Dear HoneyBlossom:

Thank you for the info-filled post. Interesting, I suggested the diapers possible solution to my friend, even though I never heard of doggie diapers, I just figured there’s probably such a product, but he said that doggie diapers are usually used for menstruating females, and it will not help with his dog because even in diapers, his dog will still want to go out at night, and that means he’d still need to wake up a few times per night. He did say that he will be building a doggie door. He didn’t think of a doggie door before because of his concern about wildlife such as mountain lions.

About Cushing’s being caused by excessively high levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, one that’s normally released in great amounts when the body needs to attend to a physical threat, when a person or a dog suffers from anxiety (ongoing or repeated fear when there is no real physical threat), cortisol is released on an ongoing basis, leading to high concentrations in the blood for long periods of time, causing all these physical and mental symptoms. It makes sense to me why as a child and a teenager, I experienced a few of the common symptoms of Cushing’s: poor short-term memory, poor concentration and fatigue. It is very important for all of us to keep our anxiety and stress level as low as possible, on an ongoing basis, for the sake of our physical and mental health.

I am sorry to read that your dog had another seizure, but good thing it ended sooner than previous seizures. I do hope that a new Prime Minister will be elected in Australia in the elections exactly a month from today. Virtual hugs back to you and a gentle hug to your dog! I will talk to my friend when I see him next and let you know what’s happening with him and his heeler.

anita