Hypothyroidism: A Common Disease for Older Dogs
Services Contacts Staff Info Pet Links Pet News What's New? Take a Tour Senior Pages		By Dr. James Marx "Well Doc, my dog's not as active as she used to be, but she's getting older." Well that may be true, but she may also be suffering from hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is a very common disease in middle age and older dogs. It is caused by low levels of thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone helps maintain a dog's normal metabolic rate as well as having effects on almost every system of the body. The first signs many owners notice are decreased activity, a poor hair coat and obesity. Less commonly owners may notice recurrent skin and ear infections, as well as reproductive, neurologic and gastrointestinal disorders. The disease is diagnosed by a simple blood test that can be run in the hospital in just 15 minutes. Fortunately, hypothyroidism can be easily and effectively treated by giving dogs a medication called thyroxine, which is a synthetic thyroid hormone replacement. After starting the therapy, we recheck thyroid levels, frequently (every 2-4 weeks) until a corrected dosage for the individual patient is determined. Afterwards, the levels are checked 6-12 months to maintain a proper dosage. So if your dog is "acting old" or showing any other strange signs, you should speak with your veterinarian to see if he is possibly suffering from this common and easily treated disease.