|
|
|
|
Kimba90
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 03 Dec 2003
Posts: 3594
|
| Back to top
|
|
 Posted: 05/24/05 - 11:19 Post subject: Dog Question-Mitotane for Cushing's Disease?
Hey gang,
anyone have any experience with using Mitotane (Lysodren) for Cushing's Disease in dogs?
My dog is 14 years old. He had blood work done to make sure his liver was ok. His liver enzymes are way elevated, so he had a ACTH stimulating test done-that confirmed the Cushing's. So the vet tech calls me back, says, yep, Cushing's Disease and Rodan needs to go on Mitotane every 4 days.
So I of course Google Mitotane and find a bunch of alarming info about it. I am a pharmacist but this really isn't used very much (I've never even dispensed it as a pharmacist.)
So I have a call into my local vet to review the lab results again and try and figure out if I want to start the dog on this med. The dog is happy now with excellent quality of life. He runs around, kills small animals, and fights with the puppy. It seems like his life expectancy would be about two years with the Cushing's ( which would probaly be pushing it anyways-he's an old dog).
So, back to the original question, anyone with any experience with this?
|
|
|
|
|
gretriever
Hipster Doofus
|
|
|
Joined: 16 Jul 2003
Posts: 19383
Location: A moving target in a firing range.
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/24/05 - 11:25 Post subject:
Nope. Sorry.
But it's good to hear he's active at that age.
|
|
|
|
|
marathonrnr262
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 14 May 2002
Posts: 1885
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/24/05 - 12:58 Post subject:
Sometimes you have to weigh the side effect of the meds VS the efficacy. Does the drug do more harm than good? Some meds do.
I would not change anything that you are doing now. A happy playful dog at 14 is more than anything you could ever wish for.
What he/she needs is a big ole hug and a smooch on the forehead. An "I love you," wispered in his/her ear couldn't hurt. 
Sheldon
|
|
|
|
|
ShannonG
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 20 Mar 2003
Posts: 4858
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/24/05 - 13:21 Post subject:
Are you sure it's not hypothyroidism? I had a Corgi that my vet was sure had Cushing's even after a single positive thyroid test (it's a double test). The Cushing's test came back negative and I left her untreated for over a year until another vet insisted I try thyroid medication, and she was like a new dog.
What are his symptoms? Hair loss? Weight gain? Bulgy eyes? LEthargy?
|
|
|
|
|
Kimba90
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 03 Dec 2003
Posts: 3594
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/24/05 - 16:25 Post subject:
| ShannonG wrote: | Are you sure it's not hypothyroidism? I had a Corgi that my vet was sure had Cushing's even after a single positive thyroid test (it's a double test). The Cushing's test came back negative and I left her untreated for over a year until another vet insisted I try thyroid medication, and she was like a new dog.
What are his symptoms? Hair loss? Weight gain? Bulgy eyes? LEthargy? |
That's the thing--he has no symptoms! No polyuria, polydipsia. No hair loss, no weight gain (he's been becoming more and more picky eating-he's really skinny now.) No bulging eyes, no lethargy.
He's gotten increasingly crabby and snarly with the other dogs. Other than that, and his legs failing him because he's run around over doing it.
He has really bad ragweed allergies that will kick in around August. He's on year allergy shots and some oral meds for this, and we increase these meds starting now and then into allergy season.
I'm still undecided about this med.
Dawg, this dog doesn't know the word walk. Hopefully when he goes, it will be with a heart attack as he chases a deer around the property.
Sheldon, this dog is my baybee. If I sleep on the couch, he sleeps on the couch. When he was small, he had to wear a bell because he was under my feet so much. 
|
|
|
|
|
ShannonG
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 20 Mar 2003
Posts: 4858
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/24/05 - 16:28 Post subject:
If he has no symptoms I wouldn't even bother. Unless he's uncomfortable, don't go there.
|
|
|
|
