Marlin to the vet; Update #10

**Freedom** · 01-26-2011, 07:53 PM

I posted this on the cat side, as I already had a thread going about Chestnut's health issues.

I took Marlin in to the vet today at 2. He had blood work done as he is eating 3 times normal. Cushings Disease is a concern there. Bichons are prone to it and he has a LOT of the symptoms; I've marked the ones he has in purple:

The most common symptoms include:
• increased/excessive water consumption (polydipsia)
• increased/excessive urination (polyuria)
• urinary accidents in previously housetrained dogs
• increased/excessive appetite (polyphagia)
• appearance of food stealing/guarding, begging, trash dumping, etc.
• sagging, bloated, pot-bellied appearance
• weight gain or its appearance, due to fat redistribution
• loss of muscle mass, giving the appearance of weight loss
• bony, skull-like appearance of head
• exercise intolerance, lethargy, general or hind-leg weakness
• new reluctance to jump on furniture or people
• excess panting, seeking cool surfaces to rest on
• symmetrically thinning hair or baldness (alopecia) on torso
• other coat changes like dullness, dryness
• slow regrowth of hair after clipping
• thin, wrinkled, fragile, and/or darkly pigmented skin
• easily damaged/bruised skin that heals slowly
• hard, calcified lumps in the skin (calcinosis cutis)
• susceptibility to infections (especially skin and urinary)
• diabetes, pancreatitis, seizures

Plus he has a lump on his left rear leg, so she tapped that to have the lab check it. That lump came up quickly and is deep into the muscle, she wasn't able to get anything "visible" out. So may have to surgically remove it and test it that way.

We tried to catch a urine sample (also for the Cushing's), but this boy who pees every 10 steps on a walk didn't want to go!

I should have more info by Friday.

**cassiesmom** · 01-26-2011, 08:38 PM

Prayers for Darlin Marlin!

And a candle: http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/...g&cid=12544713

**K9karen** · 01-26-2011, 08:49 PM

Oh God, Sandie. I hope it's not Cushings. I nearly fainted when I read your post. Mz Logan had some symptoms 2x before but the tests were inconclusive. Just today, she started drinking like crazy and wanting to go constantly, even in the 8 inches of snow and ice. See, we are soul sisters. I was thrown for a loop. I'm going to wait another day. One time, the vet gave her antibiotics and she was back to normal. Anyway, this is about Marlin. I pray and hope the poor little guy is OK.

**Freedom** · 01-26-2011, 08:58 PM

Elyse, thanks for the candle!

Karen, I DO remember what you and Miz Logan went through. Hope she isn't going that route again. If she is getting UTI's, have you asked about a urine acidifier to try and stop those? Just a thought.

Bichons are prone to Cushings, and he has a lot of the symptoms. All we've done today was the blood tests; the specialized 2 hour test requires a reagent, and they are out of it at my vet. So depending on the lab results, we do that next.

I have to get a urine sample in, as UTI's go along w/ Cushing's. Couldn't do that today, as we are in the midst of a 10 inch snow storm.