Treatment

Most veterinarians treat both adrenal- and pituitary-dependent Cushing’s disease with medication. The only way to “cure” Cushing’s disease is to remove the adrenal tumor if the disease is adrenal-dependent and the tumor hasn’t spread, says Stohlman. However, because of the complexity and risks of the surgery, most cases are treated with medication. Surgical techniques to remove pituitary tumors in dogs are being studied, but surgery is not a widely available option.

Although Cushing’s is typically a lifelong condition, the disease usually can be managed with medications. “It’s important for a veterinarian to see the dog regularly and do blood tests,” Stohlman says. “Monitoring the blood helps determine the right dose, which may need to be adjusted periodically.”

Frequent blood tests are usually required in the first few months after starting treatment and then every few months after that, depending on the dog’s response to treatment and tolerance to the medication.

Vetoryl (trilostane) Capsules, the latest drug approved to treat canine Cushing’s, is also the first drug approved to treat both pituitary- and adrenal-dependent Cushing’s in dogs. This prescription drug works by stopping the production of cortisol in the adrenal glands. In studies of the drug, the most common side effects were vomiting, lack of energy, diarrhea, and weight loss. Vetoryl should not be given to a dog that

• has kidney or liver disease
• takes certain medications used to treat heart disease
• is pregnant

The safety and effectiveness of Vetoryl were shown in several studies. Success was measured by improvements in both blood test results and physical symptoms (normal appetite and activity level, and decreased panting, thirst and urination).

Only one other drug, Anipryl (selegiline), is FDA-approved to treat Cushing’s disease in dogs, but only to treat uncomplicated, pituitary-dependent Cushing’s.

Veterinarians have often used a human chemotherapy drug, Lysodren (mitotane), “off-label” to treat Cushing’s in dogs. Lysodren destroys the layers of the adrenal gland that produce cortisol. It requires careful monitoring and can have severe side effects.

“Off-label,” or “extra-label,” means veterinarians can legally prescribe human drugs to animals for uses not listed on the label, or for other species or at different dosage levels from those listed on the label. But because dogs may react unpredictably to human drugs, says Stohlman, it’s beneficial to have treatments available that have been studied in dogs and approved specifically for them.

“Treating Cushing’s is a balancing act,” Stohlman says. “But dogs with the disease can live a good life if they are monitored closely by a veterinarian and the owner is diligent about bringing the dog in for blood work and giving the medication as directed.”

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Four years ago a new drug was introduced for the treatment of Cushing Disease.  It has increased the survival of dogs with Cushing Disease tremendously.  If you have any experience with this disease, please comment below.

Many of our other presidents had dogs also.

1969 – 1974 Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon owned 4 dogs
Spaniel named (Checkers)
Irish Setter named (King Timahoe)
Terrier named (Pasha)
Poodle named (Vicky)
When he entered the White House a member of his staff gave him the Irish setter as a present, he chose the name King Timahoe, which he named for the little village in Ireland where his mother�s ancestors came from. Richard Nixon.

1974 – 1977 Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford owned a Golden Retriever named Liberty who gave birth to nine puppies at the White House.

1977 – 1981 Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter gave a dog as a gift to his daughter Amy. The dog was a mutt who was named Grits.

1981 – 1989 Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan owned two dogs, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Rex and a Bouvier des Flandres named Lucky. The President was photographed being dragged across the White House lawn by Lucky in the presence of Margaret Thatcher. A very undignified image for the President of the USA. Lucky was sent to live in California leaving Rex by himself, the little Cavalier King Charles Spaniel at the White House.

1989 – 1993 George H W Bush
George H W Bush owned a Springer Spaniel named Millie and her puppy named Ranger. “Millie”, the Springer Spaniel, was the subject of a book which has sold more copies than the autobiography of George Bush himself.

