CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => Health => Topic started by: Mary P on April 07, 2009, 12:22:32 PM
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Tia is over 13 now, but for the past couple of years has lost fur from the top side of her docked tail, and on top of her muzzel.
She's had pancreatitis, and recently she's being tested for renal or adrenal problems - waiting for the blood results.
For the past 3 or so months, her fur has stopped growing altogether. She has had bits shaved for blood tests etc, and those patches still look newly shaved. Her hair is thinning so much as we brush her, or when she had a rolling session, that you can see her skin through the fur in her shoulders. :'(
Has anyone had experience of such severe fur loss in an old dog, and did yoiu find a way of getting the fur healthy again? Her skin is slightly dandruffy, but doesn't feel dry.
I might have to buy her a coat. >:(
Just to add - you can see the lovely glossy coat she once had by the pic on the left!
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Has she also been tested for thyroid?
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No, not yet. The tests have only just started - she's at the vet at the moment for a 2 stage blood test.
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They are testing her for cushings disease, which fits all her symptoms.
Here's hoping!
http://www.canine-cushings.co.uk/index.htm (http://www.canine-cushings.co.uk/index.htm)
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I have no knowledge of Cushings in dogs, only horses. Going to have a wee read of the link you posted.
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I do and she would have lost alot more than just off the muzzle and tail she'd have lost hair under her tummy, elbows, sides, ears and a general thinning all over. Old dogs don't tend to grow back their hair so quickly and she is a good age. My oldie took forever to grow back his hair after a removal at the vets but he did have cushings and although once his medication was sorted out it helped his hair never really grew back to a full coat.
If your dog has cushings you should see other signs of the disease as well, more urinating, excessive drinking, pot belly etc good luck with the tests but I would go with the advice from your vet at 13 you have to decide between quality and quantity of life, quality is always better and the meds for cushings destroy the liver its a very difficult balance.
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I do and she would have lost alot more than just off the muzzle and tail she'd have lost hair under her tummy, elbows, sides, ears and a general thinning all over. Old dogs don't tend to grow back their hair so quickly and she is a good age. My oldie took forever to grow back his hair after a removal at the vets but he did have cushings and although once his medication was sorted out it helped his hair never really grew back to a full coat.
If your dog has cushings you should see other signs of the disease as well, more urinating, excessive drinking, pot belly etc good luck with the tests but I would go with the advice from your vet at 13 you have to decide between quality and quantity of life, quality is always better and the meds for cushings destroy the liver its a very difficult balance.
She does have almost every symptom, and the coat has thinned all over, I just highlighted the most pronounced areas.
When we get the diagnosis, we can discuss options with the vet. She is ever so special, and of course I'll try to make the best decisions for her. As you say, her quality of life is paramount!
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Our vet was talking to us about Cushings yesterday and it has many similar symptoms to hypothyroidism, so it could well be that instead. Hair not growing back after shaving was one of the first things our vet mentioned as a way to spot hypothyroidism. Make sure you ask for the extra tests for thyroid as the standard one in a blood work up wouldnt necessarily give a conclusive answer.
Fingers crossed for poor Tia. :luv: :-*
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this is a pretty basic guide although american, kane was on a high dose Modrenal but we had to play with the levels alot before we got a balance. He had both adrenal and petuitary tumors. From diagnosis with care he lasted 3 years.
http://www.kateconnick.com/library/cushingsdisease.html
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I'm watching this thread as my old girl Millie who's 14 is thinning quit a bit and dandruffy. I have posted a thread asking for help with supplements, but am very interested in what the out come of your Girl is MaryP. Hope its nothing serious.
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Any news on Tia? I hope its nothing too serious. :-*
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Due to the Easter break, I was told to phone at the end of this week for the results - that will be in the morning!
Poor girl - the local shop has stopped selling the usual food, so I bought another one which she's usually fine with - but it's given her a runny tummy on top of everything else! :o
I went to PAH, and got 2 huge sacks 2 days ago, and she's slowly getting back to normal.
