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Ripped off? No - you were the right person at the right time to be there for Twister. Yes, he is going through a lot. No, it is not fair - at all. BUT: look at each day at a time and then multiply those by all the days that you've been blessed by that neurotic best friend of yours. Long after Twister is gone (and eating God's daisies - but not the doggie grass) you will be able to look back and remember. If life had been smooth sailing, all those little things that have given you so much would have been overlooked..... I have no answers for your current dilema - just wanted you to know that I am thinking of the pair of you and sending good karma thoughts your way. C.

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Loop, I am so sorry to hear about Twister's having another hurdle to face. I have tried to post twice in here and both times my computer crashed...so, I'll keep it short. Check out a website called vetinfo4dogs Dr. Michael Richards has some information that might help you guys out. Twister is a favourite among many of Petsmo members, because he's still got that character (easy to see how much love there is going on between you, in the pics in your gallery) As Gintz says, you guys were meant to share some time together, and when the time comes to say goodbye, although it will hurt like hell, you must remember the good memories because they far outweight the hurt of losing someone you care so much about. I wish there was something we could to help, but please know that we are sending you our best, and our thoughts are with you for some good news. Bless your beautiful Dog, and keep your chin up. Give him a hug from all of us here at Petsmo.

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Loop, I am so sorry to hear about Twister But in no way should you feel ripped off! Although, I know that feeling... I had the same reaction when Reilly & Holly got sick. BUT Twister & you were meant to be together! He may not live to a ripe old age & you may not have as much time together as you'd like, BUT think of it this way -- For the time that he IS here, you are lucky enough to have him in your life & he is blessed to have you in his life. Cash & I send you lots of hugs & kisses (extra slobbery kisses from Cash). Some links that may help: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?articleid=416... http://www.kateconnick.com/library/cushingsdisease.ht... http://www.petshealth.com/dr_library/cushing.html http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/cushings.aspx Keep us posted on your progress please.

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Thank you for your kind words... :) I was suppose to get the results of his blood work today...so... rather than calling to get them...I left work early and went home, got my old pal, and we went on a road trip...a road trip that SHOULD have taken about 4 or 5 hours...but instead...took 9 ...sweet times on the freeway by Chilliwack today! (I really hope the people are ok) Twister REALLY enjoyed it...haha I always take a 10 litre container of water when we travel....and it sure came in hand today...he got to go pee, and have a shower...all on the middle of the freeway..haha..he refused to do "#2" though...he doesn't like anyone watching him do that.....can you blame him? Anyhow... I've read alot of the postings by Dr Michael Richards...those are the ones that have scared me so much! yikes! I will check all the links out, but for the next few days....we're just gonna hang out, play at the beach and spend some time just being together. The results will still be there next week...so they can wait....the beach, and all that sand that's never been rolled in yet....can't wait!! Thank you again for your kind words and support. When I figure out what path to take...I'll let you all know. Twister says thanks for the kisses, even though he doesn't kiss....he still likes gettin em! I've tried for SO long to get him to give me kiss...but he just won't...I've even resorted to tricking him but putting his licky bone by my face, then moving it....and everytime....he figures out what I'm doing and doesn't lick...haha he's such a turd

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Twister...go enjoy the beach boy !!! Loop, please don;t ever change your attitude towards life. As Kris and the others said, you are both so lucky to have found each other. Go enjoy this glorious weekend. Thanks Peeps for the thoughts for Twister and Loop. You guys 'ROCK'

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the beach was just what we needed

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Typical Twister: dig the hole for me, Mom!

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Twister is saying: "OK, you brought me to the beach...but I ain't going in there..." Loop cool picture, and like Gintz says...he has totally got you wrapped around his paws Does Twister like the water? or does he only go in so far? It's funny to see some Dogs just charging into the spray at the beach and others just running up and down in the surf at the edge of the beach almost as if they want to go join their adventurous buddies but don't have the confidence to just take the plunge, so to speak.