1993 – 2001  President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton owned a chocolate Labrador named Buddy
The TV cameras once caught him relieving himself on the carpet! Buddy was barely in the White House a month before Newsweek proclaimed, �At last, a friend who can�t testify against him.�

2000 – 2008 President George W Bush
President George W Bush’s dogs include a Scottish terrier named Barney and an English Springer spaniel called Spot. Spot was named after Scott Fletcher, a former Texas Rangers baseball player. President Bush’s dog Spot has the distinction of being the only dog to live in the White House during two administrations. Spot was born to Millie, George H.W. Bush’s dog, when George H.W. Bush was President. Spot was given to his son George W. Bush who returned the Terrier to the White House for his term in office.

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Cushing’s disease (hyperadrenocorticism) is the overproduction of the hormone cortisol by the adrenal glands that are located in the belly near the kidneys. Cushing’s disease occurs commonly in dogs. Most dogs with Cushing’s disease are about 6 years old or older but sometimes Cushing’s disease occurs in younger dogs. Cortisol affects the function of many organs in the body, so the signs of Cushing’s disease may be varied. Some of the more common signs of Cushing’s disease include hair loss, pot-bellied appearance, increased appetite, and increased drinking and urination called polydipsia and polyuria (PU/PD). Hair loss caused by Cushing’s disease occurs primarily on the body, sparing the head and legs. The skin is not usually itchy as it is with other skin diseases. If you pick up a fold of skin on a dog with Cushing’s disease, you may notice that the skin is thinner than normal. The pet may have fragile blood vessels and may bruise easily.

Less common signs of Cushing’s disease are weakness, panting, and an abnormal way of walking (stiff or standing or walking with the paws knuckled over). Some dogs with Cushing’s disease develop a blood clot to the lungs and show a rapid onset of difficulty breathing.

Dogs that are given prednisone or similar drugs can develop signs that look like Cushing’s disease (called iatrogenic Cushing’s).

There are two types of Cushing’s disease that are treated differently. The most common form of Cushing’s disease is caused by the overproduction of a hormone by the pituitary gland in the brain that in turn controls the amount of cortisol produced by the adrenal glands. This is called pituitary-dependent Cushing’s. A small percentage of dogs with Cushing’s disease have a tumor of one of the adrenal glands which is called adrenal-dependent Cushing’s.

There is no single test to diagnose Cushing’s disease. The history, physical exam, and results of initial blood and urine tests often provide a strong suspicion for the presence of Cushing’s disease. Laboratory tests that are most commonly altered by Cushing’s disease are an increase in white blood cell count, increase in the liver enzyme ALP (also called SAP or serum alkaline phosphatase), increased blood sugar (although not as high as the blood sugar levels of diabetic patients), increased cholesterol and dilute urine.

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I have never seen Cushing’s disease in Boston Terriers.  I am glad that the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University published this article so that I could learn to recognize Cushing’s disease in Boston Terriers and prevent problems in my dogs.  If you have any personal experience with Cushing’s disease in dogs, comment below.

 The increased circulation that dogs’ bodies receive during any basic full body massage session is equivalent to about a half-hour leisurely walk in the park. During a massage session, dogs also experience important psycho-social interactions. Massage enhances their trust quotient, strengthening their connection, their bond with their humans and as such, can be a vital part of behavior modification, education and training. The repetitive movements of a massage resonate with dogs’ need for the comfort they feel in routines.

Another benefit is that massage is a way to maintain an ongoing assessment of your dog. You will know how your dog’s body feels and responds to your touch. As you become more experienced and knowledgeable, you become more aware of how your dog is moving and acting. Any deviation that you notice from his established behavioral baseline is an indicator that there is some imbalance in his body. Any unfamiliar heat, shape, texture or reaction to your touch, may be a reason to pay closer attention and possibly seek your vet’s guidance.

Any touch, any massage is better than no massage. Massage has the intention of moving the parts of the body to effect beneficial change. We‘ve seen how basic massage is necessary for older or stay-at-home dogs. It helps in training and toning and socializing and balancing dogs of all ages. Sport dogs and competition dogs develop stronger, faster, more symmetrical bodies with massage. They also get fewer injuries and mend faster when they do.

