Looking for a good diet for a 9 year old yorkie with ATYPICAL CUSHINGS and a new vet

[momofreese]

on Long Island, NY who is more familiar with atypical cushings.

I would like to know what food is best, treats and if anyone knows of a very knowlegeable vet in Nassau County Long Island. Right now her atypical cushings is under control, outwardly, with melatonin and a lignan but want to proceed with a regular vet who is more familiar with it.

Reese is on the prescription Hills RD to help her lose weight (again) but it doesn't seem to be helping, plus I have read a lot of negative articles about hills and the smell of the food is horrible, her breath is horrible and her BMs have a horrible odor too.

I did have her on a freeze dried raw food that was very expensive called ziwipeak but it was extremely costly and she wasn't loosing weight on it. Her BMs were far better and possibly even her breath.

I did join the yahoo group as someone had suggested but waiting for my approval.

Thank you as usual and it is good to be back.

Any veggies and low fat treats that would be good for Reese with atypical cushings.. high sex hormones... would be much appreciated.

[mimimomo]

Sorry your baby has cushings. I have no personal experience w/it, but just wanted to bump this thread for you.

Mine eat The Honest Kitchen for breakfast & the ones that needed to lose weight lost it & the ones that needed to gain gained. I'm not sure how that worked out, but I think it comes down to the portions. THK is low in fat & has moderate protein levels. I use it bc 1 of mine had colitis (inflammation of the colon) & she needs to be on a low fat, high fiber diet.
They get Canine Caviar grain free kibble for dinner. I like that it's a limited ingredient kibble w/highest digestibility (91-93%), no potatoes (inflammatory food), no tapioca (high in glucose) nor flax & tomato pomace. I think some of mine had allergies/intolerance to these ingredients, as they got soft poopies only @ the end. Their previous kibble had the latter 2 of these ingredients.
I am very happy w/what they're eating right now, they're doing very well. Hope you'll find a suitable diet for your girl.

[GeorgiesMomma]

Our wonderful moderator Ann (WyliesMom) has a lot of experience with Cushings; her sweet Wylie has it. I would send her a PM if she doesn't respond here.

[107barney]

I'd contact a vet nutritionist (board certified) for advice on feeding. I use Dr. Rebecca Remillard - she's with North Carolina State Vet school now but I've used her for many years and she does phone consults. Feel free to PM me if you need her contact info. As for a regular vet on LI with more experience, personally, if this was my dog, I'd want an internal medicine specialist to be managing the case.

[momofreese]

right now. Reese is just not acting right and I am very worried!! She is constantly getting yeast infections in her ears and vaginal area. My vet tells me its all part of the cushings. I keep reading and reading online which of course is making matters worse. I started giving her carrots again and as nuts as it sounds I was wondering if that can cause yeast infections or allergies in particular. She is sleeping constantly and just wanted to know what all of you think might be going on. Two vets in two weeks and no answers and symptoms changing almost daily.

Now reese is pooping under my dining room table and sleeping excessively. I took her to a "new" vet to get a different interpretation of her atypical cushings and her constant ear infections and external vaginal infections. He was totally confused and as most vets had very little knowledge if any on cushings to begin with, let alone atypical cushings. He told me after he took her in the back to "clean" her vaginal area that she was very sore and I should put on a special wash. The weird thing is I didn't even take her to the vet for her vaginal area. In the past she has gotten an oily looking black discharge, very thick, but my regular vet has cleaned it and told me it was because she is so chunky and has extra creases in that area. This time as soon as she came home I noticed very red and irritated spots around her belly. For the rest of the day she slept and is rubbing her head (both sides) on her pad and lying on the pad. I finally thought I better take her outside, even though she is a wee wee pad indoor dog. She loves marking outside and thankfully she did urinate and a deficate. Today she is again sleeping constantly, and I had to really encourage her to urinate on the pad. She isn't drinking much during the day, but when she does force herself to go into her room, she drinks endlessly. She continues to be afraid of eating out of the same glass bowl she has used for the past five years. leaving food behind, which is highly unusual for her, until we put in on the floor. She is a nervous wreck.

Does anyone know what is going on? Her ears look better but yet before urinating on the pad she is going nuts from one side of her head to another. two weeks ago I was at my regular vet who said she seemed fine, had a rabies shot and didn't have a reaction then, and was supposed to go in for a teeth cleaning last week. I canceled it for other reasons and now she is sick again.

My husband once again thinks I am making more of this than I should and I know that something is wrong. No one seems to be able to give me any answers and yesterday at the new vet seemed like a total waste of time, and he barely said anything about her ears.

