Hypothyroidism in dogs can be a tricky condition to diagnose and manage. Integrative veterinarian Dr. Julie Buzby teams up with her colleague and friend, Jennifer Shepherd, DVM, to reveal the truth about hypothyroidism in dogs including the common misconception that a T4 test is all you need for an accurate diagnosis. Learn the causes, symptoms, and treatment for canine hypothyroidism.
I’m willing to bet that in your circle of family and friends, you know someone who takes medication to manage low levels of thyroid hormone, or hypothyroidism. Maybe it’s even you personally. If so, you’re not alone—an estimated 20 million Americans have some type of thyroid dysfunction.
Hypothyroidism is a common condition diagnosed in dogs—but in my professional opinion, I believe thyroid disease one of the most over-diagnosed conditions in veterinary medicine. By the end of this article, you’ll see why.
Before jumping ahead, let’s review the role of the thyroid gland and then move on to the markers that yield an accurate diagnosis of canine hypothyroidism.
What is the thyroid gland?
If you remember from high school biology, the thyroid gland is part of the endocrine system. Although you can’t see or feel it, your dog’s thyroid gland sits in his neck on either side of his trachea (windpipe). It produces hormones that regulate your dog’s various body systems. When certain hormone levels dip below a normal range it results in hypothyroidism.
One hormone produced by the thyroid gland is called thyroxine (T4). It is crucial to controlling your dog’s metabolism. When there is not enough of it circulating in your dog’s body, his metabolism slows down and his cells don’t have the energy to do what they need to do.
Diagnosing hypothyroidism in dogs: T4 and the big picture
Before diagnosing hypothyroidism in dogs, it’s critical to understand the big picture when it comes to T4.
Routine blood panels often include a total T4 (TT4) level for good measure. Quite often, however, the T4 value comes back low, causing concern that the patient has hypothyroidism. This is where it gets tricky—hypothyroidism is just one of several reasons for low T4. Dogs can have low T4 values from:
- Age-related changes: It’s normal for circulating blood thyroid hormone levels to decline with age.
- Daily fluctuations: It’s completely normal for T4 levels to rise and fall throughout any given day.
- Euthyroid sickness: Euthyroid means “having a normally functioning thyroid gland.” In this case, there’s nothing wrong with the dog’s thyroid, but the T4 values are low because the thyroid gland is reducing hormone production in response to illness somewhere else in the body.
- Certain medications: Prescription medications, like prednisone, can lower T4 levels. With prednisone, in particular, levels often remain low long after stopping the medication.
Because of the range of causes of low T4, I’m convinced that some dogs on daily thyroid medication don’t need to be.
How to test for hypothyroidism in dogs
Recently I told a client that I suspected her 7-year-old Golden Retriever was hypothyroid. She replied, “Oh, so I need to get her T4 tested?” It made me pause and say, “Well, yes. That’s a good place to start.”
The TT4 screening test: A good place to start
The TT4 (total T4) is a screening test and no more. If the TT4 comes back in the upper 50% of the reference range, your dog does not have hypothyroidism. A low normal TT4 level could be normal for your dog, or it could be the early stages of hypothyroidism. Regardless, if a TT4 comes back suspect, additional tests must be run to confirm a diagnosis of canine hypothyroidism.
So what’s after an initial TT4 screening?
After an initial TT4 screening that shows low T4 concentration, the gold standard is further blood tests which are usually more expensive. To be practical, compassionate, and work within my client’s comfort level, I generally propose three options:
- Monitor the dog, and repeat the basic blood panel down the road. This option depends on the dog’s clinical status and overall health.
- Run the additional diagnostic testing—pricey but the current gold standard.
- Begin a month-long trial on thyroid medication then repeat the T4 value.
Because option three is often the only viable choice for owners with financial limitations, over-diagnosis can occur. Confusing the matter even further, sometimes dogs feel and do better on the medication, even if they did not have a primary thyroid problem.
The Merck Veterinary Manual confirms this when they explain: “Many diseases and conditions can mimic hypothyroidism, and some of the clinical signs, even in dogs with normal thyroid function, can improve after administration of exogenous supplemented thyroid hormone.”
Here’s what usually happens. A dog owner decides to try thyroid medication for a month after receiving a low T4 on a blood panel. The month goes by, and the dog returns for a follow-up. The owner believes the dog has improved during that month, and the repeat T4 level comes back much higher but not “crazy high.” When this happens, the dog will usually stay on thyroid medication for life.
