Dog with pituitary cushings won't eat

[jmyttredahl]

My dog bambi, 8yrs old, diagnosed in april (weight was 35lbs) with cushings was regulated June 2nd, she initially had lost about 5 pounds (went from 40 to 35)leading up to me questioning what was going on with her hence the april diagnosis. Since June 2nd she has an additional 6 lbs down to 29.2 and won't eat much, we have tried different dry food, wet food and now just boiled chicken. Her behavior has changed drastically from being playful and up beat to standing in trances, lethargic and disinterested in anything. We brought her back to vets 3 days ago re did all blood panels with everything coming back in normal range, urinary analysis normal (showing only slight protein levels), and an ultrasound with everything showing normal except slightly inflamed liver so we started liver supplement. Ultrasound also showed us she has pituitary cushings. Vet can not find any explanation for her not eating. We can see every rib and back vertebra and I dont know what else to do? Or what's going on?

[doxieluvr]

Have you tried Fresh Pet dog food?  I've had some success with this.  It's at Petco in a refrigerated case.  Walmart has it too.   I agree with ginger899.  The trilostane medication could be dampening her appetite.  

[ginger899]

It may be that if your dog is on medication to lower cortisol levels, that might be having an effect on her appetite? Usually a dog with raging Cushing's cannot eat enough and has an increased appetite. But medications may be affecting her. Could it be that do you think?

I'm sorry, I don't have personal experience of a dog with Cushing's. I am hoping someone else will post here with more experience to help you.

The only thing I can think of to tempt her to eat is "human food"...that is healthy and non-toxic food that dogs can eat, such as potatoes either boiled, mashed or fried in  a little olive oil, chicken, and other meats simmered with vegetables, omelettes....anything fairly bland yet tasty which is not normal dog food. The above "human foods" are perfectly okay for dogs. Dogs can eat fish, canned Tuna and sardines, salmon etc, eggs, starchy vegetables, green vegetables of all kinds, and a little healthy oil in the cooking now and then will do them no harm so long as it isn't overdone.

But what you describe is concerning. It's like she's lost her interest in everything. Yet her tests come back "normal" or not too bad. I wish I could say more to help her and you.

All I can suggest (in the absence of any better medical knowledge about Cushing's) is to try different foods to tempt her.