[Salamander]

Odin was diagnosed as hypothyroidal at <2 years and has reached his "normal" levels with .6 mg of Soloxine, 2 times a day.
[Dr Dodds, consulting]

When I first suspected his thyroid was a mess, I noticed a 'sparse' patch of hair right on top of his head.

Now his hair is sparse down his spine, about 2/3 of the way from his rump to his upper back.

He's not bald...there's just a lot less hair than should be there.

Viewed from behind, his fish belly white skin glares through his blacker-than-black hair.

FWIW, his dad was a BB male and his mom was a Fawn.

Supposedly, the Soloxine was going to "fix" the hair loss but it has not.
It's actually gotten more noticeable.

I know that the entire endocrine system works in concert, one gland being unable to function properly unless all glands are so is there something else amiss?

Adrenals?
Pituitary?

I am giving him a liquid EFA supplement provided by the vet, wild caught salmon oil, coconut oil and rubbing Emu oil into the sparse areas.

Would it be safe to give him a combo raw adrenal/pituitary supplement, as well?

The vet just keeps telling me it "takes a long time for hair to grow back" but he got a whomping big cut on his face [he foolishly harassed an uppity spayed bitch] and it not only healed up fast but the hair covered it so quickly, thickly and completely I can't recall exactly where the cut was, now.

I went hunting for possible issues and found "Follicle dysplasia and hypotrichosis", the first of which is a "known Doberman issue".

What can I do to find out for sure and/or restore his hair?

Thanks!

 

[MeadowCat]

Have you retested to make sure the dosage is right for thyroid?

Shanoa had hair loss on her ears before she was diagnosed low thyroid. It did take some time to grow in.

 

[Jenny]

I'd re-test his thyroid w/ Dr Dodds. His doseage may need to be changed. When was the last time he was tested? Also - test has to be done fasting and 4-6 hours post pill.

 

[Lori Z]

Eli just had his blood test this morning to see what is going on now with his levels. He has been on thyroid pills for about 5 to 6 weeks I think? Can't remember. What I can tell you is his hair is completely grown in. He had hair loss on his spine, shoulders, head and ears. He was looking terrible. His hair is thick again already. I could see skin before and he was almost bald in some spots like his shoulders. I also have him a limited diet, NV limited, turkey, which has a couple of ingredients only. The bag is at home but I think it is turkey and peas. He is doing well on that that food as I think he has some allergies to food. He does not get any oil type supplements as that gives him diarreah. I am one of those people who feels the thyroid medicine has been a miracle. He is on Thyrozine.

 

[DogsR4Life]

How long has Odin been on the meds? It typically takes 6-12 months to see a difference. Chase is Hypothyroid, on the blue pill BID, and it took 8 months to see a change in his coat. His levels are fine, the meds are working, but he still has a difficult time regulating his body temps in cold weather, and his hair along his spine will always be a little thinner than the rest.

 

[Salamander]

Have you retested to make sure the dosage is right for thyroid?

Shanoa had hair loss on her ears before she was diagnosed low thyroid. It did take some time to grow in.

He just had his re-test [T4/freeT4 T3/freeT3] and Dr Dodds said his levels were good/normal but my understanding is that they should be on the 'high side' of normal.

Would adding a natural multiglandular sup help him, overall?

My Ibizan girls and Portuguese Podengo Medio take them with good results.

This has been going on for well over a year and I'd expect to see some hair growth returning...unless hypothyroid hair loss takes longer to regrow.



This is the test result:

 

[Salamander]

How long has Odin been on the meds? It typically takes 6-12 months to see a difference. Chase is Hypothyroid, on the blue pill BID, and it took 8 months to see a change in his coat. His levels are fine, the meds are working, but he still has a difficult time regulating his body temps in cold weather, and his hair along his spine will always be a little thinner than the rest.

Since July 2011.

His initial dose was .5mg x2 and was bumped up to .6mg about 2 months ago.

[can we use Rogaine on our boys?]

 

[Salamander]

I'd re-test his thyroid w/ Dr Dodds. His doseage may need to be changed. When was the last time he was tested? Also - test has to be done fasting and 4-6 hours post pill.

I just did, she checked the results, his dosage remained the same and he was tested within the correct parameters.