HELP... any thoughts would be much appreciated.

[Wylie's Mom]

Oh gosh...just reading your 2nd post above where you say "She is constantly getting yeast infections in her ears and vaginal area" -- this could very well mean that her AtypCush (AC) is *not* well controlled. In other words, whichever intermediate hormones are her issue - they are elevated, causing her cortisol to be elevated, which in turns causes LOADS of endless systemic problems as you know; problems including skin/fur issues. Is the vet NOT treating the skin issues along w/ the rest? They must be treated. I feel so bad for you, you're prob in that stage of feeling so overwhelmed...I've been there.

Okay so first...you should find an Internist to get your kiddo on track with her cortisol/AC issues and to get her skin issues under control. AC dogs are notorious for also have hypothyroid (another skin symptom red flag) -- was she tested for it? If no, do that asap so you know whether to rule that in/out.

She sounds like she may have systemic yeast - in which case, many vets will Rx Fluconazole for a good 2 weeks+ to get rid of it. Are you sure she doesn't also have bacteria in her ears and on her skin? A few skin smears would help determine that.

This all feels super complicated, I know. But the best way to get her on track is to find an Internist, test the skin - start treating the skin, test thyroid, re-test her AC (do ACTH retest) - if cortisol high you'd move to more aggressive meds to get those steroid hormones down.

Btw, I see you mentioned you joined the yahoo group, which is great -- did you know they have a list of vets on there, who are familiar w/ cushings? That'd be a great place to look!

(and btw, you are correct - most vets are lost when it comes to Cushings...unless you have one who is willing to learn)

[Wylie's Mom]

I'm on the Cushings group site right now - I'm pasting in some vets for you in NY (not sure where you are exactly):

Aaron C. Wey, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology) Upstate Veterinary Specialties, PLLC 222 Troy-Schenectady Road Latham, New York, USA 12110 (518) 783-3198 info@uvsonline.com Upstate Veterinary Specialties - Home Page

Andrew Kaplan, DVM, DACVIM City Veterinary Care 220 West 72nd Street New York, NY 10023 (212) 799-7000 (212) 799-7107 Kaplan@cityvetcare.com City Veterinary Care General practice and specialty medical/surgical care

Deborah M. Ward, DVM, MS, Dip. ACVIM (Internal Medicine) Red Bank Veterinary Hospital 197 Hance Avenue Tinton Falls, NJ 07724 732-747-3636 732-747-6562 Red Bank Veterinary Hospital | Tinton Falls, NJ Privately-owned veterinary hospital with a 24-hour emergency and critical care facility, referral practice, general practice and house call servic

Mark E. Peterson DVM, DACVIM Animal Endocrine Clinic 21 West 100th Street New York, New York 10025 (212) 362-2650 (212) 537-6340 info@animalendocrine.com Animal Endocrine Clinic | Where science and compassion cure Internal Medicine/ Specialty Referral (Endocrinology)


Are any of these near you?

[momofreese]

I am on Long Island about thirty minutes outside of Manhattan. I see a couple of the specialists you have recommended who I am going to call tomorrow. I was just reading a ton of information on the "starter kit" of the yahoo group. Already it has calmed me down, or at least confirms that the behaviors that I have been noticing of Reese is part of the cushings. Everyone and I mean everyone, who I had asked about her recent fears of going from my bedroom to the kitchen, which isn't too far. At each passed room she will literally look up at the lightswitch to remind me to put it on, regardless of whether or not it is pitch black, semi dark or completely bright. As I said she is now completely scared of eating out of her bowl, that is at least five years old. She jumps backwards and will leave her room to get me to either hand feed, place on floor or put on a dish of her liking 1, 2 or 3. My vet laughed, although I do not find this the slightest humorous. She seems to fear everything. Now she is bending down to urinate but will run around on the pad slapping her ears around. Yesterday I thought she had an ear infection again, and it was a little red, but now I believe it is red from wrestling her head back and forth on the wood floor or pad. She seems so depressed and all she wants to do is sleep. Again, she was never too fond of any "hobbies" i.e. knitting, just kidding, but she never wanted to do much other than go out for a car ride and a trip to Home goods, marhsalls or tj maxx, which have wagons where people can come over to make a fuss over her, is the BEST! But now she has no interest in anything and it is making me so depressed and anxious as well.

I am afraid to start her on the royal canine (sp) hypo hydrolized protein food until I see a specialist as well as the anti anxiety pill doxepin. I was even afraid to add both new items together and called my vet back to confirm that was okay. I am sure he LOVED hearing me second guess him, once again.

