Health update – Cushing’s Disease

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blood tests, Cushing's Disease, Faith, Griffon, Papillon

It’s been a while since I told you how I’m doing. I’m having blood tests very regularly because Mum and Dad, and Brendon the vet, can’t get my Cushing’s Disease under control. I’ve just gone up to 120mg twice a day, which is a big dose. I’ll have blood tests again in a fortnight.

The Cushing’s makes me itchy, so I have an anti-itch injection once a month. Dad took me to get groomed last week, to help stop me itching as we head into summer. Now my coat is very short it’s much more obvious what a barrel I am – a round tummy is one of the side effects of Cushing’s. I’ve got tiny little legs though!

My pills cost a huge amount every month now; with blood tests, pills and so one, the bill is always $1,00+ a month. Mum and Dad say it’s a very good thing they love me.

I’m still happy and yappy and full of beans. I turned 14 in October so, like most pensioners I rest a lot but that’s ok. Here is a photo of my new look (the bare patches on my neck are from blood tests):

My health & chicken chasing

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chickens, Cushing's Disease, Griffon, health, Papillon, Vetmedin, Vetoryl

It’s been a while since Mum updated you, so here goes.

We’re having trouble keeping my Cushing’s under control, so my meds have more than doubled since last time we wrote. I’m having more blood tests on Tuesday and, if the amount I am drinking is any indication, the dose will be increasing again. Mum says it’s a very good thing we have pet insurance because all my pills now cost almost $500 a month, and that’s without other vet costs including al the blood tests. As the vet, Brendon, said “I’m a lucky girl!”.

“Not our chickens” are looking very grown up. The rooster is beautiful; at night he sleeps on the fence opposite the back door. The hens pull a branch down and sleep on the leaves and he sleeps just above them. Sometimes I catch them inside the gate and then I chase the rooster. He keeps just in front of me, and I run around yapping excitedly. Mum says he’s not scared of me. Whatever … it’s a fun game even if I do get a bit tired out and need a nap afterwards.

 

I’m doing well

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chickens, Cushing's Disease, Faith, Griffon, health, Papillon

I’m doing well on my revised Cushing’s medication – yappy, happy and less sleepy than I was. My vet, Brendan, has tried me on a monthly injection instead of daily tablets for my super itchy skin – a side effect of Cushings – and that’s helped too.

My chickens are quite big now and I’m more relaxed about them, but still pretty fascinated.

It’s almost Easter so Dad is having a few Hot X Buns. I think they smell great but they’ve got sultanas in them. Yuk!! I won’t touch them…or anything like them.

Cushing’s Disease update

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Cushing's Disease, Faith, Griffon, heart, Papillon, vet, Vetmedin, Vetoryl

My appointment at the vets went ok. Turns out my Cushing’s was a bit out of control so my meds have been increased by 50%. Thank dog Mum and Dad have pet insurance for me because I cost a lot to run 😉

I’m a little less sleepy now, which is good, and not quite so itchy but we can’t tell if that s the meds or the super short haircut…

In the meantime “not our chickens” have got really big and one of the chooks is sitting on 9 eggs so chicken tv is set to continue for a couple of months yet.

Looking out the car window at the vets

Chickens and vets

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chickens, Cushing's Disease, eyes, Faith, health, old dogs, vet

I loved having the chooks from across the road visit and then a MAGIC thing happened – they had babies. Oh my!! I love the chickens and spend literally hours lying at the gate watching them. One came over the gate and, despite being ancient and creaky, I chased it all round the yard 😉

I’ve been doing ok, but the hot weather makes me super itchy and I scratch all the time. The itchiness is a side effect of my Cushing’s Disease. I have a vet appointment tomorrow and both Mum and Dad are coming with me. Something about “balancing quality of life versus quantity” because Mum thinks I need more anti-itch medicine even if it makes my Cushings deteriorate faster. On Friday I am getting a full groom to cool me off so hopefully I itch less.

I sleep heaps now, and sometimes I’m a bit hard to wake. My bad eye is cloudier than it used to be and I have trouble seeing so I won’t go pee at night unless the security light is on because I can’t judge the back steps properly. But I can still yap excitedly when the fancy takes me, so life’s pretty good really.

