[gatotom]

Our last Lab had cushings, probably from the first time we got her at 6 months old. She was treated for a urinary tract infection, aka UTI due to getting spayed too early and probably got it nicked in the procedure. Antibiotics got rid of it but it kept surfacing. Antibiotics become useless after too much use so started monitoring her ph level in her urine, basically what she was eating and it slowed it done a lot. During this time her coat was shiny and she was playful and full of endless energy, she would swim for hours.

Her shedding was about normal for a lab and she started drinking water like a fish at about 8 1/2 yrs old. At about 9 yrs old she got into some rat poison, damn stuff has a peanut butter taste and her nose found it. This was the beginning of the end, she was bleeding thru the mouth like a dam breaking. Vet treated with drugs stopped it but the tale was told after her belly was shaved for a ultrasound. It didn't grow back and in about two months she broke out with hot spots, her hair started falling out in clumps, her hair was not growing back anywhere it was shaved. Her hair became dry and not shiny. In about a month she turned real old, couldn't get up steps, falling, sleeping all the time and finally stop eating and drinking. When a lab puts their nose up to a piece of roast beef, its time.

At the end the vet told me that she had cushings because her hair would not grow back.