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203342 tn?1328737207

Dog with Cushings Disease

Hello. I have a maltese mix who was diagnosed with Cushings Disease several months ago. The vet said there's medication but that it's very expensive and doesn't seem to prolong their life. I made the decision to just watch him and let him live out his life. He's 11 years old. This last year I've noticed a decline in him somewhat but not sure if it's because of the Cushings or just old age. He has trouble with his back legs a lot now just suddenly giving out especially on stairs. He struggles to get up if he's been laying down for awhile. I also don't think he sees or hears as well as he used to. He's overweight which seems to partly go with the Cushings. We have him on a low-fat diet and it doesn't seem to help much. I try to walk him but he tires out easily and I wind up having to carry him home because he'll sit down and refuse to walk anymore! And just last night he was breathing funny. At first he was panting really hard for a long time. I kept checking the AC and turning it on more. Finally he stopped panting but was snoring and making funny noises for hours before he finally quieted down. He has snored before but not sounded like that. Today he's acting ok. Is this all signs of aging? Could some of it be the Cushings? Also, I told the vet sometimes he will try to get up and his back legs act like they're frozen and he can't come to me. I'll call him and he struggles to come but can't for several seconds and then he can walk again. It's weird. I've tried to describe it to the vet. I wish I had a video of it. Could this just be arthritis? Or could he be having a mild seizure from time to time? He's kind of gone down hill more this last year. I wonder, sadly, sometimes if this will be his last year.
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Avatar universal
that's adrenal harmony gold she has her energy back and has use of her back legs again and so much energy
Helpful - 2
Avatar universal
I wish people who said, my vet prescribed this homeopathic drug and it's working great on my dog would let US KNOW what it is. With that said and through extensive research here is what I am doing for my 13 year old yorkie. According to Tennessee University (famous vet school, like UC Davis) they are suggesting taking HMR Lingans and Melatonin. For my 10 pound dog, I am giving him 20 mg of the Lingans and .5 mg of Melatonin though the recommended is .1 mg for him. Then I read on the internet that acupuncture and Chinese herbs are good. I found people said holistic vets are giving their dogs Rehmannia 14. I asked my vet about it and she HAD IT. So I am giving him 1/8 tsp twice a day. Then yet another person wrote that CBD Hemp oil was helping her dog. I believe a form of cannibis is helpful. So each night I mix 3 drops of CBD Hemp oil with 1/8 tsp Rehmannia in yogurt and feed it to him just before bedtime and he knocks out. I give him the HMR Lingans, melatonin and the other 1/8 rehmannia mixed in his food in the afternoon. I think I see some improvement. His constant conjunctivitis is gone, he peed in bed once but maybe through my diligence of forcing him to go out once at 11 PM and between 4-5 AM will stop the peeing in bed.  I found people selling belly binders for male dogs. You velcro wrap this strip of material and insert a Poise pad in there, so any accidents are contained, and I have this as a backup if his peeing gets worse. I think the strong drugs would only harm him and he is elderly anyway so this is my path I have chosen for him. My vet caught the high blood pressure before the Cushings symptoms appeared and has him on pills and his blood pressure is fine, but I can see how that could have killed him. Who would think to check a dog's blood pressure? Amazon sells most of the stuff listed, you need a prescription to get the rehmannia 14 and the CBD Hemp oil was bought from Bluebird Botanicals. All this information I had to search and search and dig for it.
Helpful - 1
2 Comments
I have a 90 pound dog....most likely has this but no definitive liver test.  Vet said he has all the signs.  I've ordered homeopathic meds, also would like to give melatonin and the other stuff.  What does the melatonin do for the dogs?  Id love to see his hair grow back.  Does flax seed oil work for hair or does it have to be flax seeds?  Thanks!  My email is ***@**** if you'd prefer to email directly.  Thanks again!!
I am using S-adenosyl 225 (SaME). It was given to me originally by my vet.I now buy it on Amazon.It has reduced my dogs hunger somewhat but has completely eliminated the thirst/urination and panting. I have found we cannot be without it or the symptoms return. Pills are HUGE and enteric coated but I squish it into banana or cooked sweet potato. My email is: ***@****. Don't know if I can help but am willing to share my experience. I have a 14yr old female Jack Russell.
Avatar universal