I thank you for all of your research for me, you are like the cliff notes of the yahoo group which is much appreciated. There is so much information that I am trying to take too much in at once.

By the way I was also told by two vets that she does not have cataracts, thankfully, which I thought was the original reason why she was fearing the breakfast and dinner walk, as well as her fear of the bowl of food. They did confirm that she had the "normal" deterioation of 10 year old eyes, but she followed them, as well as passed my cotton ball test!

I will contact one of those drs you had listed and keep you updated. Thank you soooo much.
Randy

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by momofreese

I am on Long Island about thirty minutes outside of Manhattan. I see a couple of the specialists you have recommended who I am going to call tomorrow. I was just reading a ton of information on the "starter kit" of the yahoo group. Already it has calmed me down, or at least confirms that the behaviors that I have been noticing of Reese is part of the cushings. Everyone and I mean everyone, who I had asked about her recent fears of going from my bedroom to the kitchen, which isn't too far. At each passed room she will literally look up at the lightswitch to remind me to put it on, regardless of whether or not it is pitch black, semi dark or completely bright. As I said she is now completely scared of eating out of her bowl, that is at least five years old. She jumps backwards and will leave her room to get me to either hand feed, place on floor or put on a dish of her liking 1, 2 or 3. My vet laughed, although I do not find this the slightest humorous. She seems to fear everything. Now she is bending down to urinate but will run around on the pad slapping her ears around. Yesterday I thought she had an ear infection again, and it was a little red, but now I believe it is red from wrestling her head back and forth on the wood floor or pad. She seems so depressed and all she wants to do is sleep. Again, she was never too fond of any "hobbies" i.e. knitting, just kidding, but she never wanted to do much other than go out for a car ride and a trip to Home goods, marhsalls or tj maxx, which have wagons where people can come over to make a fuss over her, is the BEST! But now she has no interest in anything and it is making me so depressed and anxious as well.

I am afraid to start her on the royal canine (sp) hypo hydrolized protein food until I see a specialist as well as the anti anxiety pill doxepin. I was even afraid to add both new items together and called my vet back to confirm that was okay. I am sure he LOVED hearing me second guess him, once again.

I thank you for all of your research for me, you are like the cliff notes of the yahoo group which is much appreciated. There is so much information that I am trying to take too much in at once.

By the way I was also told by two vets that she does not have cataracts, thankfully, which I thought was the original reason why she was fearing the breakfast and dinner walk, as well as her fear of the bowl of food. They did confirm that she had the "normal" deterioation of 10 year old eyes, but she followed them, as well as passed my cotton ball test!

I will contact one of those drs you had listed and keep you updated. Thank you soooo much.
Randy

You are so welcome, Randy . Believe me, I understand exactly what you're feeling - Cushings is so overwhelming. Just know that you *will* get her to the right place, you really will. It can take a lot of time though, that's the hard part. I think it took us a good year (after diagnosis) to get Wylie's meds titrated correctly for the AC, and that's normal bc you have keep retesting (ACTH) to see where the cortisol is at.

Just a thought...is her hearing okay? Could that be why she's scared? Does she still like to play at all, or has that too taken a back seat?

Maybe she really could benefit from the Doxepin...but maybe the Internist will have some add'l ideas too, and they may want use something else for anxiety depending on which med you go with for the AC. Have you tried a DAP (dog appeasing pheromone) collar at all? They prob don't work for all dogs, but for some they work very well. Poor girl, I feel bad for her...and I feel frustrated for you bc you're feeling helpless .

As far as the info on the yahoo group - there is a TON as you're prob finding out . It won't all sink in at once...just take it as it comes, and eventually it all comes together later. One area that was really helpful for me was that folder that is *just* for AtypCush info - that's where I learned the most.

Hang in there !

[momofreese]

I appreciate all of your help, as always. I am so sorry that in all of my posts I never asked how wylie is doing. I am going to start making some calls now and will let you know. Have a great day!

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by momofreese

I appreciate all of your help, as always. I am so sorry that in all of my posts I never asked how wylie is doing. I am going to start making some calls now and will let you know. Have a great day!

Oh gosh, don't give it a second thought! Believe me, I know firsthand how you're feeling - so don't feel bad about ANYthing . Wylie is doing just great...so let that be some assurance that your kiddo will soon be doing great too. Cushings is really tough in the beginning...then once you get titrated, it is SO much easier. I promise!