 

Doing well

Tags

Faith, Griffon, health, heart, medicine, sleep

I have settled on the higher dose of medicine for my Cushings and seem much better. I play hard some of the time, yap at the chooks when they come to visit from the neighbours, and have a great appetite. I do sleep a lot but I’m old with lots of things wrong with me, so that’s ok. Yay for the vets 🙂

Mum took my photo while I was yawning – very rude of her…

My latest blood tests

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Cushing's Disease, Faith, Griffon, health, Papillon, vet, Vetoryl

I had routine blood tests last week. It’s a few months since the vet wanted them done because my Cushing’s Disease has been well controlled. It’s not well controlled any more so Mum & Dad have agreed with the vet that my medication has to be doubled. Vetoryl does have some risks, but so does the Cushings.

I’m 12 years old and have Cushing’s Disease, heart disease, a dodgy liver and pancreas, two luxating patella and one eye that has age-related issues. Depsite all that, the vet commented I’m remarkably healthy and perky. So it’s well worth increasing the medication and seeing how things go.

When Mum comes home at night I play hard for a while, I bark to keep the street under control, and my tail is always wagging – so life’s pretty good!

 

Doing better

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animals, bath, ears, Faith, Goldie, grooming, health

My catsister, Goldie, has her voice back & I guess that’s a good thing. On Tuesday she is going to the vet for an ‘old cat’ checkup before they remove some of her teeth on Wednesday. Mum and Dad said I have to be nice to her. Whatever…

I am feeling a lot better now I’m less itchy and my ears aren’t so sore. I went to The Dog Box and they have me a good trim, especially my ears because Mum couldn’t see where she was putting the medicine. I had a bath again today and then Mum dried me a bit with the hairdryer because it’s still winter and I’m old.

Mum’s friend Sandra stayed the night on Friday and she had her Malshi, Bruno, with her. I’m not scared of Bruno and *almost* played with him … almost!

We both went to the vets

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animals, Cushing's Disease, dementia in cats, Faith, Feline Dementia, health, laryngitis, teeth, vet

Goldie and I are typical old age pensioners – sometimes we need medical help! In the last couple of weeks we have both been to the vets. I had very itchy skin again, and sore ears; the itchy skin is caused by the Cushing’s Disease so all we can do is manage it. My sore ears are almost better because Mum has been putting awful ointment in them. Yuk!

Goldie lost her meow and it turned out she has laryngitis, which she last had in 2015. The vet gave her an injection of antibiotics and B12 to make her feel better; she’s a bit louder already. She has some bad teeth so in a couple of weeks, when her throat is better, they will take them out so they don’t keep making her sick.

Mum is finding it weird that the cat has dementia so has been doing art journal pages about it, to get it out of her head.

My furry friend has dementia

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dementia in cats, Faith, Feline Dementia, Goldie, Griffon, old animals

Goldie is my friend except when she chases me and attacks me to practise her hunting skills. When she’s being nice, I am happy to share the sheepskin rug in front of the heater with her. Goldie is 13, a year older than me, and her brain is being bad. Mum says it Cat Dementia and we all have to be patient.

Mum and Dad have been sort of joking for a while that Goldie’s memory isn’t very good, so she had a big visit to the vet who said she is in good health except for one tooth that has a crack in it.

She’s had a cat flap for years but now she can’t work  it very well – she pushes at the flap a lot but doesn’t always come through, she just sits and cries instead. She does the same about her food – sits and cries until they pick her up and put her with her food. Other times, she manages the cat flap and food just fine.

She spends a lot more time inside too. She’s always been a talkative cat but she’s got a lot noisier, especially at night (kind of like ‘sun downing’ in humans with Alzheimer’s). She gets a bit disoriented too and sits in the hall calling us, as though she can’t figure out where we are.

Mum had a chat to the vet about whether Cat Dementia was a possibility and he said yes. Mum did some research and Goldie has about 80% of the symptoms cats tend to develop.

There’s no treatment but there are things Mum and Dad can do to help us all cope as she gets worse. We’re not doing anything yet, apart from opening the door a zillion times a day, but as she gets more confused Mum and Dad will start making a few changes. Poor Goldie, it’s a bit sad that my friend has a bad brain…