dogdogdog Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 My sister's standard poodle has just been diagnosed with Cushings disease. So I was wondering if anyone knows of a natural alternative medicine that could be good to help him out. It has cost her about $2k so far and she is on single mothers pension so is finding it tough financially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_PL_ Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Oh dear, I'm sorry. Cushings is hard. Loraine here on DOL can give you links to the cush-dogs forums and more advice. My own girl was totally cured by adrenal surgery as she had that option. Most dogs will need ongoing medication for the rest of their lives - which means the cost go on and on. I think Robert McDowells has a naturopathic Cushings Support formula but as far as I know, once a dog has gone to fully diagnosed Cushings you can't really reverse it with anything other than permanent vet meds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I can relate to this. I was going to an expensive vet in 2004 when my girl got diagnosed, cost me about $3K and then regular subsequent bills of about $3-500 every few weeks with pressure on me to do even more. She was about 12 at the time, had the pituitary tumour which can't be cured but can be controlled by chemotherapy which is what we did. She survived until July last year when the tumour started pressing on part of her brain and causing regular panic attacks, after 3 days of this my vet said it was time to let her go. The chemotherapy was expensive and was in tablet form, administered by me twice a week. You have to wear gloves to do this and of course, it is dangerous medication (and big tabs). She didn't like taking it (even in food) so the whole thing was pretty stressful I found (I have other dogs). I changed vets because of this experience and found my new vet would not have gone down the same path, due to the age of my dog and the 6 stressful months where she was regularly living in the vets or going for yet more tests. Would I do it again? Maybe, but I'd always get another opinion on the treatment to take. And not for a dog of that age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espinay2 Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I have an old dog with suspected Cushings (as well as a thyroid condition which is in control with meds and other problems including spinal atrophy, also assisted by meds). Advice from my vet was that often the treatment for Cushings can be harder on the dog than doing nothing. In her case and in her condition and stage of life our decision was not to treat (BTW, she still gets around fine and is happy and comfortable). That said, there is a book called "Dogs, Diet and Disease: An owners Guide to Diabetes Mellitus, Pancreatitis, Cushings Disease and More" by Caroline D Levin RN, which is well worth looking at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavNrott Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Advice from my vet was that often the treatment for Cushings can be harder on the dog than doing nothing. In her case and in her condition and stage of life our decision was not to treat (BTW, she still gets around fine and is happy and comfortable). My lovely old rescue Rotty, Faith, has Cushings too and my vet said exactly the same thing so we are keeping an eye on her and monitoring her. She's just had a CBC so we'll see what that reveals. Faith is a happy and content couch potatoe who has a short walk every day and appears to be feeling very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shepherdpower Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Hi dogsdot Try this link for natural treatment : http://www.herbal-treatments.com/dog_cushings_disease.html I hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loraine Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 After much research there is no natural remedy to assist with Cushing's disease. My Mini Poodle was diagnosed at 12 yrs old, got him to 15.5 and had to PTS due to unrelated kidney failure. I had him start with the chemo drug Lysodren and he did well for a good length of time, then I moved him onto the new (then) drug Trilostane. The most costly part of the disease is the constant (every three months minimum) blood testing and ACTH testing. I am guessing that over all I paid over $3K for my heart boy. He had Pituitary Cushing's. Those dogs with Adrenal Cushing's can have an operation to removed the adrenals. Some vets will oversee giving the dog an overdose of Lysodren or Trilostane to knock out the adrenals (they push the cortisol), some times permanently. Then the dog become Addisonion and has to be on cortisone tabs for life. Cushing's eats away at the muscles, these include the heart and other internal organs. Left untreated the dog will remain incontinent and have a revenous appetite. I do know of a person who chose not to treat. IMO I would rather PTS as the agony inside the body of an untreated dog would be awful. I have a friend who had Pit Cushing's, had the tumor removed and then ended up having to have her adrenals removed and now is Addisonion and has to live on cortisone. If you would like more info you can contact me at [email protected]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Kuntz Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 As a surgeon, (when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail)- I have to put my 2 cents in. If it is adrenal dependent Cushing's (Can be determined on blood work/ ct scan or ultrasound), surgery is often the way to go. Often the expense over the life of the dog for medical management will exceed the cost of surgery (typically with a very good prognosis). Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loraine Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 As a surgeon, (when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail)- I have to put my 2 cents in. If it is adrenal dependent Cushing's (Can be determined on blood work/ ct scan or ultrasound), surgery is often the way to go. Often the expense over the life of the dog for medical management will exceed the cost of surgery (typically with a very good prognosis).Charles Totally agree if it is Adrenal Cushing's - operation would have been my choice. With Pituitary Cushing's I have heard of some vet in the US doing surgery to removed a Pit tumour, I have not found any in Australia who would do it yet. do you know if any vet in Australia has chanced an op to remove a Pit Tumor?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdogdog Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 Thanks for all the replies. Spoke to my sister on Sunday and she said that the test they did on Kip was so bad. He screamed. She fears having to put him through that every 3 months. I will forward this thread onto her to check out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Kuntz Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I don't know of any one who has done pituitary tumour removal in Australia. I have thought about it, but have not attempted. Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loraine Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 I don't know of any one who has done pituitary tumour removal in Australia. I have thought about it, but have not attempted.Charles Thanks for your answer Charles. I would think it might be rather dangerous done on dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdogdog Posted February 27, 2009 Author Share Posted February 27, 2009 Thanks for that. Apparently the poor chap has Piturary Cushings. One vet has suggested that the best scenario with meds is probably about 2 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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