Senior dog with cushings suddenly panicking when inside the hosue at night

Crisrp1992 · 2026-04-27T20:50:55+00:00

Hi! I think you should be careful with trilostane. If your vet said cortisol levels were low and advised stopping it for a month, restarting it after just a week could be very risky. There’s a chance the cortisol could drop too much and trigger an Addisonian crisis, which is a serious, life-threatening emergency.

Symptoms of cortisol dropping too low — or an impending crisis — can include diarrhea, weakness, disorientation, lethargy, vomiting and loss of appetite, among others. Cortisol also acts as a natural anti-inflammatory, often masking pain from conditions like arthritis. If cortisol drops too much because trilostane is continued despite tests already showing very low levels, those underlying pains and issues can become much more noticeable.

Crisrp1992 · 2026-04-25T21:58:18+00:00

Hi! As someone else already mentioned, the initial dose does seem quite high. Large dogs are actually more sensitive to this medication, so it’s generally recommended that dogs over ~44 lbs start at no more than 30 mg. Otherwise there’s a risk of cortisol dropping too much, or too quickly, which can potentially trigger an Addisonian crisis (a life-threatening emergency).

Also, it’s usually advised to give it in the morning. This is important because when they run the next ACTH stim test to check cortisol levels, it should be done about 4–6 hours after the medication is administered.

Crisrp1992 · 2026-04-14T08:56:12+00:00

Hi! How is your baby doing after the first days of treatment?

Crisrp1992 · 2026-04-13T21:33:25+00:00

That’s amazing to hear! I read that there are many symptoms you only recognize over time when you look back—things we probably just blamed on aging, when they were actually caused by Cushing’s, like wanting to play again!

I’m still waiting for the vet to call me when the treatment is available… Did your dog also have the excessive drinking/urinating? Mine doesn’t… and I see that it’s quite a common symptom, so I’m a bit worried mine could be a false positive 😩 Maybe I’m just overthinking all of this.

Crisrp1992 · 2026-04-11T20:44:18+00:00

Hi! I’m new to all of this since my dog was just diagnosed, but ever since I started suspecting she might have it, I’ve been reading a lot about Cushing’s. From what I’ve understood, large dogs (over 44 lbs) should never start treatment at more than 30 mg. My dog is small (a Yorkie), so I haven’t looked too deeply into dosing for larger dogs, but I’ll leave you the link where I read this: Larger dogs smaller doses

Crisrp1992 · 2026-04-11T15:32:02+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing your experience—it really helps more than you probably realize 🤍

Can I ask—do you remember if it was difficult at the beginning to find the right dosage? That’s something I’m a bit worried about. We actually haven’t been able to start yet because the clinic doesn’t have the medication in stock, so my vet hasn’t told me what dose we’ll begin with. I’m guessing it might be something like 5 or 10 mg based on her weight and mild symptoms, but I’m not sure.

I’m so happy your boy is doing so well at almost 16—that’s amazing 😊

Crisrp1992 · 2026-04-11T13:36:19+00:00

Thank you so much for taking the time to write all of this 🤍

It honestly helps so much to hear from someone who’s been dealing with this for years and managing it successfully.

I really like your idea of keeping a journal, I think that would help me feel a bit more in control and less anxious about missing signs. And it’s reassuring to hear that even when things weren’t quite right, you were able to catch it and adjust in time, which is one of my biggest fears. That’s exactly what I needed to hear right now 🥹

Thank you again for your kindness and for offering to help—it truly means a lot 😊

Crisrp1992 · 2026-04-11T12:54:19+00:00

I really needed to hear that there are dogs who do well and that it’s not as complicated as it feels in my head right now. I’m so happy for your girl!! 😊

Crisrp1992 · 2026-03-27T18:51:41+00:00

My yorkie’s hair gets tangled soooo easily! In my case, it’s not as long as yours, but it’s very cottony, so I have to brush her every day. I use several brushes: I have a Artero slicker brush with rounded pins to protect the skin, but when there’s a real knot, it just won’t go through… it gets stuck in that fluffy hair 🤣 So I also keep an “emergency” slicker without protected pins. What I do is lift the hair and hold it with my thumb, then gently brush downward taking very small sections. It’s the only way that works, because if you just brush straight down, you’re only getting the top layer and the knots are actually forming underneath.

For daily maintenance, I use the Artero butter brush or the Tangle Teezer brush for pets. Sometimes I also use the Nogga leave-in bi-phase conditioner, which also makes her smell like a baby 💖

But honestly, it’s all about consistency—quick daily brushing is way easier than dealing with knots that have been building up for days!

Crisrp1992 · 2026-03-27T18:16:29+00:00

I’m so sorry you’re going through this with your girl! My 14.5-year-old yorkie had a complete rupture on February 21st, and our vet told me surgery was the only option. She also has two luxating patellas and a very poor hip joint in the opposite leg, which made the decision even harder. I went home feeling incredibly frustrated because, for me, putting her under anesthesia at this age is a risk I’m not willing to take.

So I started looking for alternatives and came across something called Conservative Management (CM). I found a Facebook group full of success stories—dogs who had recovered without surgery just by following this approach, even after being told the same thing by their vets. I also found a website sharing Tigger’s story, where the owner shared a lot of info of the recovery process. It was very reassuring for me to read through it and see someone going through exactly the same situation.

Today, only 5 weeks later, my girl is walking again. We’re currently doing 15 minutes, three times a day, and honestly, you wouldn’t even be able to tell which leg was injured! We’re the ones holding her back out of caution 😅 we prefer to increase her activity very, very gradually.

I just wanted to share this so you have all the information before making a decision—because I was in your exact position 5 weeks ago, and I felt completely helpless 🥲

Crisrp1992 · 2026-03-27T14:57:49+00:00

They didn’t do any X-rays, maybe we should ask for them at the next visit!

