Cushings in a 9 year old retriever

Re: Cushings in a 9 year old retriever

Alan Tevendale — Tue, 05 May 2009 18:34:05 GMT

As far as I'm aware the cause of the hyperadrenocorticism has never been established in this case. I'll pass on all your helpful advice and keep you all updated.

Many thanks to everyone.

Alan

Re: Cushings in a 9 year old retriever

David Scarff — Fri, 01 May 2009 07:37:05 GMT

Hi, Vetoryl is not supposed to destroy adrenal tissue, but there are a number of reports of acute adrenal necrosis (fatal in some cases) following just a few doses. I have also seen this syndrome where there is apparent recovery; but would warn that this does not appear to be permanent in my experience. The difficulty is that clinical signs of hyperadrenocorticism (PUPD ,then skin, alopecia) can recur before the post ACTH cortisol level reaches diagnostic levels, and so the judgement of when to recommence Vetoryl treatment is difficult.

Re: Cushings in a 9 year old retriever

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:55:43 GMT

Was the cause of the hyperadrenocorticism diagnosed?

Re: Cushings in a 9 year old retriever

Alan Tevendale — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:56:09 GMT

As I say it's not actually my case but I've work with the vets involved before and most likely diagnosis would be based on biochem followed by ACTH stim.

Re: Cushings in a 9 year old retriever

Emma Jarratt — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:35:24 GMT

How was the dog originally diagnosed?

Re: Cushings in a 9 year old retriever

Ian Battersby — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:58:20 GMT

HI alan

I have seen and heard of other cases like you describe. Some become cushingiod again after a period of time off the drug other i have followed for a little while and they have remain non cushingoid. I have seen a dog become permenantly addisonal after vetoryl but i think in that case the drug was prescribed inappropiately.

I cannot explain why it happened in these cases due to limited investigation funds at the time but possible explaination are as follows

1- the dog may not be cushingiod

2- possibly an accumulative overdosage - that may reverse after stopping the drug

3- there are sparse anecdoctal reports of adrenal necrosis occuring whilst on treatment - weather it is a direct relation to the drug or not i cannot say

4- I think there was a case report in JVIM a while back of a dog that had developed thrombosis in its adrenal. subsequently it had gone from being cushingoid to addisional.

Hope that is of some help

All the best

Ian

Re: Cushings in a 9 year old retriever

Kevin Castle — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:42:59 GMT

We would occasionally get this in "the old days" when we used Mitotane for therapy - it would destroy sufficient adrenal gland so as not to need any further treatment. Never had this with Vetoryl which is not supposed to destroy adrenal tissue. I would question that initial diagnosis of cushings first.