I have a very old saying that i always like to stick to "If it ain't broke,don't fix it" if he is happy and healthy without meds and showing no signs of ill health then leave him be.
Vet Trip
Well I took Rommel and Ziris to the vet today. Ziris was due for another puppy shot and her Rabies, and Rommel was due for a booster and his rabies.
While I was there I went ahead and had a full blood panel done on Rommel and had his thyroid checked. (The full Chemistry panel, 12 hematology panel, and the T4) Last year when they checked his thyroid it was at the very bottom of borderline....
His bloodwork came back....okay.......at best. His platelets were a little low, which can have to do with clotting time. They were 155, the normal range is 175-500.
His white blood cells were a tad high, 12.40 Normal is 2.00-12.00 He said that could just be stress from being there.
But the bad thing was that his thyroid came back really low. His T4 level was .5 Now he did say that the machine that they use likes to see the levels at 3 to 4x what they normally are because they use a synthetic to test with rather than the real thing. He said they like to see it somewhere between 4 and 7
He said that normally with levels as low as Rommels they would put them on medicine, but because Rommel looks so healthy he thinks we should wait. He said normally the coat is really bad, and the hair is falling out, and they are gaining weight.
Rommel has NONE of the above problems. His coat is beautiful, and I actually have to TRY to keep weight on him. He said we should just wait on the medicine until he starts showing clinical symptoms. He said I was doing a good job with him and just keep doing what I am doing and bring him back if there are any problems or he starts to show symptoms.
Anyone have experience with this? A dog who is low thyroid, not being put on medicine? I am all for not putting him on it if we dont have to...I just want to make sure I am making the right decision....maybe just looking for a second opinion.
While I was there I went ahead and had a full blood panel done on Rommel and had his thyroid checked. (The full Chemistry panel, 12 hematology panel, and the T4) Last year when they checked his thyroid it was at the very bottom of borderline....
His bloodwork came back....okay.......at best. His platelets were a little low, which can have to do with clotting time. They were 155, the normal range is 175-500.
His white blood cells were a tad high, 12.40 Normal is 2.00-12.00 He said that could just be stress from being there.
But the bad thing was that his thyroid came back really low. His T4 level was .5 Now he did say that the machine that they use likes to see the levels at 3 to 4x what they normally are because they use a synthetic to test with rather than the real thing. He said they like to see it somewhere between 4 and 7
He said that normally with levels as low as Rommels they would put them on medicine, but because Rommel looks so healthy he thinks we should wait. He said normally the coat is really bad, and the hair is falling out, and they are gaining weight.
Rommel has NONE of the above problems. His coat is beautiful, and I actually have to TRY to keep weight on him. He said we should just wait on the medicine until he starts showing clinical symptoms. He said I was doing a good job with him and just keep doing what I am doing and bring him back if there are any problems or he starts to show symptoms.
Anyone have experience with this? A dog who is low thyroid, not being put on medicine? I am all for not putting him on it if we dont have to...I just want to make sure I am making the right decision....maybe just looking for a second opinion.
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That's not true. It's not at all uncommon for hypothyroid dogs to be asymptomatic.BackInBlack said:He said normally the coat is really bad, and the hair is falling out, and they are gaining weight.
If it were me, I'd retest in 30 days or so. Free T4 is considered the "gold standard" for diagnosing hypothyroidism, it will catch it in something like 98% of all cases. If that's low, I'd start treating it..untreated hypothyroidism can damage just about every organ in the body.
Whatever you decide BIB, my thoughts are with you.
Medical problems are scary, even when they are "fixable"
Medical problems are scary, even when they are "fixable"
What is the difference in Free T4 and just T4?
Is that a specific test that I ask for?
The test that we did says "Immunoassay" VetTest Snap Reader
- DPCA Breeders Education
Having your Vet send it to Michigan State University is the best as they have a different rating ... A blood work-up should also be done ...
I have always heard this is where dobie blood work should go. ADHP
Having your Vet send it to Michigan State University is the best as they have a different rating ... A blood work-up should also be done ...
I have always heard this is where dobie blood work should go. ADHP
This may explain it a bit for you:BackInBlack said:What is the difference in Free T4 and just T4?
"Total T4
Measuring serum T4 alone is considered by most experts to be unreliable for diagnosis of thyroid disease, because it can: over diagnose hypothyroidism; under diagnose hyperthyroidism; may fail to detect early stages of the compensatory disease; and cannot identify the presence of thyroiditis. This test is greatly influenced (lowered) by the presence of non-thyroidal illness (NTI) and specific drug therapy (e.g. corticosteroids, anticonvulsants, potentiated sulfonamides, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents).
Free (Unbound) T4
The serum free T4 represents the small (<0.1%) biologically active fraction of the total T4, and is therefore less likely to be influenced by NTI.