good news for Dodi.  What Meds is she on?  My 8 yr old Taz has Cushings and I've tried the harmony gold and several other online natural treatments but his symptoms haven't improved.   I"m near giving him the Vetoryl as my last resort but now I"m wondering if I shouldn't search out a homeopathic vet in my area.  Reading these blogs it seems like they've helped quite a few cushing dogs.  It's so hard to know what to do.  Spending $$$ on vet visits/ meds that don't really help if very frustrating.  
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
I want to add that I also tried the homeopathic stuff, the drops, the herbs, all that stuff and it did not slow down the progression at all.  It was full blown within weeks of confirmed diagnosis.  I would recommend Curcumin at 95% but WITH food because it can cause stomach pain (my other dog got it and it seems to cause reflux and/or ulcers) so be careful and give it with food - it has been shown to decrease tumor size (apoptosis) of tumor cells.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
HORRIBLE DECISION TO NOT TREAT!  Absolutely life span is increased and QUALITY Of life is zillion times better.  That back leg weakness was ABSOLUTELY Cushings.  My dog had it and within a couple weeks of Trilostane she could get upstairs fine again BUT it did cause Pancreatitis 4 days in, followed by diabetes diagnosed the following week followed by blindness from cataracts within 4 months of starting treatment.  Had I know all this came from Trilostane I would have considered the other drug that kills the outer layer of the adrenal gland permanently BUT I don't know if that drug also causes blindness, diabetes, pancreatitis, and now she has elevated liver enzymes which is treated with SAMeLQ (must be LQ not the human one).  
Helpful - 0
18985272 tn?1470673807
Cushing's is NOT a death sentence!!! My Maltipoo Monty was diagnosed almost 6 years ago. He had all the symptoms...weight gain- went from 15 to 20 lbs, lethargy, breathing heavy, snoring, hair loss, peeing all the time and constantly hungry. My vet prescribed Vetoryl (trilostate) and after some trial and error with the dosage he became a completely new dog within 8 months. He lost 6 lbs, his hair grew back, he no longer was breathing heavy or snoring, his peeing was normal and his energy was better than ever-- and it still is! Now at 13 he still runs puppy circles, goes for long walks and maintains a weight between 14-15 lbs. His hunger isn't as voracious, but he's still alway hungry. I just feed him more food, but keep it healthy with vegetables and fruits. Along with his recommended amount of canned and hard dog food I add green beans to his dinner, give him broccoli and pumpkin as an evening snack, blueberries and nonfat plain yogurt for breakfast, carrots for treats...be creative, a Cushing's dog is open to eating almost anything. Just keep it healthy and low-cal (and before you think it's too much work-- all I do is microwave a big bag of frozen vegetables in a Tupperware bowl, use frozen blueberries and canned pure pumpkin, so there's hardly any prep at all) Please don't give up on your dog or leave him or her untreated. With just a little effort your dog can live a healthy, normal, LONG life. It's so worth it!!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I know I'm reading this 2 1/2 yrs later but I was wondering what meds you used.
Helpful - 0
1753249 tn?1312225031
Vetoryl (Trilostane) is the ONLY FDA approved treatment for Cushings.  The Homeopathic stuff is not clinically proven.  If your dog is doing well on this med, please keep her on it.  It is expensive.  Her fur will grow back, and she should regain muscle mass and lose her pot belly.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
My dog has been on trilostane for about a month and the panting has slowed a bit, but shes losing weight and seems to be drunk and her legs weak, shes not wagging her tail pr even playful like shes normally. Shes on 120 mg a day. I dont see any improvement and shes about 6 years old. Can u recommend something please
15674599 tn?1442187117
my poor puppy has cushings, she is on vetoryl 60 mg a day.costs me a fortune, her health aint great, she is a happy doggy and doesn't seem to struggle too much, she is quite weighty around the tummy area, she has lost a lot of fur, will this grow back she has been on her meds 4 months now,please help thanks
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have a 12 year old collie beagle mix. My vet has just informed me my dog most likely has Cushings, we are waiting confirmation from the initial bloodwork before we proceed for additional testing. I was researching and came along this post. Looking at the symptoms I believe he has had for a long time. He developed a pot belly many years ago, has had ear infections that won't heal and has had missing fur and skin infections which they thought were attributed to an immune disease. For years I have spent a lot of money bringing him to the vets to try and figure out what is wrong with him and money on a ton of meds trying to address the skin, ear problems.  Starting a month ago he started drinking and peeing excessively, including all over the house which he has never done.  He  can't get enough to eat, stealing food and going into the garbage.

