My dog with Cushing's is stiff, in pain, breathing fast. What to do?

Poor girl. If there is no obvious external injury, then I would be concerned that either the bone or the joint is affected. Some possibilities are: bone cancer, bone cyst, bone abscess, subluxation and a bone infection or even hairline fracture. If the pain has been persistent for more than 24 hrs, then I would highly consider having her examined by your vet to have radiograph imaging done to determine the underlying cause of her pain. I hope that Susie is able to get some relief soon. Until she is able to be seen you can try doing a cold compress followed by a warm compress on the painful areas. Also soaking her in a warm water Epsom salt bath for 5-10 minutes can help alleviate some of her discomfort. Best wishes and take care.

The random yelping isn't really typical for Cushing's Disease. These symptoms are usually weight gain or pot-bellied appearance, thinning hair, increased hunger, increased thirst, increased urination, and occasionally increased respiratory rate/panting and restlessness. I would recommend that you have Miley examined by a vet. The symptoms you describe sound like pain, which could be coming from multiple places, such as joints, the back, inside the abdomen, or chest, or could be caused by neurologic or other musculoskeletal issues. If the vet is also concerned about Cushing's Disease, then bloodwork can be obtained and tests scheduled to look into this possibility.

Ketoconazole is not known to cause excessive panting directly, but panting can be seen in general in dogs with Cushing's. Unless you are seeing other signs of significant illness, I would continue to monitor her for the time being. Look for any sort of vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice (yellowing), bleeding, or generalized increased lethargy. If any of these begin to occur, consider taking her to a hospital for treatment and diagnostics. Hope this is helpful.

The doctor wants to test Jazzy for a disease called Cushings Disease which can cause these symptoms. Cushings is not an easy disease to diagnose. This diagnosis usually requires a few blood tests and an abdominal ultrasound. This disease is treatable so you should pursue the tests as you can. Cushings disease is generally slowly progressive so you likely have time to work through things as you can.

Excessive panting can be a sign of overheating, but also a sign of pain, or an endocrine disease such as Cushing's disease, especially in an old dog like yours, Arthritis is high on the list, as at that age your dog will definitely have arthritic changes that can be highly painful. Cushing;s disease is also on the list, especially if your dog developed a pot belly, drinks and urinates more than usual, pants heavily even when it is not hot, and maybe loses some hair. Both of these conditions need to be checked out by your veterinarian, in order to ensure a good quality of life for your dog. Arthritis pain can be treated well with a medication called Carprofen and/or other pain medications. Cushings symptoms can be treated with special medication that reduces the production of cortisone. A blood test can rule out Cushing's disease. I suggest you schedule an exam with your vet.

Cushing’s syndrome (if that is indeed what she has), is rarely an emergency. Many dogs have had the disorder for months (or years) prior to diagnosis. However, diabetes can have very similar signs and that is more of a concern. If she has lost weight, or if she is not eating then I would recommend an emergency veterinarian to make sure she is not diabetic and starting to Decompensate. I also notice that she is not spayed. Pyometra is a uterine infection that usually starts with increased water intake, But they usually progress to not feeling well soon. Some of these dogs also have vaginal discharge and typically occurs 6 weeks or so after last heat cycle. If she is eating well and seem fine otherwise then waiting until Monday seems appropriate to me. If possible try to take a urine sample with you to your veterinarian appointment. Best of luck and I hope she does well. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Poor Buddy! I'm sorry to hear that he's having this problem. From your description, I would be concerned about a possible neurologic problem such as a stroke or brain tumor. He may also have severe arthritis issues, or may have a systemic illness of some kind or may have ingested something toxic. This sounds quite serious, so I would recommend taking him to an emergency clinic this evening for an exam. The veterinarian there can do blood work or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what can be done to help.