Medical massage is especially effective in helping dogs in post traumatic, post surgery rehabilitation. It is presented as a type of gentle physical therapy. The work focuses primarily on the affected parts of the animal’s body. The orientation has a Western medical, mechanistic vision. That is, manipulation of a limb within a specific range and the application of specific techniques of strokes, will have the specific effects of causing X body part to experience a particular predetermined change. The results are measurable. The treatment requires that each of the participants work together in one of two roles, helper (the canine massage provider) and helpee (the dog). The canine massage practition-er works on the dog; the dog passively receives the work. This is probably the most attractive to those of us who were raised to be “doers” and “fixers” and “controllers.” As an RN, when I would change a dressing and apply a bandage, I was in the role of “doer-fixer-controller.” It was a great, productive feeling. But I now know there was something that could have enhanced the experience.

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I feel the benefits of massaging your Boston Terrier are numerous.  They helped my Rose the Boston Terrier  survive a disease process that nearly killed her.  We all massaged and helped keep her calm.  She survived for nearly three years after we were told that she probably wouldn’t live three months.  If your dog has benefited from massage, please tell me about it.

Canine distemper is a viral disease, a contagious disease that can be passed from one dog to another, usually through the aerosolization of respiratory secretions that occurs when an infected dog coughs. In previous times, canine distemper was a commonly seen disease and was frequently fatal for infected dogs. Dogs that do recover may make a partial or full recovery from the disease.

Canine distemper virus can infect dogs of any age, but young puppies are most susceptible to the infection. Symptoms most commonly seen with the disease include:

runny eyes
runny nose
fever
lack of appetite
coughing
vomiting
diarrhea

Another manifestation of canine distemper is the keratinization of the skin of the nose and foot pads. This leads to hardening of these tissues and has resulted in the disease sometimes being referred to as “hard pad disease”.

Effective vaccines against canine distemper exist and canine distemper is considered to be a “core” vaccine by the American Animal Hospital Association’s Canine Vaccination Guidelines. This means that vaccination against canine distemper is considered important for all dogs.

Vaccination against canine distemper can be administered as early as 6-8 weeks in puppies and should be boostered every 3-4 weeks until the puppy has reached the age of 14-16 weeks of age. This vaccine is most often a combination vaccine that protects not only against canine distemper but also against canine parvovirus and canine adenovirus infections.

View the source of this article by the veterinarian

I have never seen a dog with distemper.  If you have been protecting your Boston Terrier from distemper, tell me about it.

Ever wondered why your dog seems absolutely committed to the process of giving you a face bath with their tongue?

The first licking experienced by a puppy comes from its mother even before the pup’s eyes are open. Licking is used to groom the pup and, after feeding, to cause urination and defecation. It is doubtful that a young pup consciously considers licking a dominant behaviour.

However, the act of licking can acquire various other meanings to puppies as they mature and gain feedback from other animals (including people) they lick.

Licking another animal can broadly be classified as care-seeking behaviour.

How Can Licking Be Prevented?

Licking is a problem only when the owner is present. Therefore licking is usually easily stopped merely by telling the dog not to do it or by moving away and avoiding it. After a few days or weeks of this rejection, the problem disappears. However, this procedure does not correct the basis of the problem, that is, attempts to dominate the owner.

In addition to discouraging licking, the dog must be taught to respond to commands, and owner adjustments made if the dog is “coddled” or otherwise doted on. When it seeks petting or tries to dominate the owner, it should be given a simple command, such as Sit, and then petted briefly as a reward for obedience.

It is recommended that you use some intervening stimulus when the dog begins to pester you. Whether this involves introduction of a chewable toy that the pet is urged to fetch, or a sharp sound, the goal is to divert the animal’s mind off licking and onto something else. During the initial stages of correction, there may be seen many types of substitutional behaviour, such as whining, pacing or self-licking. If ignored, this behaviour usually disappears in a few days.

I generally don’t let my Boston Terrier lick me, but other members of my family do and even encourage it.  So, why does your Boston Terrier lick you, because they love you.  If you let your Boston Terrier lick you, tell me about it in the comments section.

Teaching your puppy to use a bell to tell you when it needs to eliminate will be extremely beneficial because it gives experience training your dog and saves lots of time, energy and stress compared to other forms of housebreaking. This form of housebreaking was derived from a man named Ivan Pavlov when he was able to classically condition his dog to salivate every time he rang a bell.

