# My Dog has Cushings Disease.  Has anyone had a dog with Cushings?



## Sandy VDH (Jan 10, 2009)

There are two types of Cushings, Adrenal (which is an expensive operation (2- 3K) or pituitary (treated with Cancer Medicine - Lysodren).  More info on cushings....http://www.kateconnick.com/library/cushingsdisease.html

My dog has the pituitary version which is most common (80% of cases) but they dog now has to go on a human cancer medicine. (I had to buy at a pharmacy, interesting, the patient's name on the prescription says Jasmine "K9" Lovell.

Has anyone else had a dog with cushings.  The medicine is going to make them initially sick, but I am trying to get an idea of how sick is sick?


----------



## DebBrown (Jan 10, 2009)

I have no experience with this but we did have a dog with Addison's disease.  I found an online Canadian pharmacy where I could order her meds for a fraction of the cost here in the US.  You may want to do an internet search to see if you can find a good deal.  I'm assuming she isn't covered by insurance.

Good luck to you!  I hopen Jasmine feels better soon.

Deb


----------



## Fletcher921 (Jan 10, 2009)

*Atypical cushings disease.*

Our doxie Taco came down with diabetes in May last year.  We couldn't get the insulin regulated.  We finally discovered a few months back that she also has atypical cushings.  See this link.  Great forum to ask questions:

http://caninecushings.net/

They are offline for some reason right now - but very helpful.

We didn't have any problems while Taco was "loading" with lysodren.  It took about 2 1/2 weeks as I recall.  You must watch very carefully and get her to the vet the minute anything changes in her physiology or behavior.  For Taco she became really 'clingy' one day.  Now, she takes a maintenance dose - 1/4 a pilll 2 x a week.  Works like a charm.

We also give her 3 mg of melatonin twice a day - really helped with her urinary issues - not sure whether they were caused from the diabetes alone or if the cushings exasperated the problem.

Send me a pm if you want to chat more about it.


----------



## Sandy VDH (Jan 10, 2009)

DebBrown said:


> I have no experience with this but we did have a dog with Addison's disease.  I found an online Canadian pharmacy where I could order her meds for a fraction of the cost here in the US.  You may want to do an internet search to see if you can find a good deal.  I'm assuming she isn't covered by insurance.
> 
> Good luck to you!  I hopen Jasmine feels better soon.
> 
> Deb



I'm even Canadian.  I had not thought of that.  I have parents who are visiting in 2 weeks, perhaps they can purchase the next dosage for her.

Thanks for the idea.

No insurance.  Yes I wish I bought it for this pet, she needed it.  My younger dog, did not need it at all.  Hindsight is 20/20.


----------



## Fletcher921 (Jan 10, 2009)

Although the initial cost of the lysodren is expensive - keep in mind that the maintainance dose is usually very low.  Ours took 1/4 pill twice a day then dropped to the 1/4 a pill twice a week.


----------



## Sandy VDH (Jan 10, 2009)

Yes, but at over $5 a pill, anything has to be an improvement.  The initial dosage is 1 1/4 pills twice a day.  For 65 lb dog, I expect the maintenance pills to still be a large enough quantity that perhaps the next batch can be purchased in Canada. 

What is the weight of your dog at 1/4 pill twice a week?


----------



## Fletcher921 (Jan 10, 2009)

Sandy Lovell said:


> Yes, but at over $5 a pill, anything has to be an.    improvement.  The initial dosage is 1 1/4 pills twice a day.  For 65 lb dog, I expect the maintenance pills to still be a large enough quantity that perhaps the next batch can be purchased in Canada.
> 
> What is the weight of your dog at 1/4 pill twice a week?



Oh yes, bigger dog, bigger dose.  Taco (the queen weiner) was a massive 12 pounds before getting sick.  She is a little thing now - can't put the weight back on - 7 pounds now.  

We filled the prescription at Costco - I guess it was about $5 a pill.

Good luck with your dog.  Be persistant.


