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Pre-Surgical Information
Spaying or neutering your pet is a big step! There is a lot to consider
when we are planning your pet’s surgery. Here is some information to help
you make wise decisions.
Click here . . .
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Special LibraryOur Special Library
is a collection of informative articles on a variety of health topics.
Click here . . .
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Discharge InstructionsClick here for
information on how to care for your pet at home.
Click here . . .
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Thyroid Issues
The thyroid gland is located just below the adams apple.
The hormones it produces regulate the metabolism of
every cell in the body. When the thyroid gland
goes bad, it causes problems throughout the whole body.
Low thyroid levels are common in older dogs, especially
in such breeds as Cocker Spaniels, Golden and Labrador
Retrievers, Dachshunds, and Doberman Pinschers.
Also called hypothyroidism, symptoms of this condition
include weight gain, decreased energy, and poor skin and
hair or coat condition. Low thyroid levels are
most commonly caused when the body's own immune system
for unknown reasons attacks and destroys the thyroid
gland.
Because low thyroid levels come on slowly, you may not
really notice your dog's gradual loss of energy.
Because low thyroid levels commonly happen in older
dogs, you may attribute your pet's lethargy to "old
age." Many older dogs with low thyroid levels
benefit greatly from treatment, and their owners tell us
that their dog seems years younger.
In cats, low thyroid levels are very rare, but elevated
thyroid levels are occasionally seen. This
condition, also called hyperthryoidism, causes weight
loss, usually despite an increased appetite,
 increased
thirst, increased irritability, and restlessness or even
hyperactivity. Many affected cats have a rapid heart
rate and develop an unkempt coat. In cats,
elevated thyroid levels are most often caused by tumors
of the thyroid gland.
In humans, diagnosing thyroid conditions if fairly
straight forward. While testing for
hyperthyroidism in cats is relatively simple too, due to
differences between the species, it can be harder to
diagnose thyroid problems in dogs. However, it all
starts with a screening blood test. Because the
screening test is not perfect, we may not believe the
results we get if they are normal and your dog has
clinical signs that are typical of low thyroid
levels. Like most screening tests, there are a certain
number of false negatives as well as false positives.
In these cases, we often do a second test, which is much
more accurate but also costs more.
Treatment for dogs with thyroid problems is simple,
inexpensive, and very effective. We start them on
a medication that is an artificial source of thyroid
hormones. This medication most commonly comes in a
pill form. We generally use a product called Soloxine. Most dogs get a dose every twelve
hours, one dose
 in
the morning and one dose in the evening. They will
need to be medicated for the rest of their life.
As long as the dose of thyroid medication is correct,
there are no side effects to thyroid supplementation.
However, your dog's dosage needs may change over time.
If too much thyroid medication is being given, symptoms
much like those seen in cats with hyperthyroidsim can be
observed. The toxic effects of too much thyroid
hormone can make your dog sick and shorten his or her
life. Similarly, if too little thyroid hormone is
being given, your pet won't experience the benefits of
thyroid medication. This is why we need to test
periodically, usually two months after starting
medication and then every year after that, to make sure
the medication level is right.
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