Get a jingle bell type of bell or bells from your local craft store. Hang them from a string. Using a hook or tack, hang them on the door jam closest to the opening side and low enough for your puppy to reach with their paw and their nose. Bells can also be hung from the doorknob using a shoelace or string.

Every time you take your puppy out, make him ring the bells and tell him to ring the bells to go outside and potty. Show him the bells every time he goes out the door and make sure they are rung even if you are doing the ringing.

You will be surprised when a few days later, you will hear the bells and your puppy sitting patiently by the door.

If your puppy doesn’t figure this out, try this method. Smear a little cheese onto the bell. If your puppy touches the bell, even if it doesn’t ring at first, immediately give the puppy a tasty treat. Repeat so the puppy knows that a treat follows the bell touching, then bell ringing. Finally, open the door with the puppy watching, and drop tasty treats on the floor on the other side of the door, so your puppy knows the treats are there. Close the door. Encourage the puppy to ring the bell, and then immediately reward the puppy by allowing the puppy to go through the door to eat the treats on the other side. Now your puppy knows how to get you to open the door and take him outside.

I just came across the article above from wikihow. 

I have never used this method before, but if you have, please take the time to write your comments below on your successes and failures with this method.

Crate training your Boston Terrie

Introducing the Crate to Your Puppy

In order that your puppy associate his/her kennel crate with comfort, security and enjoyment, please follow these guidelines:

Occasionally throughout the day, drop small pieces of kibble or dog biscuits in the crate. While investigating his new crate, the pup will discover edible treasures, thereby reinforcing his positive associations with the crate. You may also feed him in the crate to create the same effect. If the dog hesitates, it often works to feed him in front of the crate, then right inside the doorway and then, finally, in the back of the crate.

In the beginning, praise and pet your pup when he enters. Do not try to push, pull or force the puppy into the crate. At this early stage of introduction only inducive methods are suggested. Overnight exception: You may need to place your pup in his crate and shut the door upon retiring. (In most cases, the crate should be placed next to your bed overnight. If this is not possible, the crate can be placed in the kitchen, bathroom or living room.)

You may also play this enjoyable and educational game with your pup or dog: without alerting your puppy, drop a small dog biscuit into the crate. Then call your puppy and say to him, “Where’s the biscuit? It’s in your room.” Using only a friendly, encouraging voice, direct your pup toward his crate. When the puppy discovers the treat, give enthusiastic praise. The biscuit will automatically serve as a primary reward. Your pup should be free to leave its crate at all times during this game. Later on, your puppy’s toy or ball can be substituted for the treat.

It is advisable first to crate your pup for short periods of time while you are home with him. In fact, crate training is best accomplished while you are in the room with your dog. Getting him used to your absence from the room in which he is crated is a good first step. This prevents an association being made with the crate and your leaving him/her alone.

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Crate training for your Boston Terrier.  At first you might think it is a bit cruel, but sometimes it is necessary for your dog’s safety and your piece of mind.

As we get in shape, our dogs can too. Obesity is one of the most common disorders seen in dogs. Read this 3-part article to learn more about the causes, treatment and prevention of obesity; health risks in overweight dogs; and weight reducing diets.

How do I determine if my dog is overweight?

Veterinarians often use a 9 point scoring system to evaluate the body condition of pets. A point value of 1 means the dog or cat is extremely thin to the point of emaciation. A score of 9 means the pet is grossly overweight. And like Goldilocks and the three bears, a score of 5 is ‘just right’. To determine body score, there are several specific areas of the dog or cat we look at. Remember these are guidelines. A greyhound with a score of 5 is still going to be thinner than a bulldog with the same score.

To perform the rating, we first feel the pet’s ribs. We should be able to quite easily feel the ribs. There should be a slight amount of fat over them, but each rib should be distinct. If you can see the ribs, the pet is too thin. If you can’t feel them at all, the pet is very overweight.