----------



## Sandy VDH (Jan 10, 2009)

Thanks that is the info I needed.  I too filled it at costco for $5.20 per pill.

So knowing that you went from 1/4 pill twice a day to a 1/4 pill twice a week.  If my dog stays at the same distribution, that would be 1 1/4 pills twice a day to 1 1/4 twice a week. That would be $13 a day for the initial onboarding period (just over $100) then it would drop down to $13 week. Still that is almost $700 a year in medicine just maintaining the dog.  

Certainly worth looking at a cheaper alternative.


----------



## Fletcher921 (Jan 10, 2009)

Defintely ask about cheapest place to get Lysodren on that canine cushings forum.  They have been so helpful with all my many questions over the last 6 months.


----------



## Ginny (Jan 10, 2009)

You might check on the cost of the meds through Walgreen's Prescription Saving Club to see if it would save you money. They cover some pet medications!

Unfortunately, it's too late for me -- last year I was  paying a huge amount monthly for my cat's illnesses, (diabetes, thyroid, adrenal tumor), and he has since died --  but I just saw their brochure when I was there recently.

See article below:

"Walgreens Prescription Savings Club also covers hundreds of pet medications for substantial savings compared to prices found at many veterinarian offices"

http://news.walgreens.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=5043


----------



## Sandy VDH (Jan 10, 2009)

Ginny said:


> You might check on the cost of the meds through Walgreen's Prescription Saving Club to see if it would save you money. They cover some pet medications!



Thanks Walgreens ends up being a little bit more expensive than Costco.

Costco has the same program for people without prescription coverage.  Costco's cost was $5.20 per pill.  1800Petmeds charges $8.79 per pill.  Walgreens $4.89 + $35 per year charge, would make it about $5.24 per year. Canadian Pharmacy is $4.39 to to $5.16 per pill. 

Saving about $0.80 per pill doesn't seem like a big savings but if you have to about a 100 pills a year it does.

My Vet doesn't even carry this medicine, since it is a Human Cancer medicine.


----------



## DebBrown (Jan 10, 2009)

I found this site:  www.pharmacychecker.com that compares prices.  I didn't see any real bargains but you might want to check it out.

Deb


----------



## stugy (Jan 11, 2009)

My beloved Scottish Terrier, Jesse was diagnosed with Cushings several years ago.  We had to order his meds from 1800 Pet Meds and it was not cheap.  It also made him sick and then we had to give him steroids to counteract the meds.  Our Scottish Terrier club felt the meds from the UK were much better and not as toxic, but our vet said he could not order them if there was not something available in the US.  Sadly, he then got sick from the pet food poisoning and died.  My little fellow, I still miss him deeply.  I hope I never again have to deal with this disease.  Good luck and God bless you.
Pat


----------



## Sandy VDH (Jan 16, 2009)

Jasmine seems to be doing remarkable well on the meds so far.  No side effects at all during the loading period.  Today was day 6 of loading, and not change in appetite, water consumption, listlessness, or vomiting.  She is acting like she normally acts.

We have 2 more days of the Lysodren loading, then she goes to the vet for blood work to be retested, it is after that when she is likely to go into maintenance mode for Lysodren.

I was very scared about the medicine as you are basically poisoning your dog.  Well Lysodren in a cancer medicine and it is not always great what happens to the individual who is being treated for cancer.  You sometimes wonder if the cure is worse than the disease.


----------



## Fletcher921 (Feb 2, 2009)

How is your Jasmine doing - have you been able to start her on a maintenance dose?  You staying sane??  It can be very emotionally consuming.  I hope all is well.


----------



## Sandy VDH (Feb 2, 2009)

She never really showed any signs but she got overloaded even after we stopped 1 day short of her full loading.  She is on cortisone for a about a 10 - 14 day period, which she is in the middle of.  I will have to go back for the $200 blood test again, to see where her level is at, if it is within range, we then we go to maintenance mode.  I guess we wait a bit longer if it is not bounced back yet.


----------



## Fletcher921 (Feb 2, 2009)

Stay strong!


----------