I'll let you all know when I know!
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OK, the diagnosis is now made, and she is on lifelong treatment. This website is useful:
http://www.yourpetshealth.co.uk/page43.htm (http://www.yourpetshealth.co.uk/page43.htm)
The treatment is Vetoryl. She has to go back week after next for more blood tests etc. I am relieved as I have been convinced for a long time she had a problem, but Cushings is often misdiagnosed as the ageing process.
Thanks for the support - I'll update when there is more news.
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Glad they've decided what it is and that she can have some treatment Mary, Thinking of you :-*
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I dont wish to alarm you Mary but my Lurcher was diagnosed with Cushings Disease and put on Vetoryl. You need to keep a very careful eye on her levels as if overdosed with Vetoryl she will have a stroke. My Lurcher was rushed to the vet after a serious stroke and I was told that it was caused by the medication. She later passed away. If I had known this was a side effect of the drug I may have looked at other options. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
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I was told at the vet that this is a safe treatment. Did your Lurcher react quickly, or did it build up over time? The care leaflet in the box does state that a small number of reports have been received of sudden death.
I think it's a risk I am willing to take, although of course I'll be watching her like a hawk, and going back to the vets for regular monitoring. She has lost muscle and fur, is so hungry all the time that she cries if I won't let her try to scrape chewing gum off the pavement, wakes in the middle of the night distressed and needing food, has become an anxious little dog when awake, but gets worn out very quickly, even on very short walks, and then needs to sleep for an age. She has to be helped or carried up and down stairs (and we have a lot in our house), and has tumbled all the way down on many occasions. She has had two bouts of her back legs folding under her, and therefore being unable to even sit up unsupported. She and I were both very distressed when that happened.
It's a quality of life decision, and I think hers will be improved with treatment. I hope I don't have to eat my words. I feel she can't go on for any longer as she is.
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I've just read this thread and wanted to say good for you for doing all you can for Tia ;)
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Hi Mary
Pleased to hear you have a diagnosis and it is a treatable problem. Tia will feel so much better on her medication and Im sure your life and hers will be much better. You never know, in a few months she might be up to a COL meet :D Would love to meet this lovely girl!
Gentle hugs for Tia :luv: :luv:
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I am not trying to put you off the treatment. Just advising you to be careful. Suki was diagnosed in September, started treatment in October, she was just nearing the end of her first month when this happened. She had started to show signs of improvement, she seemed brighter, had a bit more energy, wasn't eating or drinking as much. She seemed to have a bit more of an interest in life. We went to bed as normal and I was awoken at 2am by strange noises.
I know what you mean by not being able to continue, Suki used to have great big sores all over her which she continually licked etc so wore a muzzle most of the time. That is why we took her to the vet in the first place. She was only 7 years old.
Just keep a careful watch on her and I am sure that all will be fine.
Lots of love and hugs to you and Tia.
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Mary, hope the treatment helps - I know how special this little girl is to you and its so heartbreaking to see them like this, xxxx
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I am not trying to put you off the treatment.
Yes, I do understand that, and am very glad of the warning so I have as much info as possible.
She is very special - she's had lots of heath issues from the moment we got her, but she has been uncomplaining and good natured - and WHAT a character! My son thinks we should get her cloned ::), as there will never be another one like her!! :005: :luv: :o
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Well, poor Tia didn't take well to the tablets, and the vet has stopped them thinking the dose was too high. We have to wait for the vomiting etc to stop, and for her system to clear before starting the 30mg dose - perhaps at the w/e.
She now has a mixture of symptoms, but is again starting to become Cushingoid.
It's never plain sailing with Tia! :luv: :-* :luv:
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Poor Tia, one step forward and one back at the moment. I hope the revised dose suits and helps her.
