tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post7564845363450258578..comments2024-03-02T02:10:32.227-05:00Comments on Animal Endocrine Clinic: How Do We Treat Dogs With Hypothyroidism?Dr. Mark E. Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10804290441832222507noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-82475285547037304082017-04-03T14:14:14.807-04:002017-04-03T14:14:14.807-04:00Should be okay. Just monitor thyroid results to ma...Should be okay. Just monitor thyroid results to make sure they improve.Dr. Mark E. Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10804290441832222507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-3803121547461914902017-04-03T03:13:54.818-04:002017-04-03T03:13:54.818-04:00James Parsons
Thank you you for enlightening us wi...James Parsons<br />Thank you you for enlightening us with you wonderful article. I have been to 2 vets and neither told me about this empty stomach thing. I have a lab mix, 75 lbs. approximately 10 years old. He had $4,000 surgery for the tendon or something on his leg about 6 months ago. The hair where they shaved him did not grow back and he was diagnosed with a thyroid condition and prescribed Roxsime 0.7m twice a day. Since I read your article I follow the meal 3 hours before the pill or a pill then one hour till meal. It is difficult as he has a built in clock and drives us nuts when it's time for breakfast, dinner and night treats. Can I give him 5 small pieces of carrots and a small doggie "beef stick" with his 2nd pill of the day 3 hours after dinner? He will be going in for his blood test the first time when he runs out of his first prescription in about 5 days. Thank you so, so much.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16144077754767609230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-54101075578036988182017-03-22T10:39:58.804-04:002017-03-22T10:39:58.804-04:00Clinically, your dog is showing all of the classic...Clinically, your dog is showing all of the classic signs of thyroid hormone overdosage (hyperthyroidism or thyrotoxicosis). Didn't the emergency vet do any thyroid tests? If I were the vet, I'd lower the dose (probably by half). You should consider getting another opinion, since it doesn't sound like your vet understands that overdosage can even occur.Dr. Mark E. Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10804290441832222507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-66828605396142055592017-03-08T11:03:21.746-05:002017-03-08T11:03:21.746-05:00She is on 100 ug twice a day. So I'll follow y...She is on 100 ug twice a day. So I'll follow your advice and skip the evenings.<br />Thank you very much for your care and attention!Daniela Schroeder Tabalipahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07580644957529334689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-77888458206562040172017-03-08T09:04:26.360-05:002017-03-08T09:04:26.360-05:00I would give a dose of 100-200 ug per day. If you ...I would give a dose of 100-200 ug per day. If you dog is on 200 ug twice a day, I'd cut it in half. If on 100 ug twice a day, I'd cut out the evening dose. If the medicine is working and needed and the dose is correct, we don't base the dose only on the blood test, we base that also on the dog.Dr. Mark E. Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10804290441832222507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-81894941194703269302017-03-08T06:34:32.597-05:002017-03-08T06:34:32.597-05:00She weighs 7kg now (she was 8kg when the treatment...She weighs 7kg now (she was 8kg when the treatment and night behavior started - her normal weight, before hypothyroidism, was 4,8kg).<br /><br />She takes Forthyron 200 µg.<br /><br />The last time she had blood work, on 24 of November 2016, the T4 was 3.1. <br />I don't know if the scale in Germany is the same you use, but between 1.0 and 4.0 is considered normal here.<br />Should I test her again?Daniela Schroeder Tabalipahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07580644957529334689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-88867460887427940302017-03-07T04:29:04.266-05:002017-03-07T04:29:04.266-05:00Sounds like the dose might be too high. How much d...Sounds like the dose might be too high. How much does she weigh and what's the dose?Dr. Mark E. Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10804290441832222507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-26589718243279087742017-03-07T00:26:43.284-05:002017-03-07T00:26:43.284-05:00Thank you for this article, Dr. Peterson.