As long as your veterinarian monitors your dog’s T4 levels every six to twelve months, this usually works out okay. Rarely, I do see toxicosis in dogs from overdosing on thyroid medication. Symptoms of overdose include hyperactive behavior, increased thirst and urination, and heart issues.
A comprehensive thyroid panel to test for hypothyroidism
If a dog owner chooses to run additional blood tests, some veterinarians recommend skipping the screening TT4 test to check a more robust thyroid panel initially. In the long run, this can save time and money. The more comprehensive thyroid panel must be sent off to a reference lab.
One of the most common thyroid panels consists of a TT4, a fT4 (free T4), and a TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) level. Incidentally, these are all tests routinely run in people, too. TT4 and fT4 are both forms of the thyroxine hormone. Free T4 is less affected by non-thyroid illness or medications (i.e. less false positives) but is also harder to accurately measure, and thus, a more expensive test.
Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is produced by the pituitary gland in the brain, and it tells the thyroid gland when to produce thyroid hormone. When the body doesn’t want the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormone, as in cases of euthyroid sickness, the TSH levels are low, leading to low T4 levels.
However, in cases of true hypothyroidism, there is not enough thyroid tissue to produce T4. The pituitary gland senses the low levels of T4 and ramps up production of TSH to stimulate the thyroid gland to increase its production. If the TSH level is high and free T4 or TT4 are low, your dog most likely has canine hypothyroidism.
But in order to know for sure, you also need to look for two other critical markers.
Diagnosing true canine hypothyroidism: Clinical signs
I’ve covered the first marker of canine hypothyroidism—low TT4. But that alone isn’t enough for an accurate diagnosis of hypothyroidism. You, in partnership with your veterinarian, need to note your dog’s clinical presentation and signalment (age and breed).
1. Clinical presentation: signs of hypothyroidism
When considering a diagnosis of canine hypothyroidism, I begin with a thorough physical exam. Several questions run through my mind:
- Does the patient exhibit clinical signs? Symptoms of hypothyroidism include hair loss (alopecia), scaly skin, skin infections, and lethargy.
- Is he overweight or obese? (Keep in mind that the most common reason for obesity in dogs is not hypothyroidism—it’s overfeeding and lack of exercise.) For help determining whether your dog is overweight, see my post: Your Dog’s Body Condition Score (BCS): Find Your Dog’s Number in 3 Easy Steps.
It’s interesting that metabolic diseases like canine hypothyroidism can share symptoms and this list could also fit a condition called Cushing’s disease. Learn more about Cushing’s disease in my post: Cushing’s Disease In Dogs: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Medications.
As a general rule, I suspect hypothyroidism when my patient has a weight problem plus something else. For example:
- Weight problem plus chronic ear infections, hyperpigmented (dark) skin with unexplained hair loss, or a drop in energy level.
- Weight problem plus high cholesterol (even after fasting for the blood test). Over half of truly hypothyroid dogs will display high cholesterol on fasted bloodwork. So this is a great tip-off!
PRO TIP: Since a minimum of a 12-hour fast is ideal, I recommend you schedule your dog’s lab work for the morning and fast from dinner the night before. During the fast, water is completely fine. I explain fully in my post about how to improve dog lab tests.
2. Signalment: Age and breed
Although hypothyroidism can occur in dogs of all ages and breeds, it’s most common in middle aged dogs around two to eight years old. The average age of diagnosis is seven. Males and females are affected equally, but hypothyroidism is most prevalent in the following breeds:
- Golden Retrievers
- Doberman Pinschers
- Irish Setters
- Miniature Schnauzers
- Dachshunds
- Cocker Spaniels
- Great Danes
As you can tell, this condition usually shows up in medium- to large-size dog breeds. I don’t see it very often in toy or mini breeds.
Now that you know the three markers of true canine hypothyroidism—low TT4, clinical presentation, and signalment—let’s take a closer look at its causes, how it’s treated, and a few atypical symptoms.
What causes hypothyroidism in dogs?
There are two common causes of hypothyroidism in dogs: lymphocytic thyroiditis and idiopathic atrophy.
- Lymphocytic thyroiditis causes the slow destruction of the thyroid gland by the immune system. Genetics do play a role in its development as the autoimmune disease, equivalent to Hashimoto’s disease in humans, may be inherited.