Second, check the area near the base of the tail. There should be a slight fat covering over this area and it should feel smooth. If the bones protrude, the pet is too thin; if you can’t feel any bones at all, the pet is very overweight.

Third, feel other bony prominences on the pet’s body such as the spine, shoulder and hips. Again, you should be able to feel a small amount of fat over these areas. If these bones are easily felt or visible, the dog or cat is too thin. If you can’t feel the bones beneath the layer of fat, the animal is obviously overweight.

Fourth, look at your pet from above. The animal should have a definite waist behind the ribs. If the waist is extreme, or again, bony prominences are visible, the animal is too thin. If there is no waist, or worse yet, the area between the ribs and hips is wider than the hips or ribs, the cat or dog is grossly overweight.

Fifth, look at the pet from the side. Dogs and cats should have an abdominal tuck, i.e., the area behind the ribs should be smaller in diameter than the chest. This can vary a lot between breeds. Irish setters and Greyhounds, for instance, appear to have a much more distinct abdominal tuck since they are so deep-chested. An animal who is too thin will have a very severe abdominal tuck. Overweight animals will have no abdominal tuck.

If you feel your dog is overweight, consult your veterinarian to determine if there are any other medical problems before starting the animal on a weight reduction program. Your veterinarian can also suggest various diets, how fast your pet should lose weight, etc.

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Is my Boston Terrier fat?  I hope not. If you think your dog is fat, DO something about it.  Love your dog enough to put them on a diet and tell me about in the comment section below.

1. If you feed your dog a commercial pet food that is labeled “100%
complete and balanced” there is no need to give vitamins or supplements
to your dog. In fact, doing so can be dangerous.

2. It is impossible to provide our pets with a diet that is 100%
complete and balanced for their individual needs. Plus, vitamins added
by the manufacturer of the food may be lost before the pet even eats it.

It shouldn’t surprise you that pet food manufacturers support the first
school of thought while those in the business of selling dog vitamins
and supplements support the latter.

There certainly is a lot of controversy and debate surrounding pet
nutrition and human nutrition too, for that matter. Some argue that by
breaking food down into its smallest parts, we are losing sight of the
big picture. In his book, In Defense of Food, Michael
Pollan calls this nutritionism–in other words, “the idea that a food is
not a system but rather the sum of its nutrient parts.” Pollan also
explains the power and weaknesses of this model. He says, “Scientific
reductionism is an undeniably powerful tool, but it can mislead us too,
especially when applied to something as complex, on the one side, as a
food and on the other a human eater. It encourages us to take a simple
mechanistic view of that transaction: Put in this nutrient, get out that
physiological result. Yet people differ in important ways.”

Yes, dogs and cats differ in important ways too.

In order to tackle this debate we should first take a look at the role
of vitamins in a dog’s diet. Vitamins are involved in chemical reactions
of metabolism and function as enzymes, enzyme precursors, and coenzymes.
So what does all that mumbo-jumbo mean exactly?

Basically, in order for your dog’s body to function properly, certain
vitamins must be present in certain amounts. While there are “average”
amounts that will be adequate for the majority of dogs, these exact
amounts will vary from one dog to the next. Some vitamins are stored in
your dog’s body for long periods of time while other vitamins are
quickly utilized and must be replenished accordingly in the diet.

Many pet owners are concerned about not providing their pet with enough
vitamins in the diet but dangers can arise when a pet is given too much
of a certain vitamin as well. In fact, in an attempt to appear as
“healthy” as possible some pet food manufacturers have been accused of
over-supplementing their diets. Pet nutritionists often refer to this as
“overnutrition.”

Unlike minerals which are inorganic in nature, vitamins are organic. An
organic material is a substance that contains at least one carbon atom.
Vitamins are the only organic molecule not classified as a protein, fat,
or carbohydrate. Vitamins are not used as an energy source and are not
structural components but instead play a key role in releasing energy
provided by other nutrients.

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So, are vitamins necessary for Boston Terriers?  Yes, in many cases they are, especially if your dog has been sick like my Rose had been.

Have you given your Boston Terrier vitamins in the past?  Please tell me about it in the comment section below.