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#1
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Halo and Cushing's Disease
Okay, so just had a call from my vet that it seems Halo has cushing's disease. She had an ultrasound done today to rule out any cancers in her bladder/kidneys, etc., but it showed enlarged adrenal glands, likely caused by a tumour in the brain he said.
He has recommended some expensive drug tests to confirm this, and options of a couple of treatments that can be very costly also. I'm still sort of in overload situation here. Any info or advice you can offer me on this would be appreciated. For the next week I have to just let it all sink in before I decide what to do. Extreme treatment is not going to be an option. Halo is old, and while I love her to bits, I do have limits of what I can offer. What I have read tells me that most treatments offer improved quality of life but not extended life. Yes I know quality is important. Maybe more important than longevity. Thanks for any input and experience you have in this area. For those who may not know Halo she is a 13 and a half year old black lab cross. |
#2
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Oh, no, DD
Is she symptomatic? What kinds of treatment can they offer?
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference." "It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!" "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." |
#3
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My only advice is to make sure you have a vet that knows Cushings and the different types of meds offered. Ours didn't, it seemed like he was learning as he went along, which wasn't good for our dog.
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#4
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Well right now she is showing some symptoms such as weight gain, increased thirst and urination (which may be part of her incontinence issue) and extreme panting. Her coat has deteriorated over the last while, but we had really put that down to old age.
My vet does seem to have a good grip on the treatment options. Now as Hazel can relate with her pack, spending tons of money is not a great plan. I have to be able to take care of all of them not just Halo. So extreme measures we won't do anyhow just due to her age, but we are going to talk next week after I've had a chance to assimilate some of this information, and decide on a go forward plan. He assures me she's not in pain anyhow. It's really something I have no experience with, but I do have a friend here in town who had a dog years ago who had cushing's so I'll talk with her this weekend I hope. |
#5
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I found this page that discusses a lot of the different tests and what they're used for:
http://www.2ndchance.info/cushings.htm It also mentions this about the tests: Quote:
It's a tough decision...I'm so sorry you're faced with this whole thing
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference." "It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!" "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." |
#6
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It may not be Cushing's....is the Alk Phosphate elevated too?
Here's a note from an endocrine vet: Quote:
Cushings can also be treated with things like ketoconazole, which is noted from the link above. Has your dog been on prednisone at all? Are there any skin issues? The Cushing's test is expensive - it's similar to the one for Addison's. I paid $400 (U.S.) for Jazz's addision test (she had to have two ) Some dogs do better without treatment from what I read, but if there are symptoms, I think I might consult a holistic type vet, and see if there are any herbal preparations that block cortisol. |
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