This week he seems to have taken a huge turn for the worse, he wakes me up every few hours to get more water and pee. He is also vomiting a lot, I read a post that many dogs with Cushing have pancreatitis. He is losing strength in his back legs and is starting to attack people at the house. He has gone after several young girls.

I have been reading a lot about cushings and there have been reports of the meds causing liver failure. My vet quoted $600-1000 for the additional blood work. $300 for the first 10 days of meds and the $170 a month for meds but we will also need to bring him him to the vets every month for bloodwork ($300). I love my dog but we just don't have $1000s, we have already cut back to send our son to college. The reviews are mixed on whether or not the meds worked and given that he has been untreated so long and seems to take a drastic turn for the worse.

I have read the posts and am unclear will the meds address just the drinking, peeing issue or will it also address the skin, ear infections and the attacking people. This treatment will cause us a huge hardship so I am just trying to understand if his quality of life will be greatly improved. Additionally, I am worried about him seriously injuring someone. Any feedback would be appreciated.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I agree that if you can afford you should medicate. We love our dog so much, we defiantly will make sure she is cared for, no matter what. Our Maltese Sophie is just 10, it has been confirmed she has Cushings. She has had the whole work up..from blood tests, ultra sound of kidneys and liver, she had kidney stones 3 years ago, she's had the UTI infections which led to changing her anatomy of her vulva. No more urinary infections. So now she just had her "well dog check up" cortisol so we're high. We did all of the work ups as I said, the last was the urine test to see if she had proteins in the urine. She does..we are now starting her on low dose of Vetoryl 30 mg. she has to take with food. From here she gets checked every 2 weeks. We have not really seen anything unusual in our dog before this check up. She's 10 and she does nap a lot. She always has an appitite from day we brought her home at 6 weeks. But she won't eat her own food until she has a taste of ours:-) but she does eat her own, it's Hills KD. I will keep posting on this site to let you all know how Sophie is doing. And I will be following your journeys as well to compare. We believe we are at the beginning of Sophie's disease. Thank you for posting, all your comments are helpful. The Arcella's
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Heidi one other question I forgot ,how long did it take for you to start seeing improvement once you started meds?
I just helped Gabby drink water by keeping her balanced this is painful to watch but I will continue to do what is needed till she says enough!
Thanks
Dana
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi Heidi
Your story has given me a spark of hope. My 12 turning 13 in August was diagnosed about a month ago the symptoms were all there but I was not opening my eyes and thinking we were feeding gabby to much. So she gained weight and that gave me the reason to believe all the symptoms she was displaying were because of the weight gain. She is a mix of what we think a Maltese, poodle and Pom was a rescue I got her at eight weeks and the rest you know being a dog lover. We have had her on vetoryl for close to 13 days (10mg) and had her blood test today and a repeat sonagram. Results will be given to me tomorrow. What has transpired in the last 2 days is the hind leg weakness and balance issue which is causing me great concern. Your story is so great and I can only hope we get the progress you have. Gabby is not eating well so to keep her weight up were syringing 6 oz
Of her food 4 times a day. She was as I said heavy weighing about 15lbs she is down to 11. Which probably as my vet said she should have been 12lb all
Along which would be a healthy weight. So at least she doesn't have that extra weight that is making her have a rough time with her hind legs.