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which version of the drug did they give you?? Kane was on Modrenal and we had some issues with it but he had other problems and needed to be on a steroid to help with his back legs in the end I did a course of 5 days on 3 days off the medication and that seemed to work for him, they will need to look at the levels because too much can be harmful to the dog concerned. Kane had a good improvement on modrenal and I was very pleased with it but you could see when too much of the drug was in his system he started to get very quiet and listless. He was a weimaraner not a cocker so I don't know what the difference in size will be compared to the level of the drug given.
He never grew back all the hair though especially on his ears but the pot bellied and the drink and food issues did resolve quite quickly once his levels were sorted out.
Good luck I really hope it works for you did they tell you which type of cushings it is??
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She was on Vetoryl 60mg, but when it restarts will be on 30mg. She's lost lots of weight, so the 60mg was too high a dose. I didn't know there was more than one sort of Cushings! :embarassed:
Thanks for all the info - very useful!!
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Hope she improves soon :luv:
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Hope she improves soon. Sending lots of cuddles. :luv:
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its important they locate the type and source, some tumors can be removed which in turn can remove the cushings symptoms but not the damage already done. Kane had both petuitary and adrenal tumors that were inoperable :'( They can't always tell though the tests are not that accurate.
I really hope things improve quickly now that you have a diagnosis
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Yes, I see what you mean. I did know there were two types of tumour. The ones on the gland are usually benign, but the ones in the brain are more likely to be malignant.
I'll be discussing all possibilities with the vet in due course, but at the moment we're just aiming for symptomatic relief!
Thanks!
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Just to say hope Tia tolerates the lower dosage of medication and begins to feel better soon, sending healing hugs to you all, love Heather xxx
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Thanks - re starting in the morning...!
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Tia has improved in many ways, but not in others.
On the good side, she is eating, not crying for food all the time, day and night. (We are all sleeping better!!!!) Drinking normally, and not so sleepy.
On the down side, she gets tired very quickly, still needs help with stairs, has become quite a picky eater, and with that she makes smells big time! :o She's still loosing hair, and this makes her itchy, she sometimes gets constipated due to lack of fibre in her diet. (I trick her into eating some when I can...) She's become quite clingy - not the brave and robust little soul she used to be... And SO skinny. I have had to carry her sometimes as she just gets so exhusted that she lies down and can't get up - I couldn't have done that before.
Still, onward and upward. She's now at the point that I've stopped checking her breathing every 5 minutes. ::)
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Just seen this, poor Tia :luv: Glad to hear that she had imroved and taken will to the meds :luv:
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Come on Tia - hang on in there :-*
Glad you're all getting a bit more sleep Mary :bigarmhug:
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Glad you're all getting a bit more sleep Mary :bigarmhug:
The problem is now that we're all oversleeping........ (no pleasing some people!). She used to start crying on and off from about 4.30am, but now sleeps till 8/9am, but no crying, so we've all overslept at least once! A small price to pay! :005:
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Hope things carry on improving. Give her a little cuddle from me. :luv:
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Glad to hear some things have improved for Tia :luv: :luv: Your dogs are all very lucky to have found you :D
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Just seen this. I'm glad there has been a little bit of an improvement, hope it carries on.
Give Tia a big cuddle from me. :luv:
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Hope things are still improving slightly with Tia and that slow and steady is the order of the game, things that are so debilitating seem to sap the strength so easily and stairs etc. are a major thing. Sending positive thoughts that Tia and you all cope with the meds and generally everyday gets better. Mega hugs all round, love Heather xxx
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Thanks for all the lovely comments.
The latest news is good. Tia has had some utterly bald patches for a year or two now, like her docked tail. :o Then of course all the recently bald patches to add to it.
WELL! Tia is growing fur! :luv: There is a fine but dense covering even coating most of her tail. Wow, I'm so chuffed!!
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So pleased for you Mary :-*
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That's fantastic news...no wonder you are chuffed....way to go Tia :luv: