{"id":3424,"date":"2005-12-16T21:22:26","date_gmt":"2005-12-17T03:22:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/gazette\/2005\/12\/16\/abbye-diagnosed\/"},"modified":"2024-09-19T15:27:10","modified_gmt":"2024-09-19T20:27:10","slug":"abbye-diagnosed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/2005\/12\/16\/abbye-diagnosed\/","title":{"rendered":"Abbye Diagnosed"},"content":{"rendered":"

After more than a year of searching for an explanation of Abbye’s gradual hair loss, dulling of her coat, discolored skin and other less obvious symptoms, it appears we may finally have an answer. According to the results of a just-completed blood test, she is suffering from Cushing’s Syndrome, a condition that results from an excess of cortisol (also known as hydrocortisone), a hormone produced by the adrenal glands.<\/p>\n

Our next step is to figure out what’s causing the disease. The most common causes of this hyperadrenocorticism are normally-benign tumors of either the adrenal or pituitary glands. There’s another blood test that is used to distinguish between the two; Abbye’s scheduled for that on Monday.<\/p>\n

The presence of a tumor doesn’t necessarily mean that surgery will be required. There are some alternative non-invasive treatments. The prognosis is uncertain, however. Everything we can find so far is primarily anecdotal; there haven’t been any rigorous studies of how Cushing’s plays out in dogs over time.<\/p>\n

We certainly want to see Abbye’s physical symptoms improve, but I can’t help thinking that some of her behaviors — which up to now we’ve joked about as simply eccentricities — may also stem from this disorder. A malfunctioning adrenal gland has some definite psychological implications, which may explain her irrational fear of just about everything.<\/p>\n

We’re far from fully understanding what’s going on, but it’s a big step in the right direction, I think. Stay tuned…<\/p>\n

Here are some links we’ve found helpful:<\/p>\n