- Idiopathic atrophy is the shrinking of the thyroid gland with no known cause. It occurs when the functioning cells of the thyroid gland are replaced with adipose tissue (fat).
Both lymphocytic thyroiditis and idiopathic atrophy occur slowly over time.
In either condition, you may notice your dog gradually gaining weight, developing ear infections, losing his hair coat, or facing decreased levels of energy. Because the signs come on slowly, you may just think this is the normal aging process for your dog. More than likely, however, after discussing these concerns with your veterinarian, he or she will recommend thyroid testing.
It’s worth mentioning that cancer can also lead to hypothyroidism (and hyperthyroidism, for that matter). However, both are rare. Cancer accounts for less than 5% of cases of hypothyroidism in dogs.
How do vets treat canine hypothyroidism?
Medication for hypothyroid dogs
Treatment for hypothyroidism involves boosting the low hormone with a synthetic (manufactured) hormone called levothyroxine. Most dogs receive levothyroxine twice daily, but some dogs do well on once-daily treatment.
Dosing is not something that you should adjust yourself, so speak to your veterinarian about ideal recommendations for your dog. Finding the appropriate dose for each individual patient also sometimes takes some tweaking, so follow up bloodwork and dose changes are usually part of initial treatment. I also recheck thyroid levels one to two times per year in my well managed patients, just to be sure their dose is still appropriate.
Once your dog starts on levothyroxine, you should expect to see an increase in his energy level within a few days. Skin problems, ear infections, and changes in hair coat may take four to eight weeks before noticing improvement. With treatment, most pet parents notice their dogs develop an increase in appetite and weight loss. I will say, it’s a beautiful thing to see the before and after changes in a hypothyroid dog who has been diagnosed and appropriately treated.
What are the atypical symptoms of canine hypothyroidism?
Although skin changes, weight gain, and lethargy are the most common clinical signs, hypothyroidism can also present with other less-common clinical syndromes like:
- Lipid (fatty) deposits on the corneas of the eyes
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- Megaesophagus in dogs (dilation of the esophagus)
Tragic face in hypothyroid dogs
In moderate to severe cases of canine hypothyroidism, an odd thickening can occur in the dog’s skin called “myxedema.” This is caused by deposits of polysaccharides in the deeper layers of the skin. This thickened skin on the face results in drooping of the eyelids and what we call a “tragic” expression or tragic face. I’ve only seen it a handful of times in practice, but it’s a definite tip-off for hypothyroidism.
If you’re the owner of a senior dog, something that may be of particular interest to you is that several notorious neurologic disorders have been linked to hypothyroidism. These include hind-end weakness, laryngeal paralysis, and vestibular disease.
If your dog has been diagnosed with one of these conditions, I’m not saying he’s also hypothyroid, but it’s definitely worth ruling out with bloodwork. Unfortunately, even if he is hypothyroid, treatment won’t necessarily resolve the concurrent neurologic disorder.
Canine hypothyroidism: Two real-life stories
Before wrapping up, let’s look at some real-life stories that put into action all we’ve talked about so far.
Jake’s story: A Golden Retriever’s hypothyroid diagnosis
Jake is a seven-year-old Golden Retriever. When he came in for his first appointment, he was overweight, had a dry coat, and hair loss along his sides and tail. Of course, I raised my eyebrows when his owner reported he was always battling ear infections. I immediately suspected hypothyroidism in dogs based on the total package of his age, breed, and clinical symptoms.
A full thyroid panel confirmed the diagnosis, and Jake started on thyroid supplements twice a day. He started to lose weight within a few weeks, and his family was thrilled to report his renewed energy. It took a few more months, but his hair coat slowly improved, and ear infections became less frequent.
Samuel’s story: A Husky dog’s hypothyroid symptoms
Samuel is not as straightforward as Jake. Samuel is a nine-year-old Siberian Husky. He had been gaining weight over the past three years, but it was written off as decreased activity and too many treats. But then he started to develop frequent hot spots along his back that never completely cleared up.
He started acting strange, sometimes seemingly unaware of what was going on and having urinary accidents in the house. Initial blood tests were normal as was his complete blood count. His in-house thyroid level was low normal. We suspected that was due to euthyroid sickness.
Samuel’s symptoms only progressed with more lethargy, skin problems, and continued weight gain despite a strict diet. When blood tests were repeated a few months later, his in-house TT4 level was still in the normal range but had decreased. We decided to send a full thyroid panel to a reference lab.