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Twister LOVES the water,he'll jump into any body of water big enough for him to get right into... except a bath tub, he hates those things.. he'll go into a kiddy pool, but he much prefers a full size pool, which I found out by accident, in a very embarrassing situation...haha In the picture he's contemplating going back in for another round (he bolted back in shortly after the picture was taken) .... and the apple of my eye beside him is really mocking him by digging the sand faster than Twister's able too... Every time Twister gets out of the water at this beach, he digs a hole, roles around in the sand, then apparently wants the sand off, so he heads back to the water....and so on, and so on....and...so on, and on and on and on..it's a cycle that's VERY hard to get away from without bringing half the beach home! I'm beginning to have a new found respect for rock only beaches! I also found out a few weeks ago not only does he love to try and catch the little fish along the shore, he LOVES to catch the big ones too....he's not picky either, he's not at all swayed from a fish that ALREADY being caught by someone fishing, hook already in and all. Luckily, the fisherman was very understanding, and even thanked Twister for killin the fish for him...haha.. we stay FAR AWAY from the people fishing now! The first time I took him to the beach was at the beach this picture was taken at.. we walked into the doggie beach, shut the gate, and ..while still attached to my arm via his hardness...he bolted.....and didn't stop till I was out far enough that I couldn't touch the bottom of the lake....fully clothed, and at busy dog beach...it was super, lemme tell ya...not at all embarrassing! I believe he was chasing the ducks, who flew out past us a wee bit later and mocked the pair of us!

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HA HA HA...I'd pay money to watch that video... I can imagine everyone laughing their heads off as Twister is heading for the water, and inside your head you're thinking... "Oh...Noooooo...!!!"...*SPLASH* And he has now added the title of supreme fish retreiver to his resume, what a talented Dog you are Twister Loop, you guys were meant for each other, life is just one serious of zany antics after another. What a character...is it any wonder people love him so much.

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Do not take Twister along any fishing river - LOL! Our dog, Sam, was a real menace back in his day: Sam was a lab/dalmation cross (what would the designer dog people call him? A labmation? LOL!) who could not resist ANY water. The call would ring out along the riverbank: DOG IN! as fishermen madly reeled in their lines..... Worst of it was that Sam loved to roll in dead fish - you know - naturally dead, spawned out salmon - yuck! I'll take the sand, any day! (Spoken as the kid who had to ride in the back with the dog!)

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haha, the fish thing was on the river (Fraser) at a fishing bar(beach) ..he loves it there, it's quite pretty and very peaceful too. a little off topic, but I'll get it back by the end, bare with me..haha my grandparents lived in Bella Coola when I was young, they had an old VW station wagon (not a van, a station wagon).... so, salmon fishing was a big thing.. they use to harness me to a tree, like a dog in a dog run, to "protect" me from lunging into the water...(and I wonder where Twister gets it from?haha) I was given a small stick and told it was my job to make sure the fish didn't move, once they were already caught...(give her a job, she'll keep busy and stay save theory) anyhow..one day, on the way home, I was sitting in the back seat by myself and there was a LARge salmon in the very back....I kept checking him out, like kids do...and all of a sudden..BLAMO... he flopped and flicked around, smacked my face and COVERED me, AND the entire back seat in fish blood (white interior) I screamed and then froze, couldn't move..didn't move...all the way home...grandpa didn't bother to stop and clean me up, he didn't think like that...haha anywho... fast forward to the next fishing trip... they're all catching fish...big ones, and tossing them up on the shore area where I'm tethered to the tree...like a dog.. this goes on for a few hours..and then they decide it's time to go home....they come up to find...no fish,none...not one fish, none in the bucket, none on the shore, none on the sand, ...none! I offered no explanation, or help. I just sat there...tethered to the tree...like a dog. it was a long, and very quiet trip home...and no dinner for me that night! Next day..they went back fishing...without me...and found, on the river bank....about 6 very big and VERY dead, half eaten salmon. Although an animal had now partially eaten them, it was very evident that it wasn't a small animal that had killed them orginally, as they were very "beaten up"... .. turns out...I was scared that I'd end up getting smacked again by a "dead" fish..so I was just making sure they were dead..but I did so by beating them into the sand..... now that I put this down, I feel a bit like a sick person, but I was only 5, and it wasn't about killing them, it was about self preservation!!...they were caught and going to be dinner , but they had to go in the car first, I was just protecting myself! right? Perhaps this is why Twister likes to catch fish?