[isn't Dr Dodds are doll? she is just the nicest person, ever]

 

[Salamander]

Eli just had his blood test this morning to see what is going on now with his levels. He has been on thyroid pills for about 5 to 6 weeks I think? Can't remember. What I can tell you is his hair is completely grown in. He had hair loss on his spine, shoulders, head and ears. He was looking terrible. His hair is thick again already. I could see skin before and he was almost bald in some spots like his shoulders. I also have him a limited diet, NV limited, turkey, which has a couple of ingredients only. The bag is at home but I think it is turkey and peas. He is doing well on that that food as I think he has some allergies to food. He does not get any oil type supplements as that gives him diarreah. I am one of those people who feels the thyroid medicine has been a miracle. He is on Thyrozine.

Wow.
Lucky Eli!
I'm happy his hair came back!

Dr Dodds insisted that I use only Soloxine, which I have done in spite of having to beg the vet to get it for me.

I have to go see if I can find "NV limited" in my area.

[he's been eating TOTW Prairie and/or salmon, Halo salmon, the salmon food for sensitive skin and I can't recall what all other foods to see if anything helps...which it hasn't]

He does have a habit of sleeping on his back.
I have no idea how to convince him to stop doing that, though.

 

[Lori Z]

I was going to use Soloxine if his Thyrozine hadn't worked. My vet wanted to try it first. I wasn't expecting things to change this quickly either. In fact I was surprised. He was shedding handfuls of fur everytime I touched him and he smelled terrible before the medicine. Four weeks later no shedding, mega hair growth, more energy and he smells normal again. He also had some skin infection happening on his inner thighs and lower belly. That is gone too and the dark skin lesions are hardly there now. I also bathed him every two weeks with prescription shampoo until 3 weeks ago. Now I don't even have to use it at all. It was like a miracle, seriously. My vet says sometimes that happens. Eli did not do well on TOTW. I order my "NV limited" on line from Pet Food Station, shipping is free.

I think it is adorable that he sleeps on his back but yes I think that could rub some fur off on his spine and shoulders. Silly dog.

Wow.
Lucky Eli!
I'm happy his hair came back!

Dr Dodds insisted that I use only Soloxine, which I have done in spite of having to beg the vet to get it for me.

I have to go see if I can find "NV limited" in my area.

[he's been eating TOTW Prairie and/or salmon, Halo salmon, the salmon food for sensitive skin and I can't recall what all other foods to see if anything helps...which it hasn't]

He does have a habit of sleeping on his back.
I have no idea how to convince him to stop doing that, though.

 

[Salamander]

I was going to use Soloxine if his Thyrozine hadn't worked. My vet wanted to try it first. I wasn't expecting things to change this quickly either. In fact I was surprised. He was shedding handfuls of fur everytime I touched him and he smelled terrible before the medicine. Four weeks later no shedding, mega hair growth, more energy and he smells normal again. He also had some skin infection happening on his inner thighs and lower belly. That is gone too and the dark skin lesions are hardly there now. I also bathed him every two weeks with prescription shampoo until 3 weeks ago. Now I don't even have to use it at all. It was like a miracle, seriously. My vet says sometimes that happens. Eli did not do well on TOTW. I order my "NV limited" on line from Pet Food Station, shipping is free.

I think it is adorable that he sleeps on his back but yes I think that could rub some fur off on his spine and shoulders. Silly dog.

Ugh...the way he sleeps is vulgar....LOL
[if he were a person, he'd be Al Bundy]

I found the dog food locally at PetCo.
I'm going to give it a try.

[I don't think my boy did that well on TOTW either]


What shampoo was Eli using?

My vet's pretty good about giving me whatever I ask for.

Thanks for the help!