Results came back—a low normal TT4, low free T4, and high TSH—a classic panel for true hypothyroidism. I made the diagnosis and Samuel started treatment. It took a few months, but I’m happy to share Samuel began to thrive once again.
Talk with your vet and take comfort
If after reading this article you suspect your dog may—or may not—have true canine hypothyroidism, schedule an appointment with your vet as soon as you can.
Armed with knowledge and a deep desire to help your dog feel his very best, I’m confident you’re just a few short weeks away from knowing whether hypothyroidism is his underlying condition or if another common cause of low T4 plagues your beloved companion.
Either way, take comfort in the fact that you’re doing everything you can to help your dog live the healthiest life possible.
Does your dog have a hypothyroidism diagnosis?
What symptoms tipped you off to the problem? Share in the comments below. We’d love to hear your dog’s story.
Buddy is my dog’s name. He is a 5 3/4 – yr old Great Dane. He has had skin sores on and off for his entire adult life. We were told he has skin allergies and have been giving him various skin prescriptions for bathing him. 2 months ago, Buddy developed lethargy , weight gain despite no food changes, occasional diarrhea, and increased urine output. Tests were done at the vet, stating that his thyroid level was “ extremely low”. He was put on 2 tabs thyroxine , twice daily. After the first 2 days of this dosage, he became anxious, and was panting at times. He also had loss of appetite and only wanted water. The vet was contacted and I was told not to give any thyroxine for 36 hours, then resume thyroxine at a smaller dose of 1 tab twice a day. Since all of this, he has lost a few pounds and doesn’t look fat anymore, but he is lethargic and has also developed “ knuckling” in his right rear leg. His foot folds when he tries to walk, and he gets off balance, which adds to his anxiety . I have put a foot and ankle guard on his affected foot, and it helps him with his balance. What are your thoughts? Will the foot drag go away? Will he improve? He seems to be lethargic, naps a lot, has no energy, and seems scared to enjoy the outside now as well . I’m sure you can easily imagine how sad this is to us; please let me know if there is anything else we should or could be doing. I speak softly to him and help him to walk and lay down, and that seems comforting to him.
Hi Janet,
I am sorry Buddy is dealing with so many issues at once and I understand why you are concerned for him. Without examining him myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions and recommendations. I am not sure if this right rear limb weakness can be attributed to the hypothyroidism or if it is a completely unrelated neurological issue. What does your vet think about it? You can always ask for a consultation with a specialist if needed. To get a definitive answer it may require more investigation. I hope you can find the information you need to ensure your big guy is getting the best care possible. Praying things will start to stabilize and he can get back to living his best life.
We have had our 11-yo Chow mix girl for 9 years now. At her visit to the vet yesterday, the staff commented on how happy and healthy she seemed, especially for her age. Today, the vet called to say the lab work looked good except for low thyroid levels. I was expecting this, because we get pretty much the same call each year. Our dog doesn’t have problems with her weight, and her energy levels, her coat and appetite are good.
Are there some dogs or dog breeds that routinely ‘fail’ thyroid panels, but don’t actually have a problem with their thyroids? As in, their thyroid levels are naturally low?
Hi Vee,
I suppose it is possible for a dog to have a slightly low thyroid and it be their “normal”. Also, if the thyroid is just barely out of the normal range it may not be enough to cause symptoms. I think you are doing the right thing with yearly monitoring. Glad your girl is feeling well and living her best life. Keep up the good work!
I have a 3.5 yo cockalier. She has multiple food intolerances, is on allergy serum for dermatitis, and along with her sister has mild esophageal paralysis. Over a two month period we noticed inability to jump over the side of a chair, then difficulty jumping onto the front of the sofa. She had some flaky skin but I attributed that to spring allergies. Then she gained 3 pounds in 6 weeks. I went in thinking hip dysplasia. He ran the labs, low T4, anemia and sky high cholesterol. The free T4 came back as severely hypothyroid. All labs were normal 6 months earlier. Started on med. Her energy has improved, she’s jumping, may have lost a little weight. Sadly, even though she appears to be responding, the hair loss caught up with her. She had a freckle on her nose, all hair on nose is gone. She has significant body wide hair loss, no other bald spots. Yet. And she has developed tragic face syndrome. We go in two days for the one month repeat labs. Moral of this story, stay away from breeders, even one who has been in business for 40 years. Rescue! The sad part is I do dearly love cockers.
