Thyroid Disease in Dogs

 Thyroid disease is a relatively coarse problem in dogs. While it is normally treatable, learning that your frank has a thyroid gland condition is intelligibly concerning .

here is some data about the more common thyroid diseases that can affect dogs to help you better understand your frump ’ mho condition .

What Does the Thyroid Do?

In orderliness to understand thyroid disease, it helps to have an understand of what the thyroid gland actually does .
The thyroid gland gland is located in your chase ’ s neck, where it produces the hormone thyroxine ( T4 ), along with respective other significant thyroid gland hormones. These hormones play a large role in your dog ’ randomness metabolism and can cause major problems when they are not produced at normal levels. The thyroid is like the thermostat of the body.

What Does the Thyroid Do?

In orderliness to understand thyroid disease, it helps to have an understand of what the thyroid gland actually does .
The thyroid gland gland is located in your chase ’ s neck, where it produces the hormone thyroxine ( T4 ), along with respective other significant thyroid gland hormones. These hormones play a large role in your dog ’ randomness metabolism and can cause major problems when they are not produced at normal levels. The thyroid is like the thermostat of the body.

Hypothyroidism

hypothyroidism occurs when your dog is not secreting enough of the thyroid hormones, causing your pawl ’ s metabolism to slow. This condition is more common in dogs than in other domestic animals, but it normally responds well to appropriate medication .

What Causes Hypothyroidism?

In 95 percentage of cases, the direct destruction of the thyroid gland causes hypothyroidism. This destruction is normally the result of either lymphocytic thyroiditis or idiopathic atrophy of the thyroid gland. other, rare causes of hypothyroidism include cancer and congenital defects .

What Are the Symptoms of Hypothyroidism in Dogs?

gloomy thyroid gland levels affect all your chase ’ s organ systems. The symptoms of hypothyroidism can vary greatly from andiron to dog, but are all by and large related to your cad ’ mho slowing metamorphosis .

here are some of the more common symptoms :

• Lethargy
• Exercise intolerance
• Mental dullness
• Weight gain without a change in appetite
• Obesity
• Cold intolerance
• Changes in coat and skin, like increased shedding, hair thinning, and hair loss
• Thickening of the skin
• Reproductive disturbances in intact dogs

Some breeds do appear to be at greater risk of developing hypothyroidism than others. Medium -to- large-size breeds are more likely to develop the disease than toy dog and miniature breeds, and the Cocker Spaniel, Miniature Schnauzer, Dachshund, Doberman Pinscher, Golden Retriever, Airedale Terrier, and irish Setter appear to be predisposed to developing the condition .

Diagnosing Hypothyroidism in Dogs

The Merck Veterinary Manual states that hypothyroidism is one of the most over-diagnosed diseases in dogs. This is because many diseases mimic hypothyroidism. Some conditions or clinical signs tied improve with thyroid gland medicine. early diseases besides affect the thyroid levels, but are not hypothyroidism. This can make diagnosing a thyroid circumstance slippery, sol be patient as you work with your veterinarian to get to the beginning of your frump ’ sulfur symptoms .
Your veterinarian will diagnose your frump based on clinical signs and careful diagnostic screen. This will probably require several lineage tests to determine if your frank exhibits any of the abnormalities normally associated with the disease, and regular monitor of your chase ’ south thyroid levels .
One of these tests will probably be a test of your frank ’ second T4 assiduity. This is a commodity initial screening examination for hypothyroidism, however, your veterinarian may recommend running foster tests to get a definitive result .

Treating Hypothyroidism in Dogs

hypothyroidism is treatable. Your veterinarian will probably give your cad a prescription for thyroxine, a substitute hormone colonial, to offset your pawl ’ s depleted thyroid gland routine .
The dose will vary depending on your andiron ’ second slant and thyroid levels. Your veterinarian may need to adjust your frump ’ second dose over time, and you should expect to see results after one to two months. once your veterinarian has determined a stable dose, your frump will most probably need to have his thyroid levels retested once or twice a year and continue the stable dose of medicine, for the rest of his life .

Autoimmune Thyroiditis

Some breeds of dogs are predisposed to a character of thyroid disease called autoimmune thyroiditis. This disease occurs when the immune system attacks the thyroid gland and is more common in the Akita, Doberman Pinscher, Beagle, and Golden Retriever. 

hypothyroidism can be the alone materialization of this disease, but autoimmune thyroiditis can besides be a symptom of another disorder, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, or panendocrinopathy. This is one of the reasons why getting an accurate diagnosis for hypothyroidism is so significant .

Hyperthyroidism

hyperthyroidism occurs when your pawl ’ south body produces besides much of the thyroid hormone, increasing your chase ’ s metabolic rate to dangerous levels. This disease is rare in dogs and is much more common in cats, but when it does involve dogs, it is normally serious .
A type of cancer, called thyroid carcinoma, is the elementary campaign of hyperthyroidism in dogs. once diagnose, your veterinarian will discuss the discussion options and prognosis for your pawl. These options will depend on the stage of the cancer, the size of the tumor, and the extent of nearby tissue affair .
There are respective treatment options available for thyroid carcinoma. Your veterinarian may recommend surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation treatments, depending on your pawl ’ sulfur condition. In the meanwhile, there are medications available to counteract the overindulgence hormone levels to keep your chase comfortable .
The symptoms of hyperthyroidism in dogs include :

• Weight loss
• Hyper-excitability
• Increased appetite
• Increased thirst
• Increased urination
• Enlargement of thyroid gland
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Increased amount of stool
• Congestive heart failure
• Tachycardia (fast heart rate)
• Heart murmurs
• Cardiomegaly (enlarged heart)
• Dyspnea (shortness of breath)

unfortunately, the long-run prognosis for dogs with hyperthyroidism and thyroid carcinoma is poor to grave. Talk with your veterinarian about your dog ’ sulfur stipulate for the most accurate prognosis .

Goiters in Dogs

not all thyroid enlargement is inevitably cancerous. In some cases, this expansion, called a goiter, could be due to another lawsuit wholly .
Goiters can affect all domestic mammals and birds. They can be caused by tincture of iodine deficiencies, eating goitrogenic substances ( foods or other substances that affect thyroid function ), besides a lot tincture of iodine in a diet, and inherit defects that affect the deduction of thyroid gland hormones .
fortunately, dietary imbalances are rare in dogs fed a commercial diet. Most goiters in dogs are caused by genetic defects, or they develop as a english consequence of presidency of trimethoprim-sulfa, an antibiotic used to treat a variety of infections in dogs, according to veterinarians .

Goiters can be a symptom of congenital hypothyroidism, and Toy Fox Terriers, in detail, appear to be predisposed to congenital hypothyroidism with goiter mho

Goiters often appear more alarming than they are. however, any swelling on your pawl ’ s neck should be taken badly. If you suspect your chase has a goiter, or if you find swelling in your frump ’ south neck, contact your veterinarian ampere soon as potential .

What should I do if I think my dog has a thyroid problem?

thyroid disease in dogs requires medical treatment from a veterinarian. Make an appointment with your veterinarian if your andiron is showing symptoms of thyroid disease

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