How Soon Will You See Results After Starting Thyroid Meds?

[Guest lizmego]

Dell was just diagnosed with low thyroid. He has been losing hair and lethargic on walks. So we started him on meds this Saturday. How soon do you think it will be before I start seeing any results? We have to go back in 3 weeks to check his blood levels again. Let me know if you want the name of the med and the strength and I can go get it.

 

Thanks.

[CaliforniaGreys]

If I remember correctly, my vet said 3-6 weeks

[Guest MAXNAV]

My collie only took about 1 month to be regulated on his meds. My grey took about 2 months.

[BauersMom]

Somewhere in the 3-6 week, depending. For Annie, it was a good month.

[Batmom]

Here is some info for you: http://www.animalhealth.msu.edu/Sections/E.../Monitoring.php

 

Did pup have a full thyroid panel before starting meds? That's generally best.

[Guest kydie]

4 to 6 weeks for my pup

[Burpdog]

A couple of weeks. You should not retest before 6 weeks.

[seeh2o]

For Carl it took about 3 months (his eyes started clearing up), but the fur didn't start really coming back for 6 months. He didn't have any lethargy, eating problems or behavioral problems.

[Guest Energy11]

I am JUST starting to see changes in Curfew, and it is going on the third week :-)) He is wagging his tail, and running with me, etc. :-))) Good Luck! D

[Guest KennelMom]

Took about three weeks with Hanna.

[TheFullHouse]

It was about 3 weeks with Gee.

[AngelWhispers]

It took about 2-3 weeks for Hatter, gosh that was almost 7 years ago.

[Guest lizmego]

For Carl it took about 3 months (his eyes started clearing up), but the fur didn't start really coming back for 6 months. He didn't have any lethargy, eating problems or behavioral problems.

I just attributed Dell's weeping eyes to allergies...is this common in greyhounds with low thyroid?

[RobinM]

1 Week with Chloe and there were moderate changes.

[Guest MnMDogs]

Would you mind posting the meds and dose he's on? I think we're heading that way with Mork (TSH slowing increasing, and we're re-testing this week), and I'm just wondering what other hounds are prescribed.

[seeh2o]

For Carl it took about 3 months (his eyes started clearing up), but the fur didn't start really coming back for 6 months. He didn't have any lethargy, eating problems or behavioral problems.

I just attributed Dell's weeping eyes to allergies...is this common in greyhounds with low thyroid?

 

Carl developed whitish/bluish rings around his corneas, he was in no pain and had no discharge, no morning goop. My vet started treatment with a generic thyroid medication, but after reading a lot about it here and elsewhere I asked that she switch him to Soloxine. His eyes began rapid improvement after I switched him to Soloxine, that's also when the fur started coming back in.

 

Here are some pictures of his eyes:

 

Early on when it was misdiagnosed as Pannus:

 

 

Fall of 2008

 

After treatment began with Soloxine

 

Edited July 19, 2009 by ckruzan

[KF_in_Georgia]

He has been losing hair and lethargic on walks.

 

You might want to snap some detailed photos of Dell's hair loss now that you can use for comparison in a few weeks. If you've got some nice evidence to compare with, it might help your own peace of mind as you're watching Dell and trying to spot improvements in his condition. (Lethargy on walks may vary, based on the weather.)

 

My Sam had a totally bald throat when we started him on thyroid meds. It was only a few weeks before he started growing baby fine hair on his throat. (Bare buns took a bit longer.) Photos might have reassured me sooner that the thyroid meds were helping.

[Guest lizmego]

Thanks everyone. Dell has lost a lot of hair along the spine of his tail and his butt. I'll have DH take some photos. Great idea!

 

He's on Thyrozine 0.4 mg, 1 pill twice per day.