As a single test, accurate measurement of free T4 has been shown to have the highest sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for diagnosing canine hypothyroidism.
The techniques used in veterinary medicine for assaying free T4 include: direct radioimmunoassay (RIA) determination after equilibrium dialysis (ED), considered by many to be the "gold standard"; one-step solid phase or liquid-phase analog RIA; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); and chemiluminescence. The advantages and disadvantages of current free T4 assays have been vigorously debated. Currently, methods used routinely at Antech Diagnostics include the ED and solid-phase analog RIA, both of which have been validated repeatedly, and correlate well in most cases."
And yes, you just request that they test free T4.
Actually, Antech is just as good as Michigan State, and is WIDELY used by vets across the country.alwayshadpets said:- DPCA Breeders Education
Having your Vet send it to Michigan State University is the best as they have a different rating ... A blood work-up should also be done ...
I have always heard this is where dobie blood work should go. ADHP
I had a full blood workup done today, it was as thorough as my vet goes...it cost me $150 just for the bloodwork. I dont mind paying it, I just wish now that I had known all of this.
So if I go have another one done, I should ask him to send it to MSU?
I just did a search for Free T4, this is all pretty confusing to me. Im gonna go look for the MSU website now.
So if I go have another one done, I should ask him to send it to MSU?
I just did a search for Free T4, this is all pretty confusing to me. Im gonna go look for the MSU website now.
We were posting at the same time, thanks MurreyDobe.
MSU kind of pioneered interpreting thyroid panels, which is why the DPCA suggests them, at one time they pretty much were the only ones doing that. Antech now is far more widely used..if your vet sends bloodwork out for analysis, there's a really good chance it goes to Antech.BackInBlack said:We were posting at the same time, thanks MurreyDobe.
Antech is also OFA certifiable, so their test is just as valid as MSU.
Dr. Dodds sends any thyroid bloodwork sent to HER, to Antech.
Dr. Dodds sends any thyroid bloodwork sent to HER, to Antech.
For some reason, that just cracks me up!doberkim said:Dr. Dodds sends any thyroid bloodwork sent to HER, to Antech.
Me too Murreydobe--particularly because I've had people recommend Dr Dodds in preference to the full panel Antech tests.
I never had to ask for the Free T4 test when testing the thyroid. That was just the test that they did. I did ask before about having it sent to MSU. My vets response was "Sure, if you want to wait a week or so for the results." I am not that patient to get back test results from my dogs. The turn around time is long enough as is, I couldn't imagine waiting that long to see if my medications were correct.
If his levels were low, I would personally treat regardless if he was symptomatic or not. Would you treat him for DCM if he was asymptomatic but the tests revealed it?
If his levels were low, I would personally treat regardless if he was symptomatic or not. Would you treat him for DCM if he was asymptomatic but the tests revealed it?
BIB, both Molly and Apollo have low thyroid and are on treatment.
we test pollo for it after some surgery and his hair didn't grow back. we have always had trouble keeping weight on him and his coat has always been shiny. I don't notice much difference in behavior, possibly more energetic, but that could be Molly too.
Rommel seems a bit young for low thryroid. we diagnosed Molly with it when she was about 14 months old - also young. She was overweight when we got her, but her foster was free feeding her. but now she is slimmed down nicely and we don't notice much change in energy level.
I forget who posted above, although the thyroid is part of the endocrine system, but it effects many different organs. correcting the problem is easy - one or two pills a day and they are tiny (and cheap). get the free T4 test and if that comes back low too, get Rom on thyroxine or what ever your vet recommends. it will be well worth it in the long run.
If you are nervous about it ask to start on a very low dose and work your way up. dosages are typically based on weight, but different dogs respond differently.
good luck and keep us posted
cc
we test pollo for it after some surgery and his hair didn't grow back. we have always had trouble keeping weight on him and his coat has always been shiny. I don't notice much difference in behavior, possibly more energetic, but that could be Molly too.
Rommel seems a bit young for low thryroid. we diagnosed Molly with it when she was about 14 months old - also young. She was overweight when we got her, but her foster was free feeding her. but now she is slimmed down nicely and we don't notice much change in energy level.
I forget who posted above, although the thyroid is part of the endocrine system, but it effects many different organs. correcting the problem is easy - one or two pills a day and they are tiny (and cheap). get the free T4 test and if that comes back low too, get Rom on thyroxine or what ever your vet recommends. it will be well worth it in the long run.
If you are nervous about it ask to start on a very low dose and work your way up. dosages are typically based on weight, but different dogs respond differently.
good luck and keep us posted
cc
Keep us posted Bib...you know I love that Rommel boy..he is one of my faves on here...
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