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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 hypoerthyroidsim 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 benegfits 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.
Treating cats with thyroid issues is neither simple nor inexpensive, but also often results in a much healthier, happier, more long-lived cat. There are several treatment options. Because hyperthyroidism in cats is caused by a tumor of the thyroid gland, treatment is aimed at removing or destroying the hyperactive gland. Options include surgical removal of the thyroid gland, radiation therapy, and a drug called Tapazole, which specifically poisons the thyroid gland.
We generally use Tapazole for our hyperthyroid cats at Sunnyside Veterinary Clinic. There is not a radiation therapy facility located within a reasonable distance of Idaho Falls, and I feel that thyroid surgery has too many complications. Tapazole is not an ideal drug in that it has a number of adverse side effects as well, but I feel it is the best choice available. Without going into specifics, using tapazole involves blood testing every two to four weeks for the first two months of therapy, then every six months after that to make sure that we do not have adverse events. But don't let that scare you. While tapazole therapy is not without it's problems, it is definitely worth doing.
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