Grant Helps Provide Radiation to Shrink Tumor in Dog with Cushing’s Disease

Two years ago, Kidogo, a 13-year-old male Dachshund, was diagnosed with Cushing’s disease. Kidogo, whose name means “small” in Swahili, is the beloved pet and cherished member of the Balatti family. Despite his tiny stature, he has an enormous personality, and his family would do anything to help him.

While the early symptoms of his Cushing’s disease have been mild, his condition gradually worsened. Recently, he began having difficulty walking. An MRI revealed a tumor on his pituitary gland, and Kidogo was referred to the Radiation Oncology Service at the UC Davis William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) for consultation to better manage his disease.  

“We had previously taken Kidogo to UC Davis for help with his Cushing’s diagnosis and have always considered them the best in veterinary care,” said owner Jason Balatti. “So, when we learned he needed advanced treatment, there was no question – UC Davis was our first and only choice.”

At the VMTH, Kidogo had a CT scan that showed the presence of his pituitary mass. While the mass was stable in size, the oncology team recommended radiation therapy as a treatment plan to shrink Kidogo’s functional pituitary macroadenoma, a benign tumor in the pituitary gland that can overproduce hormones leading to his Cushing’s disease. Among the symptoms are neurological signs, which would explain Kidogo’s trouble walking.

Kidogo underwent 20 radiation treatments over the course of a month on the VMTH’s state-of-the-art linear accelerator.

“The care Kidogo received there was outstanding,” said Balatti. “His treatment involved 20 consecutive visits, and throughout the entire process, the UC Davis team made us feel like part of their family.”

At his most recent recheck examination, Kidogo’s care team was pleased with how well he has been doing since completing radiation therapy. They commented that he “looked great during his physical and neurological exams.” The VMTH will continue to monitor Kidogo in the coming months.  

Balatti and his family qualified for financial assistance through a generous grant from the Petco Love Foundation, in partnership with the Blue Buffalo Foundation. The grant helps support treatments for companion animals seen by the Oncology Service. The project is designed to support pet parents with limited resources or pet parents whose pets provide a service to others.

“We were incredibly grateful to receive the Blue Buffalo/Petco Love Foundation grant,” said Balatti. “It significantly eased the financial burden of treatment and allowed us to focus entirely on Kidogo’s health and recovery.”

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