Since my...Thank you for this article, Dr. Peterson.<br />Since my dog started her treatment, she doesn't sleep the whole night, making my life a bit difficult since I'm pregnant and have to wake up twice every night to calm her down.<br />There was 2 nights that I forgot to give her the evening dose (one was last night, because I was exhausted and slept at 6.30pm. Those two nights she slept like an angel. And me too!<br />So I was wondering if the hormones are disturbing her sleep, if I could give the daily dose at once (even though is better to split) or if I give it earlier would be helpful?<br />Thanks in advance!Daniela Schroeder Tabalipahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07580644957529334689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-34176236678811125662017-02-01T09:53:33.248-05:002017-02-01T09:53:33.248-05:00Dogs clear the LT4 much faster (serum half-life 12...Dogs clear the LT4 much faster (serum half-life 12 hrs vs 7 days in man).Dr. Mark E. Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10804290441832222507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-86648159540809649672017-01-31T22:11:25.861-05:002017-01-31T22:11:25.861-05:00My 70 lb. dog was put on T4 0.6mg twice daily. I f...My 70 lb. dog was put on T4 0.6mg twice daily. I find it extremely inconvenient for the twice a day dosing - so I do it at one time. Her level was elevated and they decreased it to .5 twice daily -but again, I gave it daily. Her level is elevated again. She also has some elevated liver enzymes (she had a bad liver issues a few years ago after taking antifungals). Is it really that big of a deal to give it at one time? The blood work was taken 5 hours after a one tablet dose. The vet seemed pretty peeved at me but I am a pharmacist and I know that humans take it once a day and after the drug is stabilized in the blood, it shouldn't really make that much difference. Do dogs metabolize the drug in a different way?Terriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12408431717270416612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-17735521581440581552017-01-03T14:14:06.142-05:002017-01-03T14:14:06.142-05:00You dog should be fine without the supplement for ...You dog should be fine without the supplement for a few days. Just start it as soon as you can.Dr. Mark E. Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10804290441832222507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-71063728209275502532017-01-03T08:00:29.828-05:002017-01-03T08:00:29.828-05:00I'm on a trip with my dog and left her levothy...I'm on a trip with my dog and left her levothyroxine at home. She takes .05 mg twice daily. I'll be gone for another 4 days. Is it best to find a vet and get her the medicine where I am asap, or can I wait until I get back? Thank you Dr. Peterson!Vanessahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08859667798719256408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-46350133357434244462016-11-11T19:00:24.517-05:002016-11-11T19:00:24.517-05:00Values should fall to normal or low levels by 2-3 ...Values should fall to normal or low levels by 2-3 days.Dr. Mark E. Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10804290441832222507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-55663298719088419642016-11-11T00:01:39.684-05:002016-11-11T00:01:39.684-05:00My dog was on levothyroxine for about 3 years now,...My dog was on levothyroxine for about 3 years now, but due to having really high thyroid levels I was told to hold it for 30 days. How long after stopping med will a reduction in his thyroid levels be noted. Also, is their anything I should be monitoring during this process.Mariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04762967334155900912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-69754415788403695982016-10-14T07:00:32.497-04:002016-10-14T07:00:32.497-04:00You need to have a complete check up done by your ...You need to have a complete check up done by your vet, including post-pill T4 levels. It's possible that your dog is hyperthyroid from too much LT4. Dr. Mark E. Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10804290441832222507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-1422801435052405922016-10-14T01:03:26.398-04:002016-10-14T01:03:26.398-04:00My lab gunner was diagnosed hypothyroid a couple o...My lab gunner was diagnosed hypothyroid a couple of years ago. He weighs about 80 lbs and is 9 years old. He is on levothyroxine .6 mg twice a day. He can only fetch a ball for a short while then he needs to lay down and rest on his own. This evening he came inside laid down and panted for maybe 30 minutes. Next time I'll actually time it. It just doesn't seem normal. Whatever that is. I'll also need to check what the outside temp was. I'd say about 80 degrees F. What do you think?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05168305349790128902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-9767449511773475992016-09-11T02:06:55.567-04:002016-09-11T02:06:55.567-04:00I'd try cutting the dose in half and see if th...I'd try cutting the dose in half and see if that helps. If it doesn't within a 3-4 days, then I'd see another vet. Something else may be going on. All other illnesses tend to lower the T4 value so the diagnosis of hypothyroidism may not be correct.Dr. Mark E. Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10804290441832222507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-35565325199781289602016-09-10T12:05:29.074-04:002016-09-10T12:05:29.074-04:00My 8 yr old min pin (19 lbs) was put on .2mg of l...My 8 yr old min pin (19 lbs) was put on .2mg of levothyroxine twice a day..its been a little over a month and his levels have all returned normal.. His bet is continuing the same dosage now... My biggest concern is his behavior.. He's completely out of it... His eyes are buggy, he just stares at nothing and he never wants to play..its turkey heartbreaking... He has also lost around 2 pounds, which I thought hypothyroidism caused weight gain.. Are these normal signs? Should I bring him to a different vet?