Dear Frida,

First, whenever I’m dealing with a medical situation I have to give the caveat that this isn’t a medical diagnosis or medical advice. My readings aren’t a substitute for veterinary care. I’ll simply be relaying the impressions I receive from Alan, and can always misinterpret something.

When I connect with Alan I feel pain in his hips, especially the left. He also has minor pain in his knees and several other joints. This feels like generalized arthritis or inflammation to me. It could just be an effect of aging, and it feels to me like that’s a piece of what’s happening. However, Alan is telling me that the discomfort you’re correctly sensing in his abdominal area is due to inflammation. As allergies are also an inflammatory condition, it seems like there’s a larger picture here. Something seems to be triggering systemic inflammation in Alan. 

While my gut feeling is that Alan does have Cushing’s, it isn’t necessarily the cause of all his issues. And, Cushing’s can be triggered or worsened by many things traditional veterinarians sometimes overlook. For example, several years ago I worked with a pony who was close to death and had a diagnosis of Cushing’s Disease. I had a strong feeling that she had Lyme Disease. Although she had tested negative for Lyme in the past, my client pushed her vet to test again through a more specialized lab. The pony was positive for Lyme, and while she still had Cushing’s, once she was treated for the Lyme she improved remarkably and her vet was able to get the Cushing’s under control. There are many cases of people who feel their own Cushing’s was caused or worsened by Lyme Disease.

Similarly, if you do a web search for “mold illness and Cushing’s Disease” you’ll find information on mold illness as a contributing factor to Cushing’s. Like Lyme, mold illness can cause systemic inflammation, joint pain, and new or increased allergies. 

While I’m not saying that Alan has either of the above diseases, I’m attempting to illustrate that Alan’s inflammatory issues could be connected to the Cushing’s by a shared trigger. 

If Alan was my dog, I’d take him to a holistic veterinarian and request testing, either traditional or energetic, for anything that could cause systemic inflammation. If your home (or a previous home you’ve lived in with Alan) has any history of water damage, leaks, mold, or musty smells, I’d look closely at mold exposure as a possible factor, and consider requesting that your veterinarian send a specimen to RealTime Laboratories for mycotoxin testing.

I’d also contact Green Hope Farm through www.GreenHopeEssences.com and ask for their recommendations for Alan.

I hope that Alan is feeling much better soon!

Many Blessings,

Jennifer Dickman

Jennifer Dickman is an Animal Communicator, Reiki Master-Teacher specializing in Animal Reiki, and Intuitive Counselor. She conducts phone and email sessions worldwide. She may be contacted at Jennifer_Dickman@ymail.com , 215-817-0833, or through her website, www.JenniferDickman.com, where her MP3s "Journey to Contact Your Animals in Spirit" and "Deep Relaxation" are also for sale. To subscribe to Jennifer’s newsletter and receive a free copy of her essay, "Five Things Your Cat or Dog Wants You to Know", please email Jennifer with the word "Newsletter" in the subject line.