Bingo's latest blood test

[Patrice]

The more I read, the more I am convinced this is Atypical Addison’s Disease. I think the next step is to do an ACTH test. If this were me I would have it done soon. You really need to know what is going on. The symptoms around the dosage time for prednisone can’t be ignored. See if your vet agrees and if they do they may need him to be off the prednisone for a day?

http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/endocrine/c_dg_hypoadrenocorticism

Sheena, can you find that paper for Vally and send it to her? I’m a little tied up right now.
my best
patrice

[Vally]

Patrice, the symptoms don’t happen close to the prednisone timing (he gets his pred in the mornings). It’s in the hour after his evening thyroxine dosing before his dinner. I think it’s in the stress of waiting for his dinner. The symptoms have been happening in the last 10 minutes before he gets his evening meal.

On the morning he went in for testing, he got no prednisone as his vet wanted to push the effect of the glucose testing to see if the pred was affecting that.

I agree, I’m thinking that’s what this is. The fact that the symptoms went away last time his pred was upped by just that tiny bit, and the symptoms returned again, when I tried to reduce the pred back down again by that tiny bit.

Having increased his pred last Friday morning back up to his earlier dose, I’m hoping that increase is what’s keeping it in control now – well the last 3 evenings anyway.

[Patrice]

It’s the stress and the low amount of cortisol to help the body handle the stress. That is what I meant, but said it wrong. In other words I meant to say is that he is low on prednisone because he is too far from his last dose and he is undergoing stress that he can’t cope with. When he gets the prednisone it helps him.

Atypical means that some of the usual clinical signs are missing and this can confuse the diagnosis and mislead the vet into thinking it is something else. It’s called the Great Pretender because it can be so hard to diagnose.
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/14_10/features/Diagnosing-Addisons-Disease-in-Dogs_20365-1.html

[Vally]

Yep, totally agree. I think it’s too much a coincidence that when the pred went back up again for 3 weeks, there was no sign of this. The minute I reduced the dose again, the symptoms returned.

Thanks, as always.
Vally

[admin]

Hi Vally
Just caught up on what has been happening. Good to hear Bingo hasn’t had any more episodes since the first day back. It certainly makes me think cortisol too (as we suspected) . Maybe this is the level he will have to stay at on the pred front, which is no big deal if he is happy & well.
Let me know if you need any information on ACTH testing
Love Sheena, Worzel & Ollie xxxx

[admin]

Hi Vally

I CAN believe how this is getting to you, and it’s completely understandable after all you and Bingo have been through. I started getting scared yesterday when Mable didn’t want to come in for tea and sat on the fence (literally, not metaphorically). Bonkers right? Yes, but also the exact same behaviour Molly showed the night I spotted her anaemia. When we’ve been through this, we become so very alert to small things, and it is credit to you as Bingo’s Mum that you are so in tune with him as to notice small episodes. It sounds to me as though you may well have cracked what is causing this, and I do hope that he settles now he is on the higher pred dose.

Sending our best wishes that there are no more episodes and that Bingo is soon feeling back to his old self.

Much love, Mary and Mable x

[Tamara]

Vally, I so hope you all have figured this out and the ACTH test will come back conclusively. We’ve got paws, fingers, and all appendages crossed that you get the answer to this, I know it’s been so worrying and distressing. Sending you much love and many hugs, please give Bingo some scritchies from here.
tamara and ashki xoxoxox

[Vally]

Took Bingo to the local vets last night as I’d noticed some brown wax on the hair in his ears the other night. I pulled the hair out (poor pooch) and started using some drops I got from vets some months ago for his ears, but thought, better I take him down and check his ears just in case – especially bearing in mind his staggers. Bit of an infection in both ears, so yes, continue with the drops. I also showed them a spot of his foot that he gets stuck into. It heals and then he starts biting it again, so I got some cream for that too.

Now, of course he doesn’t go willingly, so I had the car in the driveway unlocked ready to go. I put the drops I had together with my overused credit card into my pocket – didn’t both with my licence (shhhhhh) and just picked Bingo up and dumped him in the car and off we went. Picked him up and we went in to the vet where he hid under the chair until dragged out to lay uncooperatively on the examination table.

Now on the way out, I’ve got the bill/receipt, credit card, ear drops plus a new tube of cream all in my pocket. I drag Bingo out from under the chair where he’s hidden again, pick him up and carry him out to the car which I’ve had to park around the corner – glaring at all the well behaved dogs who are walking on leashes happily. Get Bingo back to the car, drop him in and we drive home – only a few minutes away.

Get home and realise the tube of cream has fallen out of my pocket -ahhhhhhh. Dump Bingo at home and drive back to the vets. Parked in the same spot and spotted the cream in the gutter near the vets. Thank goodness it didn’t land in the middle of the road and get squashed.

Did I mention it was pouring with rain???

Love Vally & well oiled and creamed.