As some of you remember Eve had to be spayed at 8yrs due to an open pyometra infection. I am upset as I *knew* of the cons of neutering, and suspected and knew about possible "underlying" health issues that may creep up once she stopped producing hormones. Alas I was correct in my assumption and was glad to go against the grain of typical neuter advice for so many years, but obviously had no choice but to spay her. I, in no way say it is the correct choice to NOT neuter one's pet as there are far too many unwanted pets and most pets should be neutured. In my case I knew there are risks of of keeping her intact(pyo) but it was obviously the correct one.
I suspect Eve is either cushionoid or hypothyroid. For years Eve has been low normal for hypothyroid, as in 0.3 away(recently) from abnormal... something that CAN be affected without the regulating hormones in the body that can no longer be produced.. she has also had symmetrical hairloss on her hocks for just as long. Her next 2 hypothyroid results always decreased by a 0.1 and so did her hock hair.
Fast forward to late Feb this year.. after Eve had been ill since Jan, the doc suspected Addison's and she was tested for it. She didnt come back addison's but again *borderline* fo Cushing's.. like .3 away from being cushing's per doc. this was BEFORE SPAY! I haven't had her tested yet or aything since her spay and she bounced back very quickly. She was brighteyed and bushytailed lol... and has gained a pound!!!
However, in the last 5-6wks she has lost a large amount of hair everywhere some symmetrical some not.. in some spots it looks like I closed my eyes and started hacking away! Her skin has become dried.. looks like she has a staph skin issue, she has been itching like crazy altho she is on hypo shots AND LID food for her food allergies. NONE of these symptoms have been apparent/appeared before her spay! No most if not all the hairloss is NOT due to her chewing because even when she was chewing she did not have such hairloss. Her drinking.. she has always drank a lot.. always.. but Im not sure if its my imagination or if she actually is drinking more.
I took her to her old vet in TX while I was home visiting as she had an eye infection and he was concerned for her and rec to see her reg vet here. He felt she "looked old" even tho she wasnt. He did tell me that she should be retested to see if she was cushionoid or not now that she has been spayed. He also mentioned I need to find out which kind of cushing's whether its the adrenal gland or whether it is a tumor... *sigh* And that it is very expensive to treat.
Anyone experience this? or have any advice? Could be both or just the one? Here are some pix so you can see for yourself what Im talking about. One before her spay.. she looks plump because of the infection.. and the last three are from last week and she has had NO haircut! Both girls are due for their yearly check up.. *sigh* Going to pull *my* hair out.. oh and notice the red tummy.. I am treating her topically.. I may have to change her diet again as her Natural balance makes her poop four times more in one sitting and after going thru a bag and a quarter of it she is now finally having more solid stools. Thanks everyone!!
I suspect Eve is either cushionoid or hypothyroid. For years Eve has been low normal for hypothyroid, as in 0.3 away(recently) from abnormal... something that CAN be affected without the regulating hormones in the body that can no longer be produced.. she has also had symmetrical hairloss on her hocks for just as long. Her next 2 hypothyroid results always decreased by a 0.1 and so did her hock hair.
Fast forward to late Feb this year.. after Eve had been ill since Jan, the doc suspected Addison's and she was tested for it. She didnt come back addison's but again *borderline* fo Cushing's.. like .3 away from being cushing's per doc. this was BEFORE SPAY! I haven't had her tested yet or aything since her spay and she bounced back very quickly. She was brighteyed and bushytailed lol... and has gained a pound!!!
However, in the last 5-6wks she has lost a large amount of hair everywhere some symmetrical some not.. in some spots it looks like I closed my eyes and started hacking away! Her skin has become dried.. looks like she has a staph skin issue, she has been itching like crazy altho she is on hypo shots AND LID food for her food allergies. NONE of these symptoms have been apparent/appeared before her spay! No most if not all the hairloss is NOT due to her chewing because even when she was chewing she did not have such hairloss. Her drinking.. she has always drank a lot.. always.. but Im not sure if its my imagination or if she actually is drinking more.
I took her to her old vet in TX while I was home visiting as she had an eye infection and he was concerned for her and rec to see her reg vet here. He felt she "looked old" even tho she wasnt. He did tell me that she should be retested to see if she was cushionoid or not now that she has been spayed. He also mentioned I need to find out which kind of cushing's whether its the adrenal gland or whether it is a tumor... *sigh* And that it is very expensive to treat.
Anyone experience this? or have any advice? Could be both or just the one? Here are some pix so you can see for yourself what Im talking about. One before her spay.. she looks plump because of the infection.. and the last three are from last week and she has had NO haircut! Both girls are due for their yearly check up.. *sigh* Going to pull *my* hair out.. oh and notice the red tummy.. I am treating her topically.. I may have to change her diet again as her Natural balance makes her poop four times more in one sitting and after going thru a bag and a quarter of it she is now finally having more solid stools. Thanks everyone!!