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Cushings disease - anyone got a dog with it?


Mel B

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Okay, serious now, does anyone have a dog suffering from Cushings disease? Our little Midge the squidge (9 year old cross westie/jack russell) is quite poorly has just been diagnosed with it - we're trying to get some first hand experience of what to expect from someone who has a dog with the same disease.

 

Ta

 

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Sorry to hear that Mel

 

If you google it you find lots of good stuff. Our horse had it and we managed it very well but in the end she became so dreadfully laminitic that we had to have her put down.

 

Not sure about the affects in Dogs but I know horses can be treated successfully such that they die with it rather than off it - but it will be a contributing factor.

 

:-(

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Very sorrey to hear about your dog, I know that every case is different, but a few years ago we lost our Marnie to Cushings, the vet we had at the time recomended thes tabs imported from Canada and very expensive, but in my opinion do not go down this road, but she was an old dog ,and my other half tells me that treatments have moved on and, there are a lot more treatments on the markets
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Thanks guys, I've done quite a lot of research on the web, I was just trying to find someone's first hand experience of it in a dog, you can't beat being able to 'talk' to someone about it.

 

He's just started on his tablets today (Vetoryl) so fingers crossed he'll react favourably to them and we'll get our lovely 'little boy' back again and his immune system working properly so his infected feet can heal - that's how we knew something was up as he wasn't responding to the antibiotics. He hasn't been able to walk much for over a month now and is getting really fed-up although we do take him out every now and again in his buggy for a bit of fresh air. He perked up a bit yesterday, though, we've bought a new dog bed for the little brown monster dog (Lily) but Midge saw it and made a bee-line for it and wouldn't come out!!! Looks like we'll have to get another one for Lily.

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Just to say how sorry I am to hear about your dog. About 10 years ago my Sheltie had this disease and eventually we lost her so I know how devastating it is. However, medicine improvements are made all the time so you will benefit from this and my experience with the disease would be irrelevant now. I really feel for you and hope that you have good times with your dog for a long time to come.
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Hi all

 

As I write Midge the squidge is trying to duff up his bean-bag bed! He hasn't done that for ages as his feet have been too poorly, so hopefully the tablets are doing some good! Very early days I know but keeping everything crossed ...

 

This is Midge in June on Calais beach, thoroughly enjoying himself. Hopefully if he's well enough we'll be able to go away over Christmas to the sea-side and let him have a good time while he can.

 

1321356881_MidgeonCalaisbeach-June08.jpg.32ecc88c3ad002d3c9d1af2563ff7005.jpg

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Thanks for your thoughts guys, update on the Squidge for anyone who's interested.

 

Took him out to our Beverley Westwood (large swathe of common land) in the camper this morning with Romy and Lily who had a really good run around and Midge's buggy got totally clarted in mud but I think he enjoyed the fresh air.

 

He's pottering a little more than he was - nothing major but enough to get himself to the water bowl and then back to his favourite bean-bag in the lounge. Unfortunately he's not that interested in food, tried feeding him liquidised chunky soup (more substantial than normal soup) at lunchtime, managed to get a bit down him by feeding him it off a spoon. Tonight hubby has managed to get him to eat some 'normal' dog meat with vegetables in under sufferance - it's amazing how strong Midge is though, he really has got one heck of a bite on him (ouch!) and he can clamp his mouth shut like a vice. Never known him so slim ... the dog that is! But he's still got enough 'blubber' on him to keep him warm.

 

Vet has now put him back on antibiotics as his nose and around his eyes have gone a bit manky (from the original fungal infection on his feet), hopefully if the other tablets are working he should respond to them this time. He's looking a bit like one of those old Steiff teddy-bears - moth-eaten and threadbare but still fighing. He's currently laying in front of the fire, nice and calm and relaxed.

 

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Sorry to hear Midge isnt well Mel I hope he continues to improve! I know what its like when you have a poorly elderly dog it breaks your heart! but fingers crossed his meds will work, at least he has somebody that loves him and is taking the time to make him better, Good luck and keep us posted. maggy.
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Daily Squidge update!

 

Today he ate a few Frolic for breakfast, at lunch-time he ate, with some persuasion, his thick soup after trying to give me a 'shower' in it several times! Tonight just after we'd got in from work and whilst giving littly Lily a treat for going outside to do her business, Midge's ears pricked up and he started ogling at us ... took some Frolic over to him and he ate it, then another, and another .... he must've got through 20 of them before he decided he'd had enough. Then, while we were eating tea, he got the scent of our chicken and promptly scoffed a load of that!!! As hubby bust two eggs when moving the box I turned them into scrambled egg (microwaves are great for this) so Midge also ended up with a bit of that as well! :->

 

He's looking a bit happier and generally his mouth and muzzle are looking less 'angry' hence why I think he's more amenable to eating ... so fingers crossed ..... :-S

 

If the weather is nice tomorrow afternoon I'll take him out in his buggy for a change of scene, seemed to do him good yesterday so no harm in doing it again (but you don't half feel daft pushing a dog in a buggy!). No comments about 'ugly baby' yet though! :D

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Ruddy weather! Its been snowing here today - started at around 7.45 am until late morning, most of it has gone now but it has been toooooooo cold to go out with Midge.