Dear Donna,
I am sorry your young dog is dealing with the effects of hypothyroidism. I am glad you picked up on the symptoms and were able to get a diagnosis quickly. What a blessing your pup is responding to the treatment and is feeling better. How did the recheck go? Hoping you received good news and with continued treatment some of the lingering issues will start to resolve. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance. Wishing you both the best!
My 2 year old healthy 5 pound Pomeranian who has always had a beautiful coat (champion bloodline, line has no thyroid issues, he has been genetically tested as a pup and and had no issues detected) was diagnosed hypothyroid from routine blood work that was being done for a suspected skin infection after he had a terrible stay at a boarding kennel for a week and he was abused. (Maggot infestation due to them not cleaning poop off of him for a week) he was treated at EVet right after picking him up from kennel and seeing his condition, skin ended up getting infected after a few days after maggot removal. His blood work confirmed that he did have an infection but his t4 value was really low too so just put him on thyroid medicine. Was rechecked in a month after medicating and was in normal ranges. So he never had clinical symptoms and was diagnosed right after his terrible incident at kennel which I can only imagine the stress his poor body was under fighting off an infection from. fast forward to 7 months later and a different vet was cleaning his teeth and had mentioned to me he may have been misdiagnosed because he is so young and never had clinical symptoms or additional testing and I may want to look into it. Anyways so a vet said I can stop medicine for 6 week and get him retested to confirm or reverse diagnosis. The more research I did I think he may of just have euthyroid sickness because of his traumatic boarding experience plus the medicine he was given for that could have affected his t4 level that day. He has been off of medicine for a few days now and has had no change in behavior or energy. I am continuing to monitor him for these 6 weeks till I can get him retested. This article was informational to me to learn more about this condition.
Hi Mady,
I am sorry your sweet boy has endured so much over the last year. I am glad you are investigating this further and am hopeful you will get some good news in a few weeks. Your pup is lucky to have you advocating for his health and well-being. Thank you for sharing your experience with our readers. Please keep us updated and let us know what you find out!
My Alexander is 5 years old this week and is a Goldie Pyr and was diagnosed with hypothyroidism at almost 2 years old. I had the more advanced testing done. His only significant sign was the weight gain. He has a great coat, eats well, no behavior changes, no ear infections. Vet believes he likely inherited the problem from one of his parents. Now he seems to be gaining weight and his meds are sometimes low and sometimes high. We simply can’t get ahold of it. He gets his blood work done all the time and is on Thyroxine and prescription metabolic dog food. Can a dog simply stop responding to Thyroxine? I am so perplexed!
Hi Ara,
I am sorry you are having so much difficulty regulating Alexander’s medications. I know you mentioned that he is having lab work performed frequently, but it makes me suspicious that there is something else going on that could be complicating things. It might be a good idea to schedule a consult with an internal medicine specialist. They have a great deal of experience handling complicated cases, like your pup seems to be. I hope you can find some answers and get your sweet boy’s thyroid issues under control. Wishing you the best of luck.
My 13 year old Aussie has recently been diagnosed with Cushing’s. She was diagnosed with hypothyroid at the same. She doesn’t have any of the signs of hypothyroid except a somewhat thin coat on top, hind end weakness (also has arthritis in her hind legs) and had one recent attack of vestibular disease. The Cushing’s signs are the opposite of hypothyroid so she has a good appetite, not fat, drinks a lot, incontinent mainly because of drinking so much, pants 24/7, sensitive to heat and Aussies are naturally somewhat hyper anyway. We are going to try lignans and melatonin vs. the chemicals. After reading the thoughts of another vet on line and you, I am wondering if she has euthyroid because of the Cushing’s? She was started on .2 mg. Soloxine 2 days ago. If the lignans and melatonin are effective her thyroid should kick in again. I don’t want to be giving her the Soloxine if she doesn’t need it. What kind of lab values might indicate the thyroid is working on it’s own? I don’t want her to have an overactive thyroid and Cushing’s symptoms also. I am getting her blood tested for the thyroid medication adjustment in 2 weeks but if the lignans and melatonin are going to work it could take several months for the Cushing’s symptoms to slow. I am wondering if the Soloxine will inhibit the pituitary stimulation down the line so I can’t determine what’s real. Thanks
Hi Michele,
I understand your concern for your Aussie and these new diagnoses she has received. Anytime you are dealing with multiple concurrent diseases, it makes the case very complicated. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, I can’t make specific conclusions or recommendations. My best advice would be to schedule a consult with a veterinary internal medicine specialist. They have lots of experience with complicated cases like your girl seems to be. They can let you know if additional testing is needed and answer any lingering questions you may have. I hope you can find the information you need to make the best decision for you and your senior girl. Praying she will stabilize quickly and be able to continue living her best life.