So I found all these posts and it seems like their is a real toss up about going conventional or natural. Thinking I should look into giving her a supplement along with the vetoryl. Will no more tomorrow once we get the results. If you could picture a small little sheep dog that is Gabby. I have no children so she is the child with fur! Anyway if there is anything else you have been doing
That you think I should look into I would so appreciate. Enjoy your time with together. So happy to read a great outcome. Thanks Dana
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Our 11 year old Akita was diagnosed with Cushings last summer.  Rear legs mostly gone, couldn't go for our walks any more, lifting her up the stairs, panting, & all the other symptoms.  We all use a lot of homeopathic successfully, but this was beyond that.  Put her on Vetoryl, and back to good strolls again within a couple of weeks.  Drinking, peeing, food, panting - all resolved.  No marathon hikes any more, still some weakness when she tires, but boy, she's happy & moving again - sometimes even jogging with bright eyes & a grin! We're all grateful for a 10 good months.  Would we do it again?  Yes!  RX price went way up few months ago - worth the online shopping.  When we went to close our original online account, they met the other price to keep us.  Good luck, all!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am very curious to know what homepathics you are using on your dog.  My dog is suffering from it as well.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Can you please tell me what you gave your dog to help with her cushings? I have done a lot of research and do not feel traditional medicine is likely to help much.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
With Cushings syndrome your dog looks for food all the time and drinks loads until the meds help all the side effects but when a dog doesn't eat at all, then it's another thing to look at as the with Cushings , thedog will eat and eat even when feeling ill or in pain.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
It's been awhile since your post. My 19 yr old cat, Valentino has cushings. Because he is so old I've chosen not to give meds. or surgery. I would love to know more about the homeopathic route. What did you give your dog exactly? I realize it may be different for a cat? Thanks, Lauren
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Our dog was  put on the meds, and it seemed to help somewhat. You have to keep checking the levels of meds to make sure the dog isn't receiving too much, because then they have to go on prednisone.  My best advice to you is to make sure your vet knows a lot about Cushings, and is familiar with the medications available.  If he/she isn't, find one that is before you even start.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hello My 9 year old maltese has several severe symptoms of the cushings disease. I am so sad I do not know what to do he sleeps all day, he cries when I pet him, his skin is so sensitive, he drinks so much water, always looking for food after he eats two meals a day, and his panting is excessive. In addition he has high blood pressure. I am so sad  and I do not know what is best for him, the vet said it is very difficult to treat, however she said there is medicine and it can lessen the symptoms, But I would like to know more about the treatment process, and how it works.
Helpful - 0
9423618 tn?1403691362
This is such good news, how is she doing now after 7 months since you posted?

Suzie
Helpful - 0
9423618 tn?1403691362
May I ask what holistic suppliments you used?  My 9 year old was recently diagnosed with Cushings and I am ready to break down with sadness.  Feel free to message me if you want.  Thank you!

Suzie
Helpful - 0
9423618 tn?1403691362
Muffet 59, I would love to chat with you about your dog.  I sent you a message but not sure it worked.  My dog was recently diagnosed and he is very mild and vets say not to treat.  His two symptoms are elevated alkphos. and ocassional panting.  Drop me a not when you can, how is Dodi doing after all these months?

Suzie
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I wish you and Reilly luck, it is so hard when their  sick.  He's a very lucky dog to have an owner that is trying so hard for him.  Enjoy each day, good luck.
Helpful - 0
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