 

He's definitely feeling better - he was actually doing his Elvis impression at Lily last night after his tea as she was sniffing around for tit-bits.

 

Today, he's still eating for England, Frolic, scrambled egg, loads of roast chicken, thick soup and more Frolic ... he's gonna be a barrel soon! :-D

 

Gotta give his feet a soak in the bath later ... that should be fun! *-)

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Well at least he seems to have regained his appetite Mel and thats always a good sign. Does'nt appear to be a cure for Cushings disease but treatment with new drugs does let them lead a almost normal life and lets hope Midge continues to improve.

This pushing him around in a pram sounds a good idea and something I wish I had thought of when our old pup 'Ira' lost the use of his back legs. Can't fault our vet for his time and effort but sadly lost him when he failed his last MOT.

ira3.jpg.21ed57abcca020c67edd702f84fea6c3.jpg

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Awe Howie, he was lovely! I bet you have some great memories of him especially whizzing around with his wheels, it's amazing how fast they can go with them isn't it.

 

Little monster is still eating loads of chicken and Frolic and both me and my husband actually got a couple of licks of Midge yesterday evening ... something he rarely does at the best of times so we're really chuffed to bits. Fingers, toes (and the other dogs have their paws) crossed that he'll continue to improve.

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Hi

Only just read this thread, so sorry on late reply. Our Lahsa Apso, Bertie, has had Cushings for about 5 years and is fine, he is now 15yrs old.

His started with terrible soars around his eyes, mouth and undercarriage and he continually bit his paws. The vet we had at the time messed around with antibotics, streioid injections and god knows what to no avail. This went on for nearly 2 yrs gradually getting worse while poor Bertie suffered terribly. We finally changed vets who diagnosed it straight away and did tests to confirm it.

He put him on Veteroyl and he had to be bathed in some very strong wash that killed an excess of Dermadex mites that accumaled because he was run down (I believe the vet said that the Dermadex mites, which live in the hair folicales, were a big cause of the terrible soars he had.)

Bertie is now on Veteroyl, Promeris (a strong Tick, flea and Mite killer which is applied once a month) and Antirobe antibiotics whenever any soars or his paw biting start to reaccure.

He is now a very happy dog enjoying a normal life, so hopefully Midge will recover similarly. Good luck

Kevin

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How do you know when you dog has Cushings? what happens what are the symptoms? I have just been reading aout Paw Biting ! Verosious appetite! both of which my 2 year old Chihuahua has! what else do you look for? he is a normal lively little mite but does have a delicate stomach and I have to watch what he eats.
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Wanderer described the symptoms in the previous post Margaret, but interesting to note that the first vet failed to get the right diagnosis and imagine that this disease can easily be confused with similar problems. Always give our pets a few days to get over any illness, but animals are usually quick healers and if there's no improvement leave it to our vet. Expensive business, but a good vet is worth every penny.
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Maggyd, here are some websites with explanations. Our Midge definitely has the round body with little thin legs, is prone to being itchy on the legs, excessive nibbling mainly of legs but also of feet, not liking to run a lot, of the symptoms on the 3rd site listed, he has the following:

 

• increased/excessive water consumption - ALWAYS DONE THIS

• increased/excessive urination - ALWAYS BEEN LIKE THIS

• urinary accidents in previously housetrained dogs - OCCASIONALLY

• increased/excessive appetite - ALWAYS BEEN A HUNGRY NOSE!

• appearance of food stealing/guarding, begging, trash dumping, etc. - ALWAYS HUNTED OUT FOOD WHEN OUT ON WALKS ETC

• sagging, bloated, pot-bellied appearance - HIS NICKNAME IS 'SQUARE-D0G'!!!

• weight gain or its appearance, due to fat redistribution - ALWAYS BEEN PLUMP, OR ROTUND AS A FRENCH VET CALLED HIM!

• exercise intolerance, lethargy, general or hind-leg weakness - DEFINITELY HAS WEAK LEGS - ALWAYS BEEN TOLD THAT HIS JOINTS HADN'T FORMED PROPERLY!

• new reluctance to jump on furniture or people - DEFINITELY

• excess panting, seeking cool surfaces to rest on - LOVES THE BATHROOM FLOOR

• slow regrowth of hair after clipping - HE HAS THIS NOW, BUT DIDN'T USED TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM

• susceptibility to infections (especially skin and urinary) - SUSCEPTIBLE TO MIDGE/BUG BITES WHICH MAKE HIM GO 'PINK' AND THEN HE HAS TO HAVE ANTI-HYSTAMINES

 

Site 1

 

Site 2

 

Site 3

 

Maggyd, the only advice I can give you is that, if your dog isn't too bad at the moment and you haven't got him insured, do so quickly and make sure it covers you for everything for life, that there isn’t a limit on the amount, and what the ‘qualifying period’ is! We haven’t got insurance, and we don’t regret that as we generally have had healthy dogs except when they get to very old age, so from that point of view we’ve always been ‘quids in’ (but that’s just how it has worked out). However, it is costing us a packet - around £350 at the moment plus another £120 at least for his next lot of blood testing tomorrow, then the daily medication etc, etc. It is an expensive illness to diagnose, then to treat, we don’t begrudge him being treated at all, but if we’d had an inkling this was going to happen we might have seriously thought about getting insurance. Midge is 9 so, even if he goes on for a good few years yet (and I really hope he does, we’ll certainly try to keep him going as long as we can), obviously it won’t cost as much as it would for a younger dog to be treated for a longer period of time.