I have a golden who is 12 1/2 years old. He was diagnosed with hypothyroidism a few years ago on a senior blood panel. In hindsight he had a few symptoms, a little bit of weight gain, ear infections, but he’s allergic to everything so those are common with him.. But overall, he never really had any significant symptoms.
I just adopted a female golden, her name is Goldie.. She is approximately 5 to 6 years old and had been used for years by a backyard breeder. When I got her, I could tell right away that she had been bred over and over again. Her tummy was just hanging down and it look like it had not been too long since she had nursed a litter of pups.. She was very overweight, 110 pounds, she had dark pigmented areas on her skin. She seemed depressed and shut down and was very tired. . She had thinning fur, dry coat, flaky skin, and no hair at all on her tail! She had this pitiful looking little Eyeore tail. When I first saw her, I couldn’t help but tear up at the condition that she was in. I had never seen a golden retriever that did not have that beautiful lush hair and tail and that didn’t have that golden “smile” and zest for life.
She didn’t know how to get in and out of a car, she didn’t know how to walk on floors, or go up and down steps, she didn’t know what toys were, Her hair was very long and you could tell that she had never been groomed and that these owners had just chopped her hair when it became matted. These last things, of course had nothing to do with her having hypothyroid , but it was just very sad to think of the life she had lead: When I took her for walks, she walked so slowly, and she would be way behind me, and I was walking slow. She was also a little cranky and would growl at my other 2 dogs if they invaded her space. Because of the lack of care she had received from her previous owners, the vet who initially saw her before I got her, thought her condition was related to poor nutrition. I took her to a different vet within the first couple of days of getting her. Right away that vet said, “I think her symptoms are hormonal. I think she has hypothyroid”. . She drew the lab and within a couple of days, she called me and said that she did indeed have hypothyroid and we started her on medication immediately. Within a week, it was like she woke up from her thyroid depression. She seemed happy, had a lot more energy, was playful and no longer cranky or growling at my other dogs. She had that golden smile and zest for life. She’s been on medication for about 2 months now. Her level came up to normal. I’m starting to see a little bit of hair come back on her tail. She’s lost 15 pounds. She no longer walks behind me, I have to walk very fast to keep up with her! The difference in her is amazing. She still has issues from being a neglected dog, but having her thyroid levels where they should be, has made a huge difference in the quality of her life. I thanked her vet so much for immediately knowing what the problem was. I have no idea how long this girl had hypothyroid, but I know she felt terrible. She is one of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever seen. Despite her lack of care and love from her previous owners, this girl loves and craves human touch. She is a blessing.
Thank you for this article. I think that it will be so helpful to others in the future. Luckily I had taken Goldie to a wonderful vet early on, but if I had not, it may have not been diagnosed for a long time. The first vet who saw her didn’t pick up on it. I certainly didn’t know that her symptoms were caused by hypothyroid, even though I had a dog that has hypothyroid. Reading the article, I see Goldie exactly how she was when I met her.
I look forward to all the years that she has left and trying to make up for the life she has had up to this point.
Hi Ann,
Thank you so much for sharing Goldie’s story with us! I hope it will be an encouragement to other readers that may be in a similar situation. I am so glad Goldie is thriving and happy. She is a lucky girl to have found you and have you as such a great advocate for her health and wellbeing. I wish you both many happy years ahead. ♥
Hello,
Question for you. We are running into an issue with our vet. Our Husky, 10 years old, is very similar to your other story. He’s developed hot spots over the years, put on weight when his eating has been amazing, clean veggies and food, itches a good amount and has developed fatty deposits under his skin. His weight is 93 lbs, TT4 is 14, FT4 is 4, and TSH is .22 but vet stated that Michigan State lab stated he was fine so they won’t prescribe anything to help him unless they can get someone to state something different. Unfortunately I’ve been through this same thing with human thyroid doctors, but I’m darn positive something is wrong and at least with the low values, “normal’ TSH, lethargy, weight gain, something is not right with the thyroid. So, wasn’t sure if you were able to offer some help, either by helping him over the phone and getting him on something OR having a conversation with our vet to be able to help them maybe understand a few things OR find a better endocrinologist? Do you have any thoughts on or help on this?