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on the original topic.. I made the decision not to treat Twister for cushings at this time. My vet wasn't happy about this, and I'm currently looking for a new vet, perhaps one who deals in, or at least is open to the idea of alternative medicines... I came to this after aLOT of thinking about him, and what is best for him...not me.What I came to the conclusion is best for HIM, is to life his last days in peace. The risks involved in treating cushings are to high for me to take. As well, he has cancer, it can't be cured at this point, so I can't justify injecting him with medication that will do nothing more than lesson his panting, drinking of water and peeing.. those things don't bother me, and there's not causing him discomfort as far as I can tell. for now at least, I think I've made the best decision I can, given my current options. I just hope he thinks the same :o)

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On 7/9/2008 8:24:16 PM, Loop wrote: Has anyone on here had a dog with Cushing's? I'm so lost, I don't know what to do. I've spoken with our vet, I've tried a 2nd opinion, but I'm still no closer to deciding what to do. I've spent a lot of time on the internet looking for different opinions and the majority of what I've found lead me to think that treatment may not be the most humane option..as it's just done to curb the symtoms, rather than slow the disease, or "cure it. ( there is no cure). BUT then I keep thinking...maybe I've only found bad things because people who have had GOOD results don't feel the need to post their stories on the internet... There are so many factors..age, prior health issues...quality of life.... it's just so hard to know what to do! His liver is the thing I'm concerned about the most, has anyone tried milk thistle with any success in a dog with Cushing's? my poor old boy...we barely get over one hurdle as best we can, and another just rams us right in the choppers, sometimes life just isn't fair. I find myself getting very angry lately, it can't be helping either of us, but I just feel so ripped off! i'M SO VERY SORRY TO HEAR THAT BEAUTIFUL DOG HAS CUSHINGS. MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU BOTH. I HAVE A WONDERFUL VET , HIS NAME IS DR. BARKASY(no kidding) HE'S AT NEWTON ANIMAL HOSPITAL IN SURREY. HE MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU WITH AN ALTERNATIVE. HERE'S HIS NUMBER 604 596 7417. I HOPE HE CAN HELP. GOD BLESS .SHARI

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Loop, Twister...it's an absolute pleasure to have you in our midst. Thank you both for contributing so much to these forums, same goes for our regulars, who make this site such a wonderful place. Now, about the fish...

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I had a dog with Cushin's. I was told she would last 1 year. She lasted 4 years and died at age 14. My very put her on Lysodren. It took a while to get the dosing right and I watched her very closely to determine when I should change it. I watched how much water she was drinking. If she was drinking alot then I would increase by 1/4 pill. I think it was my constant watching that increased her life span. The drug wasn't too hard on her. You can give her predisone along with it if there are problems but I only had to do that once or twice. Then she decided she didn't want to take her pills anymore. She was ready to move on. About 4 months later I had to put her down. Their personality WILL change once that tumor grows too big. The only way I could get her comfortable was to take her for a drive and let the A/C blow in her face. She would fall asleep in my arms and we would go home and we slept on the couch until she woke up again. I ended up going on a leave of absence to be with her during this time. When I realized she wasn't my Topspin anymore I knew it was time. The lysodren will keep the tumor from growing. It works. Just watch your dog and you will know what to do. I have her lysodren once a week. I would order it from canada because it is much cheaper. Through my vet it was $7 a pill. I could get them for about $3 a pill online in Canada. Good luck. I highly recommend lysodren with yearly bloodwork to see if it is under control. It's an expensive test but our friends are worth it.

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Hello I'm not sure if I am to late to be of any help, but just to let you know there are some things you can do for Cushings disease, LOW protein food is one , I downloaded an ebook and will try to find it . Our baby has gone to the other side of the Rainbow Bridge just awhile ago and in anger I deleted the book . I will try and recover it as they gave some recipes to help . Sorry but the prognosis is not good. Dr Burton is our vet and he was so understanding and admitted there is NO cure just do your best . You have my support . Marie