Do dogs need thyroid medication?
Dogs must be treated for life with thyroid hormone replacement therapy. Only one drug, THYRO-TABS CANINE (levothyroxine sodium tablets), is FDA-approved for replacement therapy for diminished thyroid function in dogs.
What does thyroid medication do if you don’t need it?
Effects of Skipping Thyroid Hormone Replacement Blood pressure irregularities. Elevated cholesterol, including treatment-resistant high cholesterol and increased risk of heart disease. Low body temperature; feeling perpetually cold. Fatigue, muscle weakness, or joint pain.
What does a thyroid do in a dog?
The thyroid gland is located in your dog’s neck, where it produces the hormone thyroxine (T4), along with several other important thyroid hormones. These hormones play a large role in your dog’s metabolism and can cause major problems when they are not produced at normal levels.
How can you tell if your dog has a thyroid problem?
Signs of hypothyroidism include hair loss, usually on your dog’s trunk, back of the rear legs, and tail. Their coat will be dull and thin, their skin flaky, but not itchy or red (which is usually tied to fleas or an allergic reaction). They may also have black patches of skin.
Why do I need to give my dog thyroid medication?
Thyroid medication for your dog could be needed for a variety of reasons, including a thyroid gland disorder or thyroid hormone deficiency to name a few, and with multiple brands and types of thyroid medication available on the market, the costs, as with most prescriptions,…
Can a dog be incorrectly diagnosed with hypothyroidism?
This sounds straightforward enough, but making a correct diagnosis can be a problem. As you’ll read, hypothyroidism can be incorrectly diagnosed because thyroid hormone takes a hit if the dog is unwell for some other reason. But I’m getting ahead of myself. What Can Cause Low Thyroid Levels in Dogs? This is a great question.
What happens if your dog has too much thyroid?
The thyroid affects the body’s metabolism. If a dog produces too much thyroid hormone, they can develop signs of hyperthyroidism, including diarrhea, increased heart rate, anxiety and hyperactivity. If the thyroid gland doesn’t secrete enough thyroid hormone, you get the exact opposite — hypothyroidism, the most common thyroid problem in dogs.
How does levothyroxine work on thyroxine in dogs?
Levothyroxine for Dogs (A Potential Life Saver) Once administered, the medication starts mimicking the hormonal functions of the natural thyroxine hormone produced by the thyroid gland. This helps controls the symptoms related to hypothyroidism and it keeps the associated negative health conditions such as ulceration and anemia at bay.
Are there any side effects with thyroid medication for dogs?
Canine thyroid medication can reduce all symptoms of hyper- or hypothyroidism in your dog, but they can also lead to several side effects. Many side effects are common and will go away once your dog has adjusted to the medication.
When to take your dog to the vet for thyroid problems?
When your vet is strongly suspicious of hypothyroidism, they check out both the levels of thyroid hormone and the levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). When TSH is high but thyroid is low, this indicates hypothyroidism.
What kind of medicine can I give my Dog for hypothyroidism?
Vets often recommend thyroxine for dogs suffering from hypothyroidism. Once administered, the medication starts mimicking the hormonal functions of the natural thyroxine hormone produced by the thyroid gland.
This sounds straightforward enough, but making a correct diagnosis can be a problem. As you’ll read, hypothyroidism can be incorrectly diagnosed because thyroid hormone takes a hit if the dog is unwell for some other reason. But I’m getting ahead of myself. What Can Cause Low Thyroid Levels in Dogs? This is a great question.