Our dog might have Cushing's,,,,

[tom w]

Hi, I took Kelsey our black lab/sheperd mix to the vet on tuesday thinking she has a urinary infection. Turns out she didn't, but the blood tests showed a liver enzime problem. The vet is now wondering if she has Cushing's disease.

Her main symptoms are that she drinks allot of water and has to go out and pee all the time. I don't think she eats allot but she gets allot of scraps so it is hard to really tell how much she eats, but she always acts hungry. She has gained a few lbs but she don't get the exersise she should living in town.

She is going on 8 years old and is up to 78 lbs.

Is there a way to tell for sure she has Cushing's? The vet said there are meds for it to help control it but she don't seem to sure yet that is the dogs problem.

 

[sharky]

I beleive there is a test for cushings and when given the meds and possible diet help these animals can live happy healthy lives...

 

[sea witch]

sorry for the doublepost..

 

[sea witch]

I'm not sure of how Cushing's affects dogs, but I do know it's an insulin resistant sort of thing. I'm way more familiar as to how it affects horses. But, yes, there is definitely a blood test to detect Cushing's.

 

[kat_and_luna]

Hello,
Has she lost any hair, my 6 year old Maltese is believed to have Cushings because she drinks a lot of water, gains weight, low exercise, and hair loss. She hardly has hair on her back, and very overweight. She has been tested for other things and they are all negative, cushing is the last option for her. There is a test but it costs about $300, and I am saving up for it for my Roxanne money is a little tight right now. She's on a special diet and basic meds. It is generally fatal in two years from what I read, all you can do is keep them comfy

 

[sea witch]

Out of curiosity, what exactly are some of the symptoms for Cushing's in dogs? I know that in horses, you have excessive hair growth, inability to shed that growth, and a horse that was an easy keeper all of sudden is NOT.

 

[tom w]

She don't have any bald spots, in fact she has a real thick black coat. Maybe she has not got to the point of loosing her hair yet? I am waiting to hear back from the vet as to what we should do next. It sounds like there is a good test but it is expencive and the dog will have to stay at the vet for a day. If that what it takes to find out whats going on then we will have to do it I guess.

 

[sea witch]

Okay....why would the dog have to stay at the vet's for a blood test? Unless the vet is looking to run other tests as well?

The hair growth thing I mentioned is definitely not baldness. In horses, it leads to excessive hair growth, and when it comes time to shed out the winter woolies, they don't.

 

[menagerie mama]

A Cushing's test, called an ACTH Stim test, takes only 2-2 and 1/2 hours. She should be able to be picked up right after that.

 

[halfpint]

My Daughters Basset was drinking ALOT till he was so bloated, and peeing alot also, they used to feed there dogs lots from the table and lots of treats, and the vet said no more of either they found out he was diabetic, he is now on insulin 2x a day, but they got the sugar down to normal and he's doing good now,