Why is my senior dog with Cushing's having bladder issues & seizures?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bruno. I base quality of life decisions on several factors. Is the patient eating and drinking on his own? How is his mobility? Can he navigate stairs safely, move freely around the house and get outside to go potty? This tends to be a significant problem in large breed dogs. Any time a pet has a chronic illness, there will be good and bad days. Are the good days still outnumbering the bad days? Finally, does he still seem happy? I would recommend carefully thinking about these questions and seeing what his blood work shows. Cushing's can be managed most cases. The seizures are worrisome though. They are unpredictable. He might never have another one, but they could go on to become a frequent occurrence. His blood work will determine if he is healthy enough for anti-seizure medications. I hope this information helps.

Hello, I am so sorry for your concerns about Tucker. I would guess that he is having issues with his liver, hense hepatitis, which can occur with long term phenobarb. use. The medication to control the symptoms of Cushings ( we can not completely cure this disease, as it involves a tumor on the adrenal gland or the pituitary gland), also has some side effects that require frequent blood work to monitor. You have a very hard decision to make, & it is wonderful that your veterinarian is there to support whatever you decide to do. Take a few days to try & put things is perspective. Weigh the good days against the bad days & decide what is in Tucker's best interest. It is hard to let a pet go, but if there is a choice between existing because a decision can not be made, & truly living, then please consider things this way. If you are not happy seeing Tucker this way, knowing that things will probably get worse, he can not be happy, either. I sympathize with your predicament. For all of us who love our pets, this is a day that always breaks our hearts. Take care.

I am very sorry that Yager is so ill. Unfortunately Cushing's disease is a progressive disease and cannot be healed. There are two possible causes for Cushing's: 1) a pituitary tumor (a tumor in the brain) that is telling the adrenal glands to make more cortisone that the body needs and 2) a possible adrenal tumor that is overproducing cortisone. Most of the time the cause is a pituitary tumor. Unfortunately the medicine your dog is taking is only affecting the adrenal glands, ie basically reducing cortisone production. In the meantime the tumor in the brain keeps growing slowly, Sometimes the medicine works too well and the body is not getting enough cortisone because the adrenal glands are not producing enough anymore (the medicine destroyed too much tissue). This can cause the signs you describe and therefore your vet recommends that you halve the dose. The other problem is that your dog's tumor is growing and may be pressing on vital structures in the brain now, which can cause seizures, wobbly gait, fainting spells. So I suggest that you trust your vet and follow his recommendations. Unfortunately the day will come that you need to say good bye to Yager when the tumor is causing too many problems. Listen to your dog: he will tell you when it is time.

Whatever decision that you make for Gizmo will always be the right decision. If Gizmo has not responded to the treatments and medications from his vet visit, I would recommend seeing the vet sooner than 5 days. He may need additional medications to control his symptoms. It sounds like his current issues are expected to be manageable with medications. However, there is a possibility that the stomach wall thickening could be cancerous, in which case Gizmo may not feel better, even with medications. You may discuss pain medications or treatments such as acupuncture with the vet to help with Gizmo’s comfort. Here is a website you may find useful in deciding when it may be “time”: https://www.lapoflove.com/Mobile-Menu/EDUCATION/When-it-is-time

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would contact the veterinarian again and ask if they can provide you with a sedative / anti-anxiety medication prior to coming in and then have you muzzle her prior to bringing her in. Medications such as Trazodone and amitriptyline together can help with the anxiety. She really needs to be seen by a veterinarian and have her blood tested to see if there are any abnormal systemic changes that could be causing the symptoms you are describing. With her age, I am concerned about something systemic that could be abnormal or cancer. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Some common symptoms of Cushings's are panting, increased thirst/urination, but these are also common symptoms of many diseases. Bloodwork and endocrine testing can help to ferret that out. Neurologic symptoms can sometimes be present with Cushing's if there is a larger tumor in the pituitary gland but seizures can also be caused by other things as well so an MRI is typically required. CT can sometimes be used if a pituitary mass is strongly suspected. Itchy feet is typically caused by allergies which may also be associated with secondary infection. Next steps are to see your vet for an exam, bloodwork, and endocrine testing. Abdominal ultrasound and blood pressure measurement are also typical next steps. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Poor Nemesis. Sometimes pets will need the medication adjusted. I recommend to call your veterinarian and ask if another test is needed to evaluate the blood levels in his body. The test is called an ACTH stimulation test. It has been found that 50% of dogs with Cushing’s disease will also have a urinary tract infection that can only be detected with a urine culture. I recommend to have this test done as well as this will cause constant drinking and urination. Other conditions such as thyroid disease, diabetes or kidney disease can also cause these signs. You must start ruling them out. Best of luck.