 

Once you’ve got your insurance sorted and, obviously assuming your dog is okay in the meantime, then get him checked out at the vet, best to be safe than sorry.

 

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howie - 2008-12-02 7:31 PM

 

Well at least he seems to have regained his appetite Mel and thats always a good sign. Does'nt appear to be a cure for Cushings disease but treatment with new drugs does let them lead a almost normal life and lets hope Midge continues to improve.

This pushing him around in a pram sounds a good idea and something I wish I had thought of when our old pup 'Ira' lost the use of his back legs. Can't fault our vet for his time and effort but sadly lost him when he failed his last MOT.

 

 

 

Ira looks a brave little dog Howie and I bet you miss him :-( by the looks of it you did your very best for him and he was very happy I bet right to the end. Im sorry for your loss. Margaret.

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Mel B - 2008-12-04 9:04 PM

 

Maggyd, here are some websites with explanations. Our Midge definitely has the round body with little thin legs, is prone to being itchy on the legs, excessive nibbling mainly of legs but also of feet, not liking to run a lot, of the symptoms on the 3rd site listed, he has the following:

 

• increased/excessive water consumption - ALWAYS DONE THIS

• increased/excessive urination - ALWAYS BEEN LIKE THIS

• urinary accidents in previously housetrained dogs - OCCASIONALLY

• increased/excessive appetite - ALWAYS BEEN A HUNGRY NOSE!

• appearance of food stealing/guarding, begging, trash dumping, etc. - ALWAYS HUNTED OUT FOOD WHEN OUT ON WALKS ETC

• sagging, bloated, pot-bellied appearance - HIS NICKNAME IS 'SQUARE-D0G'!!!

• weight gain or its appearance, due to fat redistribution - ALWAYS BEEN PLUMP, OR ROTUND AS A FRENCH VET CALLED HIM!

• exercise intolerance, lethargy, general or hind-leg weakness - DEFINITELY HAS WEAK LEGS - ALWAYS BEEN TOLD THAT HIS JOINTS HADN'T FORMED PROPERLY!

• new reluctance to jump on furniture or people - DEFINITELY

• excess panting, seeking cool surfaces to rest on - LOVES THE BATHROOM FLOOR

• slow regrowth of hair after clipping - HE HAS THIS NOW, BUT DIDN'T USED TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM

• susceptibility to infections (especially skin and urinary) - SUSCEPTIBLE TO MIDGE/BUG BITES WHICH MAKE HIM GO 'PINK' AND THEN HE HAS TO HAVE ANTI-HYSTAMINES

 

Site 1

 

Site 2

 

Site 3

 

Maggyd, the only advice I can give you is that, if your dog isn't too bad at the moment and you haven't got him insured, do so quickly and make sure it covers you for everything for life, that there isn’t a limit on the amount, and what the ‘qualifying period’ is! We haven’t got insurance, and we don’t regret that as we generally have had healthy dogs except when they get to very old age, so from that point of view we’ve always been ‘quids in’ (but that’s just how it has worked out). However, it is costing us a packet - around £350 at the moment plus another £120 at least for his next lot of blood testing tomorrow, then the daily medication etc, etc. It is an expensive illness to diagnose, then to treat, we don’t begrudge him being treated at all, but if we’d had an inkling this was going to happen we might have seriously thought about getting insurance. Midge is 9 so, even if he goes on for a good few years yet (and I really hope he does, we’ll certainly try to keep him going as long as we can), obviously it won’t cost as much as it would for a younger dog to be treated for a longer period of time.

 

Once you’ve got your insurance sorted and, obviously assuming your dog is okay in the meantime, then get him checked out at the vet, best to be safe than sorry.

 

 

Thanks Mel Ill certainly know what to look for :-S my Chi is only 2 years old and Im probably being overcautious like reading symtoms we always think EE I have that! but you cant be too carefull can you? Ill have a word with the Vet when I next take him and see if he thinks I have anything to worry about, he is a livewire so that is probably why he eats so much! I remember when I picked him up from the breeder and asked what he eats she said "Anything and Everything" so I think he was probably born greedy.

 

As for the Insurence I had a letter to update his details from the microchip people and the Insurence form that accompanied it quoted £28. a month so add that up a year I would rather have that money in my bank account and take a chance I dont mind paying if it comes to it! he does need a retained puppy tooth extracting and Im thinking he should be spayed so that will cost but Hey Ho if it was for me I probably would begrudge it (lol) but whatever He needs No Problem. Thanks again Margaret.

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