Hypothyroidism
- Thread starter Puppylove
- Start date
Adrianna & Calvin
Experienced Member
Yes my late dog had hypothyroidism. If your dog has to have something, this is a good one because it is completely 100% fixed with a little pill, and you get your active, happy dog back. You have to monitor thyroid levels, and may have to adjust medication in the future. The easiest way for me to know something was off was to check his weight and to monitor his activity level.
jackienmutts
Honored Member
I too had a hypothyroid dog - two, in fact (brothers), one dx'd a couple yrs after the other. Never any problem, the vet should monitor for you (regular blood test, yearly as I recall - both my boys went to 'The Bridge' sev yrs ago). Always good to read up and learn about what you're dealing with, but as diseases go, this one is a simple one. They both were on Soloxine twice daily for life, but never had any problems at all. A friend's dog was just recently dx'd after a huge, unexplained weight gain, lethargy, and a horrible looking coat (not coming back after a big blow). She's now been on Soloxine for a little over a month, the weight is melting off, she's back to her old energy level, and her coat is looking much better. Simple and amazing.
My first dog, Patches developed Hypothyroidism very early in life (we suspect) but we had an incompetent vet, who didn't believe us that Patches had been on a diet since before she was 2! He thought we fed her too much/too many treats etc... It took 'till her eye bulged out for him to believe there was anything wrong (she was 5 years old at the time)!!! He even miss diagnosed a goiter as a pulled muscle in her neck when she was only a little over a year! (well, I assumed he did, as she had all the symptoms and developed Hypothyroidism after...)
When she was finally diagnosed, she was in the vets for more than a week, and very nearly died... all because our vet did not believe us, and obviously did not know the signs of HT. UGGH! Patches never totally lost the nearly 20 extra pounds she was carrying, though she did lose a good portion of it. And had she been diagnosed earlier, she probably would not have had the Arthritis issues she started developing quite young.
BUT Patches lived to be 14.5 years, and we were amazed she lasted as long as she did. We never expected her to live past 10 or 12, as unhealthy as she was.
Here's my baby (the only pic I have on my computer!) a few weeks before I had her PTS
When she was finally diagnosed, she was in the vets for more than a week, and very nearly died... all because our vet did not believe us, and obviously did not know the signs of HT. UGGH! Patches never totally lost the nearly 20 extra pounds she was carrying, though she did lose a good portion of it. And had she been diagnosed earlier, she probably would not have had the Arthritis issues she started developing quite young.
BUT Patches lived to be 14.5 years, and we were amazed she lasted as long as she did. We never expected her to live past 10 or 12, as unhealthy as she was.
Here's my baby (the only pic I have on my computer!) a few weeks before I had her PTS
jackienmutts
Honored Member
Oh Sara, that's dreadful, that vet needed to be .... I won't say. 
I think if I had to pick a disease, that's where my vote would go. Two out of two dogs were dx'd and treated easily ... of course I have a good vet, and one I trust implicitly. Still seething about the story you told. Patches is adorable 
and certainly 14-1/2 is a wonderful old age. But I understand, handled correctly, it may have even been longer. *sigh*
I think if I had to pick a disease, that's where my vote would go. Two out of two dogs were dx'd and treated easily ... of course I have a good vet, and one I trust implicitly. Still seething about the story you told. Patches is adorable and certainly 14-1/2 is a wonderful old age. But I understand, handled correctly, it may have even been longer. *sigh*
Puppylove
Well-Known Member
My first dog, Patches developed Hypothyroidism very early in life (we suspect) but we had an incompetent vet, who didn't believe us that Patches had been on a diet since before she was 2! He thought we fed her too much/too many treats etc... It took 'till her eye bulged out for him to believe there was anything wrong (she was 5 years old at the time)!!! He even miss diagnosed a goiter as a pulled muscle in her neck when she was only a little over a year! (well, I assumed he did, as she had all the symptoms and developed Hypothyroidism after...)
When she was finally diagnosed, she was in the vets for more than a week, and very nearly died... all because our vet did not believe us, and obviously did not know the signs of HT. UGGH! Patches never totally lost the nearly 20 extra pounds she was carrying, though she did lose a good portion of it. And had she been diagnosed earlier, she probably would not have had the Arthritis issues she started developing quite young.
BUT Patches lived to be 14.5 years, and we were amazed she lasted as long as she did. We never expected her to live past 10 or 12, as unhealthy as she was.
Here's my baby (the only pic I have on my computer!) a few weeks before I had her PTS
Sara, I'm so sorry you had to go through this... But it's obvious that Patches kept his good looks all the way to the end
ha ha she looks grumpy and old in this pic, but all her pics looked like that, when she was that ageSara, I'm so sorry you had to go through this... But it's obvious that Patches kept his good looks all the way to the end
It was very easy to manage once she was diagnosed, and she got her fur back, and her energy and love of life. she got two little pills a day, and got soo good at taking them. she would go to her pill cupboard before breakfast and dinner and wait for us to give her her pill, which we just dropped unto her mouth, we never had to disguise it in cheese or anything, then she would go to her dish, which we would fill
She was such a good dog