Cushing's Disease

[NakedMum33and3rd]

Hi everyone.

I have a 10 year old boxer girl. She has been incontinent for about a year and the vet gave us some meds and put it down to her age. Over the past month she has been incredibly thirsty and hungry but was losing weight. She was also not her bouncy self. Sleeping a lot more and shaking and panting without exercise. I took her to the vet on Friday when I witnessed the shaking. The vet ruled out diabetes as her urine was clear but has taken bloods as she suspects cushing's disease. We get the results on Monday.

I stupidly googled it and she has all of the symptoms and I am so worried. She is already arthritic and I have seen that the meds make this worse.
I hope it is nothing but I just needed to talk to somebody.

I have two DC's aged 2 and 4 and they are absolutely besotted with her. She is my first baby and I don't know what to do. I can't wait till Monday. I just need to know what it is.

Does anyone have any experience with this disease?

Thanks.

[puffylovett]

Aww so sorry you're going through this. It's horrid when it's your first baby :( I lost my elderly spaniel to this, we went from diagnosis in December to losing her in the March. However, for us - she was 15 and she reacted very badly to the medication she was put on, it damaged her kidneys and I think that's what got her in the end. I know there are a lot of dogs that do very well on the medication for quite some time, pops certainly was for a few weeks until her kidneys went.
I guess my best advice would be, Make sure she is monitored well if she was found to have cushings and keep a close eye on her. In hindsight my pops must have been developing it for quite some time and I didn't notice, she was always a skip rat but the bin raiding got hugely worse - we put it down to age, but it was probably that she was absolutely starving. I put her thirst down to her increased appetite and constant kibble nicking, it was only when she started losing weight despite an increased appetite that I realised we had a problem. She hid it really well! I realise my post isn't rainbows and flowers and happy endings. But equally I didn't want yours to go unnoticed :(
I really hope you get a different outcome, yours is a lot younger than my pops was, so there's a much better chance for a good few more comfortable years xx

[NakedMum33and3rd]

So sorry for your loss puffy. Thanks for the information. I'm just hoping for the best. She is snuggled next to me right now completely oblivious. I just have to keep my fingers crossed for Monday.

Thanks again.

[puffylovett]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. I still miss pops every day, couldn't cope without a dog and took on a rescue cocker pup within 2 months!
All the best xx

[fannydaggerz]

My dog has cushings and diabetes. Currently trying to get the cushings under control to get the diabetes under control.

[LaGattaNera]

I think Vetoril is commonly used for Cushings however it should not be used if kidneys are bad - it is contra-indicated but bloods will reveal. Mine had both and could not take Vetoril.

[Diamondsandpears]

Sorry to hear you are going through this and for your loss puffy lovett What medications are being used for cushions in dogs?