Tramadol useless against Cushing’s

Dear Dr. Fox: What types of pain are associated with Cushing’s disease in dogs?

S.M., Fargo, North Dakota

Dear S.M.: This endocrine disease is quite common in dogs.

A tumor in the brain or in the adrenal glands results in the production of high levels of adrenal hormones. These affect the dog’s physiology and behavior, causing panting, weak muscles, and evident discomfort from a swollen abdomen. Anxiety and chronic discomfort — but little actual pain, until the onset of peripheral neuropathy — are of primary concern after appropriate medications are prescribed. The painkiller tramadol, widely prescribed for dogs, is actually not an effective analgesic for dogs with this disorder.

Discuss your concerns with the attending veterinarian. If the disease has not progressed far enough to cause damaged vision and high blood pressure, and provided thyroid function is normal, I would highly recommend 6 mg of melatonin and 200 mg of L-theanine at bedtime, along with 3 mg of melatonin in the morning and mid-afternoon.

Dear Dr. Fox: I have an 11-year-old female cat, Tina, who started to lose weight over the last four months. At first, I did not notice, as she is a fluffy cat and sleeps most of the day in my room.

Last week, I was petting her and felt her bones. I called my vet, and he came to check her out. He took blood and palpated her neck and showed me a lump on her thyroid. The blood test confirmed that she has hyperthyroidism. We immediately ordered thyroid medicine from a pharmacy, but it will take five days to be delivered.

What can we do in the meantime? I have been giving her dry food all day, and wet food two to three times a day. Is there a recommended food for cats with hyperthyroidism? I can supplement her food with eggs, meat, etc., but I would rather give her something with vitamins and minerals geared towards caloric intake.

She was 12 pounds in October. Now, she is 8.2 pounds. I am afraid that she will continue to lose weight and suffer.

K.I., Freehold, New Jersey

Dear K.I.: Your cat is one of thousands with this disease.

The domestic cat is the modern-day canary down the mineshaft, sharing with us the same environment and exposure to harmful chemicals in our air, food and water. Many of these chemicals cause cancer in cats, dogs and their caregivers.

The definition of “progress” must now be recalibrated from the perspective of One Health. The political influence of the pharmaceutical industry, with its exorbitant, seemingly unstoppable price hikes in the U.S., is evidence enough that we, the public, must become more responsible for maintaining our own health and that of those we care for.

It is too late to turn the clock back for your cat, but you can help improve her condition — which is often associated with increased irritability, appetite and anxiety with excessive fur-pulling and grooming — by offering her a pinch of catnip, which most cats like for its arousing, then calming, effect. I call it “cat Valium.”

If she’s not allergic to fish, I would give your cat a canned sardine daily, and feed her a high-quality, grainfree canned or freeze-dried cat food.

Your cat may otherwise be healthy enough for treatment with a radioisotope that destroys the tumor and the thyroid gland, which is the most effective treatment when available and affordable.

Write c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106 or email animaldocfox@gmail.com. Visit Dr. Fox’s Web site at www. DrFoxVet.com.