Cushings in 12 year old chocolate labrador

[Happymummy2011]

Having suddenly developed a huge thirst and increased appetite, panting more than usual and tiring faster than usual on walks, my beloved lab has had a couple of blood tests last week and has tested positive for Cushings. Vet says the results indicate adrenal rather than pituitary involvement. Next step is apparently an ultrasound to check out any adrenal mass and see how it looks - vet has basically said to me that surgery to remove the gland would be an option but carries 50% chance of mortality, so wouldnt't recommend. Says we can try the medical route, i.e drugs, but the mass may invade surrounding blood vessels so this isnt a cure.

Have any Mumsnetters labradors had similar diagnoses? Would be very grateful for your stories, positive and not so positive. I am very realistic about the likely outcome but am sure like everyone else on here, want him to live forever but could not bear to see my wonderful friend suffer in any way. He seems perfectly happy and comfortable at the moment

Thanks so much for any info.

I have a number of patients regardless of whether they have adrenal or pituitary cushings doing very well on Vetoryl currently the longest diagnosed has been taking it for 6 years now.
Are you in the UK? the reason I ask is generally in the UK removal of the adrenal gland is not hugely popular for a variety of reasons and medication is by far and away the most common choice.

My almost 13 year old border collie has been on vetoryl since he was diagnosed with Cushings last summer. He initially was put on 60mg twice a day but that has since been reduced to 30mg twice a day. Dogs with cushings need to have their blood tested every 3 months so their meds can be adjusted. He is drinking normally and the excessive panting has stopped. I have noticed, however, that he is stumbling a fair bit. My vet says that his muscular weakness is part of his cushings. Last summer he managed long walks up mountains in the Lake District. There is no way he could do anything like that now. However, he is very happy on his normal walks and doesn't seem to be in any pain. I'm still hoping with all my heart that he will be the first dog to live forever!

My elderly Boston Terrier developed Cushings when he was about 11 and was on Vetoryl for about a year before he sadly passed away. The tablets certainly improved his symptoms and even though he had other more serious health problems he had a good quality of life right up until the end.

Had he just had Cushings then I think with the help of Vetoryl he would have had a very good quality of life and would most probably still be with us.

Hopefully your boy will respond well to the tablets and will be bouncing around for years to come.
:)

I have a Bedlington Terrier who was diagnosed with cushings about a year ago and was told not to go for any treatment by the vet, as it costs a lot of money and they have to go for blood test every month to check the dosage of drugs. He is happy within him self and we just have to treat him as if he is an older dog. And we love him to bits, even though he has lost some fur, bless him.

Thanks very much to you all for replying

Yes, the meds are very expensive - thank goodness for PetPlan!

I had a King Charles with Cushings and I spent every last penny of my savings on him as no insurance. When I ran out, my parents stepped in too, since he was my family, and a truly placid, happy dog.

We tried the medical route - the meds are very powerful, so you have to wear gloves to handle them and most kennels won't take dogs on these drugs. Luckily my dog was so greedy you just dropped them and he gobbled them up, but some dogs are really difficult to give pills to. The dosage is really difficult to get right, and can make the dog either very sleepy or very sick. The really sad bit about this is that you can't explain to the dog that you are doing it for their own good, all they know is that they feel terrible.

Since they couldn't control it with meds, they then went down the surgical route. And found that he also had cancer. I made the really difficult decision to have the dog put down and have vowed never to put another animal through so much suffering just to have a few more years with him. A young dog? Maybe. An old dog? No.

Northerngirl - that sounds dreadful! What meds was your cav on? My collie is on vetoryl and he hasn't suffered any side effects. I give it to him wrapped in a bit of cheese so no problem with him gobbling it!

I'm not entirely sure - he was in the vet school here which is world reknowned - very kindly the vet dealing with him actually said to me "If it was my dog, I'd put him down" - that sort of input isn't perhaps professional, but it certainly made my mind up.

If the meds had worked, I'd certainly have kept him on them, but they don't always work.

Am i being paranoid here or other people on here employed by "vetoryl".

No, but it is the only authorised product to treat Canine cushings disease in the UK so this is the currently the first line option here. Ony once you have tried and failed with Vetoryl the VMD might possibly give you a special import licence for mitotane/lysodrene. Veterinary medicines have tighter controls and regulations that human meds.