Extreme Thirst

[heff101]

Will do.
If not watch for Heff on Kijiji!

LOL

 

[2BullyMama]

Ok so went to the pet store and we decided to try a grain free food sourced from a new protein. Lamb is the protein source now.
I truly think this is a food related problem.
My vet is extremely good and he ran all the proper tests and the blood work was sent to the University for testing.
So will start Heff on his new food transition tonight.

Hope it is just the food change that is needed. Best of luck and keep us posted

 

[kazzy220]

I'm glad you've changed food ... the Royal Canin is not a good food for them to be on. I do hope that it is the food because my immediate thought was Diabetes too.

 

[ChanelnBrutus]

Hope all goes well! The first thing I think of is diabeties but if the vet ran those test and negative then I would def try a better food and see how that goes! Please keep us posted..Royal Canin has a lot of fillers/grains that sometimes could cause issues...If it doesnt seem to get better I would take him back to the vet for addtnl tests to see what else it could be..In the meantime there is a thread for Food Reccomendations and it helped me pick the best food for Brutus! Hope all goes welll

 

[JeannieCO]

Poor guy. Our old dog Ace (non bully) started peeing in the house about 6 years ago. He never peed in the 7 years before that. It was consistent and continued until Januar when he passed. Over the last 2 years his water consumption dramatically increased. It was alarming - he was drinking like he hadn't had water before. About 3/4 years ago we had tested for Cushings Disease. It's a lengthy blood work up and sometimes, more often than not, they result come back negative. Ace took two blood works. While it's isn't curable, it is treatable. I'm throwing that out there because a lot of vets aren't familiar with Cushings Disease. Not to say that's what's up with Heff but it's something to look into. The water consumption is one of the biggest signs. Just Google it and check it out. There's lots of great articles out there for it and Bulldogs do get it.

Here's one I got from Bullwrinkle.

Cushing's Disease

Canine Cushing's Disease
Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cushing's Syndrome/Disease?

Cushing's syndrome and Cushing's disease in dogs, more accurately known as hyperadrenocorticism is the condition which occurs when the body produces too much hormone, particularly corticosteroids or cortisol.

​

What Causes Hyperadrenocorticism?

Cushing's syndrome (~15% of all cases of spontaneous hyperadrenocorticism) occurs as the result of a typically benign tumor of the adrenal gland, which causes the gland to secrete excessive amounts of cortisol.
Cushing's disease (~85% of all cases of spontaneous hyperadrenocorticsm) is cased by a typically benign tumor on the pituitary gland, which in turn results in an overproduction of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), the hormone which stimulates production of corticosteroids by the adrenal gland. Cushing's disease is also commonly referred to as Pituitary-Dependent Hyperadrenocorticism (PDH).
Iatrogenic Cushing's (non-spontaneous) occurs as the result of over administration of corticosteroids such as prednisone.

​

What are the Symptoms of Cushing's?

Typical physical symptoms include:

• Increased/excessive drinking (polydipsia or PD)
• Increased/excessive urination (polyuria or PU)
• Increased/excessive appetite (polyphagia)
• enlarged, distended abdomen
• muscle weakness (most commonly in the back legs)
• thinning hair (alopecia--usually evenly distributed) and lack of new hair growth
• thinning skin
• "skull-like" appearance of head
• hyperpigmentation of skin
• calcified skin bumps
• obesity
• chronic or frequent infections (most notably pancreatitis, urinary tract infections, strep throat, and staph infections)

Behavioral symptoms include:

• lethargy/decreased activity
• increased panting
• seeking out of cool sleeping surfaces (bathroom tiles, etc.)
• disturbance of the sleep/wake pattern (increased sleeping during the day, restlessness at night)
• decreased interaction with owners

How is Cushing's Diagnosed?

As part of a veterinarian's examination, a complete blood count and chemistry panel may be run. Elevated white blood cell counts (especially neutrophils), elevated liver enzymes (particularly alkaline phosphatase), and elevated cholesteral levels in conjunction with clinical symptoms, suggest that Cushing's may be present and indicate a need for further, more specific testing.
To confirm Cushing's, a low-dose dexamethasone test may be done. As part of this test, a blood sample is drawn to measure the baseline (or pre-test) blood cortisol level. Next, an injection of dexamethasone is given. Four to 8 hours later, a second blood sample is drawn to see if the dexamethasone was able to suppress the body cortisol level. In a normal dog, dexamethasone does suppress cortisol levels in the blood. In Cushinoid dogs, cortisol-production suppression does not occur. Thus, a definitive diagnosis is confirmed.

