If
clinical signs of hypothyroidism remain despite the use of reasonable doses of thyroid hormone, the following must be considered: 1) the dosage or frequency of administration is improper; 2) the owner is not complying with instructions or is not successfully administering the medication; 3) the animal is not absorbing the medication well, or is metabolizing and / or excreting it too rapidly; 4) the medication is outdated; or 5) the diagnosis is incorrect.
Classical
clinical signs of hypothyroidism only appear once more than 70 % of the gland is destroyed.
Autoimmune thyroid disease is considered inherited in dogs, and autoantibodies may in some cases be detected before the dog has
clinical signs of hypothyroidism.
Your veterinarian will be looking for
clinical signs of hypothyroidism during a thorough physical examination of the dog and will ask questions about your dog's health and behavior.
Not exact matches
A low level
of total thyroxin, along with the presence
of clinical signs is suggestive
of hypothyroidism.
Diagnosis:
Clinical signs and breed are suggestive, but other causes
of patchy hair loss include bacterial demodex, or ringworm infection, or hormonal diseases such as
hypothyroidism and Cushing's disease.
Clinical signs usually appear between 2 and 6 years
of age, but may occur very young (congenital
hypothyroidism).
If your dog's
clinical signs resolve with such a medication trial, the diagnosis
of hypothyroidism is likely accurate.
The presence
of hypothyroidism should always be confirmed by blood testing not on the basis
of clinical signs alone and thyroid supplementation should always be started under the supervision
of a veterinarian.
This also allows for early treatment where indicated to abort the development or advancement
of clinical signs associated with
hypothyroidism.
EARLY THYROID DISEASE (THYROIDITIS) COMPENSATORY AND
CLINICAL CANINE HYPOTHYROIDISM Most of the confusion about the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disease in purebred or mixed breed dogs today stems from the expectation that affected animals must show clinical signs of inadequate thyroid hormonal production (i.e. hypothyroidism) in order to have the
CLINICAL CANINE
HYPOTHYROIDISM Most of the confusion about the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disease in purebred or mixed breed dogs today stems from the expectation that affected animals must show clinical signs of inadequate thyroid hormonal production (i.e. hypothyroidism) in order to hav
HYPOTHYROIDISM Most
of the confusion about the diagnosis and treatment
of thyroid disease in purebred or mixed breed dogs today stems from the expectation that affected animals must show
clinical signs of inadequate thyroid hormonal production (i.e. hypothyroidism) in order to have the
clinical signs of inadequate thyroid hormonal production (i.e.
hypothyroidism) in order to hav
hypothyroidism) in order to have the disease.
Congenital secondary
hypothyroidism (associated with
clinical signs of disproportionate dwarfism, lethargy, gait abnormalities, and constipation) has been reported in Giant Schnauzers, Toy Fox Terriers, and Scottish Deerhounds.
Many
of the
clinical signs associated with canine
hypothyroidism are directly related to slowing
of cellular metabolism, which results in development
of mental dullness, lethargy, exercise intolerance, and weight gain without a corresponding increase in appetite.
Many diseases and conditions can mimic
hypothyroidism, and some
of the
clinical signs, even in dogs with normal thyroid function, can improve after administration
of exogenous thyroid hormone.
Their presence, however, adds supportive evidence for a diagnosis
of hypothyroidism in a dog with relevant
clinical signs.
Definitive diagnosis
of canine
hypothyroidism requires careful attention to
clinical signs and results
of routine laboratory testing.