Hi and first of all, WELCOME
! So sorry you and your little senior fella, Winston, are going through all of this! Wish you'd found us sooner.
I'd have recommended 5 yrs ago when the 1st vet couldn't solve the issue immediately that you'd see a Vet Dermatologist asap -- bc I've been thru something similar. Generalist Vets cannot always see what a specialist can see right away.
So, I'd see a Derm and/or an Internist. Depending upon other symptoms, I'd want to rule out Cushings.
Find a Vet Derm here:
acvd.org | Find Dermatologist | Veterinarians with specialized training in skin, ears, and allergy
More info on allergies:
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/die...tart-here.html Cushings Symtpoms:
Some dogs with Cushing’s disease show the classic symptoms, while other show only a few vague symptoms. The classic symptoms are:
--Polyuria/polydipsia (PU/PD)- This is excess urinating and excess drinking of water. It is one of the first signs of the disease, and usually precedes the other symptoms by a significant period of time. Several other important diseases cause these symptoms also, notably liver disease, kidney disease pyometra, and diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes).
--Pot bellied abdomen to the point a dog might look pregnant. It is due to hepatomegaly and abdominal muscle weakness (the mechanism of which was described above in the physiology section).
--Thin skin and usually symmetrical hair loss along the trunk. The hair might grow in lighter in color or lose its luster. It might not grow in well at all. Calcium deposits under the skin, called calcinosis cutis, occur on occasion. Secondary skin infections called pyoderma are common also. The skin might also be hyperpigmented.
--Muscle wasting over the head, shoulders, thighs, and pelvis.
--Polyphagia- excess appetite. This is often interpreted by clients as being healthy, since most people think of a sick pet as not eating well. In this case your pet is over-eating, which is consistent with Cushing’s.
Other occasional symptoms include:
-Pruritis (itchy skin)- due to secondary bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infections of the skin
-Panting- due to affects on the lungs or the respiratory center in the brain
-Obesity
-Anorexia (poor appetite)
-Straining to urinate or blood in urine due to urinary tract infection or bladder stone
-Weakness
-Depression
-Aggression
-Lethargy
-Corneal plaques
-Irregular heat cycles in female dogs
-Testicular atrophy in males and clitoral enlargement in females
-Emesis (vomiting) due to pancreatitis
-Ataxia (incoordination), blindness, circling, and seizures due to a large pituitary tumor or spread of a malignant adrenal tumor
-Lameness due to a ruptured cruciate ligament
-Intra-abdominal bleeding near the kidneys (retroperitoneal space) resulting in anemia, weakness, and abdominal pain