In the following blog I will be addressing issues pertaining to the common glandular disorder known as hypothyroidism. Specifically, I will provide an overview of the disorder, a list of common symptoms to look out for, and conclude by telling the story of my own dog Adrian’s development of hypothyroidism and how I was able to get her the necessary testing and treatment. As a side note, it is vitally important that the reader understand that the information provided below should not in any way replace, or be considered equal to, that of your veterinarians advice.
Hypothyroidism is a disorder of the thyroid gland which is located in the neck below the voice box. The thyroid gland regulates the metabolism by producing thyroid hormones. Hypothyroidism is what occurs when not enough hormones are being produced which causes the metabolism to slow down.
Common breeds that get hypothyroidism are the: Golden Retriever, Doberman Pinscher, Greyhound, Irish Setter, Dachshund, Miniature Schnauzer, Great Dane, Poodle, and Boxer, as well as many mixed breeds.
Symptoms include:
*Lethargy, lack of interest in play, increased amounts of sleeping
*Depression, mental dullness, Excessive whining (for no reason)
*Exercise intolerance, tires easily
*Weight gain (without increase in appetite), obesity
*Low cold tolerance (seeks warm places to lie down)
*Slow heart rate
*Chronic skin disorders, such as, dry skin, thinning of hair (darkening in skin pigmentation where hair loss appears), excessive hair loss (commonly, symmetrical on flanks), dry & brittle coat, skin cold to touch
*Excessive shedding
*Anemia (pale gums)
*Toenail infections
*Anxiety
*Unusual & sudden aggression
*Excessive thirst
Testing your dog’s blood is the only way to confirm thyroid issues. The most common test is the T4 test but this test sometimes comes back inaccurately. The best test to do is the full panel test which tests t4, free t4, t3, free t3, and TgAA (Thyroglobulin Auto-antibodies). Elevated TgAA levels confirm Autoimmune Thyroiditis in which case your dog’s immune system starts attacking itself.
Treatment for Hypothyroidism is very cheap and easy. It involves the administration of daily doses of synthetic thyroxine. Once treatment is started, your dog needs to get tested again after about 4-6 weeks to make sure that the dose of thyroxine is the right amount. After that it must usually be continued for the rest of the dog’s life. Thyroxoine pills need to be taken on an empty stomach otherwise food can absorb it and it will be less effective.
My 8 yr. old boxer Adrian was recently diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. Her vet had mentioned it to me during a checkup after she noticed Adrian’s symmetrical hair loss; at the time I thought it was simply seasonal flank alopecia. Not long after our visit to the vet I noticed that her hair was not growing back at all (it usually does after a certain period of time). She was sleeping ALL the time; she started to whine excessively for no reasons at all, and some of her clear toenails had turned to dark brown. Additionally, she was shedding way more than she normally does and her coat was very dull and brittle. After recognizing these symptoms in Adrian I decided to get her tested. The results of her full panel test put her levels as being lower than normal. My vet put her on Soloxine (a brand of thyroxine) and she has now been on it for about a month. I noticed a HUGE difference only 3-4 days after administering the medication. She is more alert, and back to picking up her toys and initiating play sessions; furthermore, her coat regained its soft and shiny texture, she’s like a puppy again!
In conclusion, I sincerely hope that this information will prove helpful in your understanding of this disorder and also help you to look out for possible signs of it.
-Alyssa
K9 Care Specialist, K9 Kingdom
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Great job Alyssa! A lot of the same symptoms that Hobbes exhibited. One question, why did your Vet not put her on Thyroxine? Is one less expensive than the other? Not that Thyroxine is that expensive.
Hi Terry,
Thanks! Thyroxine is just the general name for the synthetic hormone and Soloxine is a brand of Thyroxine. At first my vet put Adrian on Thyrozine (another brand) but that was expensive so I got a prescription form Dr.’s Foster and Smith for Soloxine instead.
Already we have a suspect hypothyroid in the See Spot Slim program!
Keep in mind that most obesity (in dogs and their human friends) is caused by eating too much and not exercising enough. But once in a while, we find a metabolic reason for it.
That’s great. It’s such a relief to find out the issue and be able to fix it