My deaf dog has cataracts and Cushings. Should I get a second opinion?

If you want to take him to the vet school for another opinion than you should take him there. You would definitely get an expert opinion and be given all possible options available to treat your cat.

I am so sorry to hear this and I know how hard it can be to tell if your pet is having a good quality of life. The three big things I look for are: 1) Good appetite 2) Comfort level- are they moving around on their own, able to posture to urinate/defecate well, using the stairs, able to rise and lay down easily. If not- would medications or other therapies help? Also, with neck pain- can they eat/drink from their bowls well? 3) Are they still doing the things that make them 'them'- whether it be greeting you at the door, wanting to take walks, whatever it is that makes their personality unique. To answer your specific questions- the term 'tumor' can be scarab, but Cushings can be a disease managed without a loss of comfort, although it may take management- Eg checkups to make sure they don't have urinary infections or skin infections. I would certainly be concerned about any neck pain and want to ask your vet if any therapies would help improve their comfort. I hope this helps!

Unfortunately Cushing´s syndrome is caused either by an adrenal tumor, but more often by a brain tumor. Nystagmus (eyes moving from side to side) could be a sign of the brain tumor expanding. Also that she is not steady on her feet could be part of that. On the other hand there is also a chance that this has nothing to do with the Cushing;s disease bu that your dog is suffering from geriatric vestibular disease, which is harmless and should go away by itself within a few weeks. Here is information on vestibular disease: http://download.skyscape.com/download/ota/5mvetcf5/documents/pdf/vestibular_disease_in_senior_dogs.pdf I suggest you take your dog to your vet for a check up. With vestibular syndrome dogs often get nauseous and will not eat, so she may need some medication to take away the nausea.

It is hard to evaluate eyes based on a photo. If your vet has told you your dog has cataracts, whether or not surgery is an option depends on a few factors. These include your pets overall health (a physical exam and bloodwork can help determine this), whether or not your pet will tolerate the aftercare (including frequent eye drops at first), and if your dog can still be visual once the cataract is removed (you may need to see an ophthalmologist for special testing to determine this). I would start with a general wellness exam and blood screening at your vet. If all looks good the next step would be a consultation with an ophthalmologist. More info can be found at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=659

I'm sorry to hear that both you and Valentino have had to deal with these challenges over the past few years. Dogs can usually adapt fairly readily to a loss of either vision or hearing, or a minor decline in both. Complete loss of both hearing and vision can be quite challenging and many dogs can experience a good bit of associated anxiety associated with this dramatic change in their lifestyle. I agree with you in that it sounds as though Valentino's quality of life is likely poor as a result of these changes. Deciding when to euthanize is an exceptionally difficult and personal decision because there are so many factors to consider. If Valentino still seems to enjoy your company and is able to do his normal things (e.g. find the water bowl on his own, play a bit, navigate your home without too much difficulty, etc.), then it may be worthwhile to give him a bit more time. However, if he seems overly anxious, fearful, seems afraid to move around too much, repeatedly bumps into things, or has trouble finding his water bowl, then it's likely in his best interest to consider humane euthanasia. I've included a link to a guide that I personally find quite helpful in helping to decide when it's time to euthanize my own pets, as it helps me to think about things more objectively. I'm really sorry that you and Valentino are in this situation and wish you both the best. https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/sites/default/files/import/assets/pdf/hospital/companionAnimals/HonoringtheBond/HowDoIKnowWhen.pdf

Cataracts are fairly common in dogs. There are some potential complications of cataracts, but if it is only in one eye, it may just be something that needs to be monitored. I have attached a handout below with a lot of information on cataracts including treatment and potential complications. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=659 I hope that was helpful and answered your questions. Thanks for using PetCoach.

I hate to hear this is happening. I recommend to have a frank discussion with your veterinarian about what they suspect is happening. Coco may need more diagnostics to determine the cause. Here is a link about Hepatic encephalopathy including the causes: https://www.merckvetmanual.com/digestive-system/hepatic-disease-in-small-animals/hepatic-encephalopathy-in-small-animals If this is due to a single large liver shunt, surgery may be an option. If this is not, medical management may help which includes a special diets, lactulose and medication life long. You may want to seek a second opinion as well if your vet does not seem up to date on current information. Thank you can make an informed decision. I hope this helps.