September’s patient of the month is ‘Riki’ Tsonis, she is a 16 year old miniature poodle. Riki is a very good natured girl who loves to cuddle and has exceptional listening skills. We see her often for boarding along with her sister ‘Kola’ who is a cute Pomeranian mix. Riki has Cushings disease which is a metabolic disease where the adrenal glands are overactive and there is an excess of cortisone is in the bloodstream. Cushings is medically termed hyperadrenocorticism and is one of the more common endocrine disorders in dogs. Symptoms include increased thirst, increased appetite, increased urination, lethargy, poor hair coat and sometimes a bloated belly. Once Cushings is suspected it can be diagnosed through a bood test called an ACTH stimulation panel. Riki gets daily medication called Trilostane to control her disease.
We really enjoy having Riki and her sister Kola visit us. Enjoy the picture of Riki out with her family for a boat ride!