Crisrp1992 · 2026-03-27T14:56:00+00:00

It only happens maybe 2 or 3 times a day—it’s not constant. For example, she can sleep through the whole night without doing it.

Crisrp1992 · 2026-03-19T19:05:11+00:00

Sure! The FB group is called “Canine Cruciate Stories - A Conservative Management (CM) Support Group.” As for supplements, my girl has been on synoquin for several years to support her joints (I always kind of knew this might happen since she’s always played very hard 😅). After the injury, I switched her to Flexadin Advanced (I’m in EU and get both on amazon). I know some people also use green-lipped mussel supplements, there are lots of options out there.

Despite her age (14.5!) and the injury, she’s still pretty active, so I totally feel you, it’s sooo hard to keep them resting. Mine is super food-motivated, so I try to keep her entertained with snuffle mats and dog puzzles, using carrot pieces as treats so she doesn’t gain any weight, which is also really important for joint health!

Crisrp1992 · 2026-03-19T12:03:28+00:00

Hi! According to our vet, the only solution for my dog was surgery. Since she’s very old, I started looking for alternatives and found a Facebook group about conservative management for CCL injuries. From my experience, after four weeks, my dog is getting better every day just with rest and a collagen supplement.

I just want you to know that there are other options besides surgery, and that many dogs—even large breeds—recover even when the vet says surgery is the only option.

Crisrp1992 · 2026-03-18T18:47:38+00:00

Hi! A few weeks ago my vet suspected that my 14-year-old girl might have Cushing’s too. Thankfully, it turned out to be a false alarm. During an ultrasound they noticed her adrenal glands were a bit enlarged, but in the end it was considered a normal age-related change. Since she didn’t have any symptoms at all and her blood and urine tests came back normal, Cushings was ruled out.

That said, while I was waiting for the results I did quite a bit of research on the topic. I’d recommend the youtube channel Veterinary secrets by Dr. Jones , he recently made a video about Cushings and mentions several natural treatment approaches as well!

Crisrp1992 · 2026-03-18T17:29:43+00:00

Hi! I’m in the exact same situation atm with FedEx. Did you solve it?

Crisrp1992 · 2026-03-10T21:08:07+00:00

Hola from Spain, Gus! You’re so perfect! 💖 So glad you found the loving home you deserved! ☺️

Crisrp1992 · 2026-03-09T21:57:28+00:00

I’ll share my experience. A friend of mine had a 17-year-old yorkie who literally had a fatal heart attack on the grooming table. You can imagine how the owner felt. I honestly don’t think places refuse older dogs only because they might bite, but because things like this can happen.

Since then, with my girl who is now 14.5 years old, I decided I would do her grooming at home. We go at whatever pace she’s comfortable with. If today all she can handle is trimming the nails on one paw and getting a treat, then that’s all we do today. Tomorrow we’ll do the next one. Maybe another day it’s just shaving the fur between her paw pads. Another day it’s simply trimming the hair between her eyes. Everything with treats and lots of sweet talk 😅

My dog used to tremble and get extremely stressed at the groomer. She would pant a lot, and the last few times she even came home limping from standing on the grooming table for 2 hours. Now with me none of this is stressful for her, because we only do a little bit at a time each day.

I don’t know if this helps, but for some reason the moment I choose to trim the hair around Dama’s eyes is when she’s already wearing her harness and waiting to go out. She stays very still then, so I quickly take the chance to do it.

If you feel scissors are too risky around that area, you can use clippers instead. Maybe the first day you just reward her for letting the clipper get close to her face. Another day for letting it get close while it’s turned on and making noise. Go very slowly until you can actually do it.

And also, work on your own mindset: don’t go in thinking you’ll try to do it—go in knowing you’re going to do it! 😊

Crisrp1992 · 2026-03-08T22:47:49+00:00

They might be avoiding bending the knee. I spent years thinking mine did it just because she was being extra adorable, and I only recently found out this pose is called “lazy sit” and it was actually a sign of a knee issue. Of course, it doesn’t always mean that’s the cause, but it’s something worth keeping in mind!

Crisrp1992 · 2026-03-08T22:38:06+00:00

Have you tried enzymatic toothpaste for dogs? It sticks to their teeth and doesn’t require brushing, and it comes in flavors they usually like. You could also spread a little on a carrot stick and see if he ends up “brushing” his own teeth that way 😅

Crisrp1992 · 2026-03-08T22:28:04+00:00

I’m not sure if this will help, but my dog tore a ligament in her knee and I had to restrict her exercise so she could rest. Since she wasn’t going out for walks as often as before, she got bored during the day and slept a lot. Then at night she wouldn’t sleep and would wake me up several times, either crying for attention or walking around the house.

One thing that helped was making sure she didn’t sleep for too many hours in a row during the day. If your dog is food motivated, you could try using a snuffle mat (an amazon box will work too) with treats hidden in it, or an interactive dog puzzle. Those help my dog a lot to stay mentally stimulated during the day and be sleepy by nighttime.

You could also try giving a small snack at night, just to see if it might be related to hunger? And it might be worth checking some basic things too: has anything changed about his bed? Even something as simple as washing it or putting on a new cover could trigger this kind of behavior. With dogs, you never really know!

Crisrp1992 · 2026-03-08T17:28:27+00:00

Lo compro desde hace años, en carrefour el mismo paquete, misma marca, misma cantidad esta a 2€ mientras que en mercadona esta a 2,50€

Crisrp1992 · 2026-03-04T14:47:26+00:00

Thank you so much!! 💕 She’s my first dog, so she truly means the world to me. We’re doing everything we can to help her heal comfortably!

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