarged adrenal glands.  Around this same time the panting and constant eating was increasing.  No further prednisone was given.  The leaking stopped within a week or so of antibiotic treatment.  The dogs snoring has increased and her breathing at all times has become more labored.  She never had any hair loss but we thought for sure she had cushings.  We tried selegiline with no improvement, we tried hydrozizine to see if was allergys (allergies) but that also didn't show any improvement.  Panting, SNORING, Eating, Urination, drinking, but NO hair loss.  We did the test for cushings but it came back negative.  Our biggest problem is the snoring.  It is so bad that my wife and i have left the bed because the dog is breathing so loudly.  Peeing accidents seem to come and go.  We have times where she pees on the floor 4 times in a day without having any control( she goes outside 10 minutes before and pees on the floor anyway) and then accident free for a 4-5 days.  We are out of ideas.  She has also started coughing up water/phlegm immediately after drinking.  She has always coughed after drinking water(never with anything coming up) but now she is regularly vomiting (water and phlegm-clear) after drinking.
Any ideas would be appreciated.

[Misfits4Me]

Goodness Sakes.....This is a tough one!   Welcome to the forum...Are you sure this isn't CHF (Congestive Heart Failure)? That is my first thought....

Has Heartworm Disease & Tick Born Diseases been ruled out? It sounds as if your Vet is just guessing.....

After these, I would go with Asthma/Bronchitis that can be managed with Bronchodilators which are inhaled steroids, but do not effect the rest of the body......This condition does cause an enlarged Heart, that presses on the lungs...However, the Pot belly IMO would not come into play....

The gagging while drinking can be a Collapsing Trachea or Asthma (Above).....

I don't seem to be much help...Maybe someone else will come along w/info. for you......If you have any more details, it might help......

I assume a complete blood panel has been run, correct? How did it look?
Anything thing point to any diseases......

And last: Canine Diabetes could be your culprit....It causes most of the symptoms you describe & is quite common..........Has that been checked?  Let me know, Karla

[TwoBitsMom]

Karla has given a bunch of Great Possibilities, but she has forgotten to mention one, that I would like to add to her list, as well as suggest.

Please have your poodle checked for possible hypothyroid.
Poodles are prone to this condition, and, It could be the reason for every symptom you have described.
I had a boxer with many of the same problems, and it turned out she was hypothyroid.
The test requires simple blood work. Be sure the vet tests T3, T4, and Free T4 levels.
Low thyroid levels will affect the larynx, and would explain the snoring, as well as gagging and coughing.  Is there a change in the way her bark sounds?
Low thyroid levels would also explain the allergies, panting, incontinence,
heart, and adrenal issues.
My boxer did have a pot belly as well.
While I am not sure if hypothyroid affects the liver, I do know that an enlarged liver could be the reason for the pot belly.

Hopefully your vet has already checked for kidney function and diabetes.
Best Wishes to you and your pooch.
Connie

[Misfits4Me]

Hi Connie...Glad your here to help out!!!! I've missed you....Karla

[ek18]

Hi, Thank you for all the responses.  I consulted with my vet and she said that her t4 level was within normal ranges.  We just did the secondary test for cushings to see if that shows a positive result.  
Although asthma is a possibility the vet never hears wheezing or crackling.  We did have xrays done years ago which showed a narrow trachea when all of the episodes first started occuring.  However the vets determined that it was not a collapsing trachea.  I will let you konw what the latest tests show on monday.

[ek18]

I forgot to mention she also has a large growth on her spleen.  Still waiting for last chance test that it is cushings

[ek18]

test came back with a high normal.  We decided to treat with cushings medication.  Will see if there is any improvement and blood test in 10 days

[Misfits4Me]

We're Liver Enzymes within normal limits? Just Curious.....Karla

[ek18]

3 days on meds.  so far i would say no improvements.  I will have to find out about the liver enzymes