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04525639704013243692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-85380749994263182432016-09-04T09:27:14.425-04:002016-09-04T09:27:14.425-04:00Well, many problems here. First of all, you don...Well, many problems here. First of all, you don't diagnose hypothyroidism in a dog without signs based on only a T4 determination. Prednisone will falsely lower T4 concentration, making it difficult to fine tune the dosage.<br /><br />Diarrhea can also cause of falsely low T4 concentration. Neither hypothyroidism nor L-T4 supplementation would cause it. <br /><br />What would I do? I'd probably stop everything and then have my dog re-evaluated next week if the problem continue. I've never heard of treating an ear hematoma with steroids... so if this were me, I'd get another opinion.Dr. Mark E. Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10804290441832222507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-57711068506270151642016-09-03T07:01:22.602-04:002016-09-03T07:01:22.602-04:00This is a great post
Over a year old I know but w...This is a great post<br /> Over a year old I know but worth a shot, my vet has my dog on both L-thyroxine and prednizone, 10 year old 120lb yellow Labrador retriever. He had an ear hematoba and this is what initially brought us to the vet, the prednisone was to try and help his ear. Then the test showed low T4 and the thyro pills to try and get him back on track that way. <br />He started his medication Monday evening, and has been fine, last night (Friday night) he had a very foul, very liquid stool. Is this a normal side affect? He didn't go in the house or even run to get outside, but when I told him to go outside to pee and poo, thats how it was which is quite concerning. <br /><br />Also, if we are a few hours later from work and thus his prednisone and thyro pills are late to be given, what will the side affects be? What should I do in that situation? I do hope you see this as his vet is closed until Tuesday :( thanks! Brennanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14579636712461666615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-86852599517600936432015-09-14T07:23:02.090-04:002015-09-14T07:23:02.090-04:00The drug is best given on an empty stomach. See th...The drug is best given on an empty stomach. See this paper:<br /><br />Le Traon G1, Burgaud S, Horspool LJ. Pharmacokinetics of total thyroxine in dogs after administration of an oral solution of levothyroxine sodium. Vet Pharmacol Ther. 2008 Apr;31(2):95-101. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2885.2007.00935.x.<br /><br />Abstract<br />Oral L-thyroxine (L-T4) supplementation is used to replace thyroid hormone concentrations in dogs with hypothyroidism. The pharmacokinetics of L-T4 following administration of a solution (Leventa) was investigated in healthy dogs. L-T4 was absorbed fairly rapidly (t(max) 3 h). A mean bioavailability of 22% was calculated following a single oral administration of 40 microg L-T4/kg body weight. Repeated oral administration at the same dose for 14 consecutive days did not lead to any accumulation of T4 in serum. After intravenous administration of L-T4, a serum half-life of 11.6 h was calculated. Food intake concomitant with L-T4 oral administration delayed L-T4 absorption and decreased its rate and extent by about 45%. The relative bioavailability of L-T4 following administration of a tablet formulation was about 50% of that of the L-T4 solution. The pharmacokinetic properties of liquid L-T4 after oral administration support the use of a dose rate of 20 microg/kg once daily, as a starting dose for replacement therapy in dogs with hypothyroidism.Dr. Mark E. Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10804290441832222507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-65858144658694443362015-09-13T22:22:36.734-04:002015-09-13T22:22:36.734-04:00Dr. Peterson... I'm wondering if you can direc...Dr. Peterson... I'm wondering if you can direct me to any studies that show the bioavailability of levothyroxine given with food vs without food. My vet did not recommend dosing on an empty stomach but as we do that with humans I started dosing that way with my hypothyroid Min Pin. Her T4 levels are still not up to normal but she is doing much better. The Zir Effecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09511932813814827317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-71487532934107550652015-08-23T11:59:07.723-04:002015-08-23T11:59:07.723-04:00Again, I know of no studies linking thyroid treatm...Again, I know of no studies linking thyroid treatment to urinary pH.Dr. Mark E. Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10804290441832222507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-19055101603884172952015-08-22T19:38:34.445-04:002015-08-22T19:38:34.445-04:00The initial time he discovered the pH she did have...The initial time he discovered the pH she did have a urinary tract infection. Antibiotics took care of it. However his concern is long term the risk of future infections or kidney stones. We have talked about trying some of the urinary tract "treats" that have cranberry to lower the pH. But we are trying to narrow down if the pH is totally due to the thyroid meds and/or her food.Greyhoundmomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14776955043277304573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407531601642815094.post-31191481584067829092015-08-22T10:23:25.495-04:002015-08-22T10:23:25.495-04:00He has you monitoring urinary pH? I've never ...He has you monitoring urinary pH? I've never been asked this before and I've never really thought about it. I have no idea how or why thyroid hormone would affect urine pH. Why would you worry about the urine pH unless there were urinary tract infections or stones? Dr. Mark E. Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10804290441832222507noreply@blogger.com