Dear Chris,
I understand your concerns. Over the course of my career, I have seen dogs prescribed thyroid medications “liberally” when maybe it wasn’t warranted. The thyroid is responsible for critical elements of metabolism, so I really admire your vets caution and prudence. I am sure their intent is to not treat something inappropriately and create a problem. Here’s how I would handle it…I would respectfully explain to your veterinarian that you are concerned and ask if they would be willing to repeat the labs because you are willing to pay for it and would like to dig deeper. There is a more extensive thyroid panel that will provide even more information. It can be run through any reputable lab, but here’s an example of what I’m talking about. I would recommend a panel that included Free T4 by ED and TgAA to be extra thorough:
These tests aren’t cheap, but it will be extremely comprehensive. Once you get results back, if you and your veterinarian are still not seeing eye to eye, I’d ask your veterinarian if they would be willing to call the lab on your behalf and explain your concerns. All major vet labs have specialists on staff (boarded internal medicine veterinarians) with whom vets can consult for a second opinion. Perhaps they will agree that a 4–6-week trial of thyroid medication would be warranted. Or not. But if you follow this path, I think you can rest assured you left no stone unturned.
My girl Roxy (Gsp/husky mix) is 2 years old and suspected hypothyroidism.
Her vet checked her blood (She was lethargic, gained 40 lbs in 10 months, not eating much and “scraping” the tip of her front toes). The results were low t3 and high t4. Vet was confused on why the t3 is low if the t4 is high so we did additional testing and we’re waiting for a response. Hopefully is “just” hypothyroidism and we can start treating it as soon as possible!
Question: will the medications stop also the paws dragging if that is one of the symptoms of hypothyroidism?
Also, I’d like to add that her cholesterol was 1000 on the results of the first wellness panel.
Hi Anna,
I am glad your vet is doing the additional testing for hypothyroidism. I hope you get conclusive results and can start Roxy’s treatment soon. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, it is difficult to make specific conclusions. If the front limb weakness is due to hypothyroidism, then it should resolve with thyroxine supplementation just like other hypothyroid symptoms. Praying your girl will feel better quickly and get back to living her best life. Best wishes to you both!
My little Piggett, she’s 4 years old. She was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about a year ago. She began with rear leg weakness. We have had her on Thyroid medicine, but rear leg weakness seems to be worsening. Our vet gave muscle relaxers, but increases rear leg weakness. We have tried pain medicines seem to increases her rear leg weakness as well. Any suggestions?
Hi Jess,
I understand your concern for your sweet girl and the trouble she is having. Her case does sound a bit atypical and would have me scratching my head. It might be a good idea to get a referral to a veterinary internal medicine specialist as they have lots of experience with more complicated cases. I hope you can find a solution to get your girl back to living her best life. Best wishes to you both.
Hind leg weekness, wobbling, very dry eye, skin issues in patches and Mini seizure like events happened to my almost 16 year old Westie last year.
I tracked when this <2 minutes mini seizures happened. Cerenia was one which raised the red flag and so was benadryl (anticholine). Stopped both to avoid any major seizure events.
The symptoms are subtle – whining, urination/ defecation, ataxia and increase in panting /body temperature even in colder days..
I started my westie on MCT, Vetri DMG and Cholodin and use hydroxyzine in very small dose for his allergy versus benadry and gabapentin. Interestingly only his t4 is low normal and all other values are good with thyroid. I am planning to ask our acupuncture vet if she can help. I will be asking for thyroid test again this December. Our primary vet suggested we could try very low dose levo.
Hi Madeline,
I am sorry you are navigating such a difficult path with your Westie. It can be hard to know which decisions to make especially when he is having multiple issues. My best advice is to have an honest conversation with your vet and discuss all your concerns. There may be additional diagnostic tests that would help identify some of the problems. I hope you can find the answers you are looking for. Good luck to you and your senior boy.
GREAT and informative blog post! Thank you for caring about our animals enough to share all of this amazing info! I may not always reply, but I DO read them! Thank you, Dr. Buzby!!
Thanks so very much for your note, Brittany! I appreciate you and your encouraging words! ♥️