Tambrey, sorry about that! Sparky's picture should be showing now.
Traci, I was going to post at the regular Canine Forum once I got some information from the vet's office. Here's what I was going to post:
Thanks, Traci. We are going to get some boots for Sparky.
My vet wants to be kept well informed about Sparky. She has asked me to call at least once a week concerning how he is doing. Dr. Sharon also asked that I call right away if he becomes very lethargic or anything else significant happens. He will have his next ACTH test in about one month.
His liver enzymes had been very high. After the first treatment of Lysodren, his level had come down to "20". However, my vet wanted his level to be closer to "7", so he has taken two more full doses of Lysodren and will then be taking a dose twice a week for now.
Sparky seems to be pretty much his old self, except he is rather sleepy. Once he's awake, he seems to be fine. Of course, the weakness in his back legs is disturbing. He seems to get around except for slick surfaces.
Sue (and Kids)
Sue, cushing's patients generally have excellent prognoses, providing appropriate treatment is done and followed up on regularly. It is secondary problems that can occur that make managing difficult.
What is your vet telling you???
Traci, my vet told me that Cushings is caused by a brain tumor, which affects the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland makes a huge amount of a hormone called cortisol. This causes great stress on the liver. From what I understand, the Lysodren helps to destroy some of the tumor, greatly slowing down the cortisol production. The liver can then recover. However, the tumor still continues growing (even though it is slow). My vet said we didn't know how long Spark has had this tumor, since he didn't show any of the usual signs. He didn't drink or urinate excessively, or lose a lot of fur. In fact, it wasn't until we gave him a "haircut" on the huge bunch of fur he grew this winter, that we noticed he had a slight "pot belly". So she didn't want to guess how long he would be with us.
The diagnosis was made from the cortisol levels of the ACTH test. There was no ultrasound or any other test done for Cushings. This was all found when we wanted Sparky to have a routine dental appointment and he had the routine blood tests before that. That was when we discovered the high liver enzymes. Sparky does not have diabetes, Thank Heavens!
If you have any hopeful suggestions, I would
very much appreciate hearing them. Sparky is around 10 years old, but he has been healthy otherwise and is not a large dog (around 26 pounds). It just isn't fair!! I love him so much, and I can't take another loss soon. (Since last December, my Mom, my aunt, my uncle and my sister-in-law have passed away.)
Sparky is as much a part of my family as the others...
Sue (and Kids)
My kitties Shadow and Tank enable me to enjoy my existence and brighten my world. And may my angels, Nikki, Sparky, Buster, Frosty, Snowball, Leo, Foghorn, and Humane Society kitties be playing in the sunshine at the Rainbow Bridge.