 

[lorenyte22]

Hello i want to tell you my story.I have 1.7year old doberman(female) since i bought her began my problams :uuuh_2d_s she always had very bad condition skin(dry,flaky,a lot red pimples,hair loss) her coat never looked nice.And for advise we always talk with breeders,but they told us that we have to change her food of course nothing changed.Last winter she cut her paw and got infection so she was on antibiotics for 2 weeks and after that her skin condition became worst,she lost really a lot of hair i thought if she continue like that soon she will be bold.Summer time she looked better and shedding stopped.So october 2011 we went to vet clinic to get vactins and i told to my vet about all these problams so she did thyroid test but everything was normal.She gave us vitamins for her coat,we changed previous food to Orijen with fish,i bought shampoo from clinic and i was amazed how it helped to her,no more pimples(she had a lot allergies)her coat is more thicker until last month when i notice a lot hair on furniture,floor and if she feel stress(she is very sensitive dog) the place where she stand is full of hair falling down like snowflakes,i cant pet her anymore now on her back i already see empty spots.so last weekend our vet diagnosed low thyroid level without any blood test just by checking her coat and it looks really very bad.Now she is on Levothyroxine 4th day.When i can expect results?Are these tabs good?

 

[Salamander]

Hello i want to tell you my story.I have 1.7year old doberman(female) since i bought her began my problams :uuuh_2d_s she always had very bad condition skin(dry,flaky,a lot red pimples,hair loss) her coat never looked nice.And for advise we always talk with breeders,but they told us that we have to change her food of course nothing changed.Last winter she cut her paw and got infection so she was on antibiotics for 2 weeks and after that her skin condition became worst,she lost really a lot of hair i thought if she continue like that soon she will be bold.Summer time she looked better and shedding stopped.So october 2011 we went to vet clinic to get vactins and i told to my vet about all these problams so she did thyroid test but everything was normal.She gave us vitamins for her coat,we changed previous food to Orijen with fish,i bought shampoo from clinic and i was amazed how it helped to her,no more pimples(she had a lot allergies)her coat is more thicker until last month when i notice a lot hair on furniture,floor and if she feel stress(she is very sensitive dog) the place where she stand is full of hair falling down like snowflakes,i cant pet her anymore now on her back i already see empty spots.so last weekend our vet diagnosed low thyroid level without any blood test just by checking her coat and it looks really very bad.Now she is on Levothyroxine 4th day.When i can expect results?Are these tabs good?

Honestly I can't answer your questions since I'm having the same issues.
Other folks have had their dog's hair grow back in fast but it's not happening for my boy.
I'm worrying there's something worse going [because I always worry] and I'm at loss as to what more I should do or look for.
He's now on the limited ingredient food, gets coat supplements, sardines, salmon oil, borage oil and B vitamins and just about anything else I think will help.

My boy's hypothyroidism isn't autoimmune or genetic...Dr Dodds said it was "familial" meaning his poorly maintained mother was probably low thyroid while pregnant and he's been running a deficit ever since he was born.

[the BYB ignored my pleas to have her dogs tested and then was *shocked* when her morbidly obese, nearly bald "heart dog" fell over dead one hot summer day]

So, the love of my life is a mess that somebody else created but I'm going mad trying to clean up.

Some of the people on DT know why this dog is a life-and-death desperately important to me.

I'd give all that I own to fix whatever's going on with him.

I don't have much experience with hypothyroidism in Dobes since none of the others I've had suffered from it.

For about 8-9 months, his dose was too low and he's now on a higher dose but his hair isn't 'coming back' like it has for other Dobes.

I just don't know.

I'm at my wit's end.

Just to make life even more "interesting" I'm dealing with an off and on flea problem.
I positively can not use "normal" flea products because of my Ibizan Hounds, who are insanely sensitive to all of them and the "natural" stuff just isn't working.

I've been thinking of getting this stuff for him

Dog Hypothyroidism Treatment - Thyro-Up for Canine Hypothyroidism Natural Herbal Remedy

And he's already taking these

Symbiotics Candida Balance with Colostrum And Probiotics -- 120 Capsules - Vitacost

I just don't know what else to do.

 

[Jenny]

You might want to look at b-naturals.com. The have a ton of info on lots of different issues. That's where I get V's probiotics from. Also his fish oil and green blend.

I have heard mixed results for natural thyroid supplements. Some swear they work others say they don't.

 

[Salamander]

You might want to look at b-naturals.com. The have a ton of info on lots of different issues. That's where I get V's probiotics from. Also his fish oil and green blend.

I have heard mixed results for natural thyroid supplements. Some swear they work others say they don't.

Thank you, Jenny.

I'll give anything a try.