Another commonly used test is the ACTH stimulation test. In this test, ACTH--the adrenal gland-stimulating hormone produced by the pituitary gland--is used instead of dexamethasone.
Another less commonly used, and less well-regarded test is the measurement of the urine cortisol/creatinine ratio.
To confirm the type of Cushing's present, a high-dose dexamethasone suppression test may be run. Most dogs with pituitary tumors will have cortisol suppression on this test. High-dose dexamethasone will have little to no effect on an adrenal tumor.
When the results of a high-dose dexamethasone suppression test are inconclusive (i.e., 49-51% suppression), follow-up x-rays and/or ultrasonography can help reveal the presence or absence of an adrenal gland tumor.

What are the Treatments for Cushing's?
Lysodren (o,p'-DDD or Mitotane) is the most commonly prescribed drug for treating Cushing's Disease (Pituitary Dependent Hyperadrenocorticism). It works by destroying the outer layer of the adrenal glands (adrenal cortices), thus limiting their ability to produce cortisol in response to the ACTH signals of the hyperactive pituitary gland.
Loading Dose. Treatment begins with a "Loading Dose" of Lysodren. The dog is given a large, daily or twice daily dose of Lysodren until a response is seen. The typical response begins with a diminished water intake and/or a diminished appetite, but can also include diarrhea, vomiting, and lethargy. The typical loading period is 6 to 9 days, however, it is crucial that the owner monitor the dog's water and food consumption and observe the dog's behavior as it is possible for the dog to have an extreme response which requires the intervention of a veterinarian. Often, the monitoring vet will prescribe prednisone to keep on hand in case of an extreme reaction. Some vets chose to administer prednisone in conjunction with Lysodren during the loading doses, in order to fend off an adverse reaction.

Maintenance Therapy. Lysodren therapy continues with a weekly or twice-weekly dosage of Lysodren to keep the adrenal cortices killed back. The weekly dosage generally begins at the same level as the daily loading dose, but it is often adjusted as the individual dog's response to the drug indicates.

ACTH stimulation tests may be recommended periodically (every 3 to 6 months, generally) to monitor the progress of Lysodren therapy.

 

[heff101]

We changed his food and so far seems to be improving. Will take 1 week to fully transition.

 

[heff101]

Well I am happy to report that big dumbazz Heff has fully transitioned to a new food (TOTW Sierra Mountain) and is doing extremely well on it. His drinking is pretty much gotten back to normal and he is no longer getting up 5-8 times a night!
I had tried him on another food which made him really sick (Oven Baked Tradition). One night he threw up several times. This one I pretty much decide to fully transition him in 3 days. I figured I would rather deal with the squirts for a few days then see him suffering so bad on the Royal Canine food. Surprisingly he never got the squirts and is no longer eating his poop either! So now he only stinks from one end instead of two!
I am also wetting his food down and adding some Colloidal silver to it.
The reason I picked TOTW is two parts. 1 its a totally different source of protein (lamb) and 2 it is grain free. So hopefully he keeps improving. His bratty ole self is back as well. I was putting together a smoker this morning on the deck and his big head of course always had to be in the way. lol

 

[Davidh]

So happy to hear he is doing better on the new food.

 

[JeannieCO]

WOW that's great to hear that he's back to normal and that the food switch did it.

 

[2BullyMama]

Well I am happy to report that big dumbazz Heff has fully transitioned to a new food (TOTW Sierra Mountain) and is doing extremely well on it. His drinking is pretty much gotten back to normal and he is no longer getting up 5-8 times a night!
I had tried him on another food which made him really sick (Oven Baked Tradition). One night he threw up several times. This one I pretty much decide to fully transition him in 3 days. I figured I would rather deal with the squirts for a few days then see him suffering so bad on the Royal Canine food. Surprisingly he never got the squirts and is no longer eating his poop either! So now he only stinks from one end instead of two!
I am also wetting his food down and adding some Colloidal silver to it.
The reason I picked TOTW is two parts. 1 its a totally different source of protein (lamb) and 2 it is grain free. So hopefully he keeps improving. His bratty ole self is back as well. I was putting together a smoker this morning on the deck and his big head of course always had to be in the way. lol

So happy he is doing so well..... yeah Heff

 

[kazzy220]

Amazing what a good diet can do!!!!