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Thyroid Issues And Dentals


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Guest taylorsmom
Posted

hi everyone--

My 6 year old Greyhound Rita has just had some bloodwork analyzed by Jean Dodds, and it has come back that she has very low thyroid levels (T4 is <.50, free T4 is .30). I implicitly trust Jean Dodds when it comes to greyhound blood work and have also sent thyroid bloodwork to her for my other greyhound Taylor who is also hypothyroid and has been for years. I am not sure why I am posting, however, because I don't really have a problem with the decision to try some Soloxine, as Dr. Dodds recommends it. I am a bit upset, however, that both my greyhounds have thyroid issues. It is a pretty irrational response, I know, but I am upset nonetheless. And I know it is very treatable and if we have to have some medical issue this is one of the "best" to have! I just feel responsible somehow, or something, I don't know. :( I am so careful about what I feed them, what chemicals they are exposed to, I limit vaccinations, etc. etc. I am just complaining, I know, and it is not so bad, I just need to get used to the idea. The issue clinically for Rita is also not a very serious one--she is skinny, that is really it. She eats voraciously and never gains an ounce. That is really it, thank goodness. Her energy level is decent, for a greyhound that is! And her coat is fine. But I guess it makes sense to try a trial of the Soloxine and see what improves, right??

So now that my kvetching is done, here is my real question. It also appears that there is some plaque buildup on her rear molars, and she is starting to show some mild gingivitis on her gum line. Her breath is kind of stinky, but not too bad. I have never had a dental done on any of my dogs, as I have been rawfeeding for years. I have only recently switched to a dry food (Orijen, which they are doing great on) and now I see this buildup on her teeth. At what point do you decide to have the dental done--when it is really bad and there is lots of buildup, or in this earlier stage? I am also hesitating because of the anesthesia--she just had to get put under about 2 months ago when she was attacked by a pit bull and needed stitches near her eye. I don't want to do too much anesthesia too close together and also did not want to introduce too many new things (dental plus thyroid meds) all at once.

What would you guys do??

Thanks!

Posted (edited)

Would not put a greyhound (or really any dog) on thyroid meds without -1- clear thyroid-specific symptoms, and -2- a TSH in addition to fT4ed. Dr. Dodds doesn't do those two tests.

 

Without those two tests, you're basically relying on the T4 to judge thyroid function. T4 in a greyhound can be zero and still normal, per MSU, OSU, and others.

Edited by Batmom

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

Guest taylorsmom
Posted

Would not put a greyhound (or really any dog) on thyroid meds without -1- clear thyroid-specific symptoms, and -2- a TSH in addition to fT4ed. Dr. Dodds doesn't do those two tests.

 

Without those two tests, you're basically relying on the T4 to judge thyroid function. T4 in a greyhound can be zero and still normal, per MSU, OSU, and others.

Yikes--really??? :blink: What does that mean, that I should also get a blood test done by MSU to get those two tests done as well?

I looked at the Dodds report and it is true, she did not run those two things.

Posted

My advice would be to either get a premium panel (including fT4ed and TSH) and endocrinologist's interpretation from MSU, or do nothing. If your dog doesn't have thyroid-specific symptoms nor any notable problems, doesn't make sense.

 

MSU, OSU (including Dr. Couto), and the other university-level researchers find very very few truly hypothyroid greyhounds, as in almost none.

 

Some vets, including Dr. Dodds, find a lot more, but the tests and interpretation that they use don't mesh with the most up-to-date diagnostic methods and research findings.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

Guest KennelMom
Posted

Another area where I agree with Batmom. We have thyroid panels done by MSU.

Posted

I agree about the testing especially since Rita does not exhibit any of the classic symtoms.

 

When I adopted Chloe, she was already on soloxine and had been bounced becasue she would not come out of her crate for the 3 weeks her adoptors had her. They had to carry her out to eat and pee/poop. They returned her to the kennel and the kennel had her thyroid done. They did not do anything but the T4. It was .02. Low and symtomatic. So, they put her on soloxine and within 10 days, a new dog emerged.

 

I adopted her and felt a lot like you are feeling now. I thought I could make it so Chloe did not need any meds. I slowly weaned Chloe off the soloxine and within 1 week of her being off, she was not the dog I adopted but the dog I had heard about. The difference was I had Beau so she did come out of her crate to eat and pee/poop but that was it. She wouldn;t move. In order to run the correct tests we had to keep her off the meds for 6 weeks. It was so hard, but we did it and then got an accurate testing done from MSU. She was truly hypothroid. As soon as she had the tests, even before we got the results, we put her back on the meds and within 1 week, she was coming back.

 

In our instance, we would have kept her on the meds no matter what the results read because they helped her.

 

 

ROBIN ~ Mom to: Beau Think It Aint, Chloe JC Allthewayhome, Teddy ICU Drunk Sailor, Elsie N Fracine , Ollie RG's Travertine, Ponch A's Jupiter~ Yoshi, Zoobie & Belle, the kitties.

Waiting at the bridge Angel Polli Bohemian Ocean , Rocky, Blue,Sasha & Zoobie & Bobbi

Greyhound Angels Adoption (GAA) The Lexus Project

Guest taylorsmom
Posted (edited)

Wow--Okay, you all have convinced me. I am going to get testing done by MSU and see what it says. Here I was thinking Jean Dodds was the real greyhound expert! That is REALLY upsetting. Several years ago my other greyhound Taylor was exhibiting some issues (weight gain, some aggression/reactivity, extreme shyness) and we had her tested by Jean Dodds, and ended up putting her on Soloxine. Now I guess we will just have to keep her on it, but I feel a little more convinced that perhaps she had more of the classic signs of thyroid dysfunction so it is not so bad.

 

Oh I forgot--one more question--what does fT4ed stand for? Thanks!

Edited by taylorsmom
Posted

fT4ed is free T4 by equilibrium dialysis -- it's a more accurate method of testing T4. Lots of good info here: http://www.animalhealth.msu.edu/Sections/Endocrinology/Thyroid_Canine.php

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

Posted

Let me just add a word of caution, Carl had no "classic" symptoms of being hypothyroid. My vet regularly sends thyroid work to Dr. Dodds, so that's how we found out he was hypothyroid. He was having issues with his eyes at the same time and was misdiagnosed by several vets, including an eye "specialist". At the time we discovered he was hypothyroid I finally found a good ophthalmologist who diagnosed Carl with a rare eye condition that was 100% related to being hypothyroid. Within months of being on Soloxine his eye condition began to clear up. If I hadn't discovered he was hypothyroid he may well be blind by now.

Sunsands Doodles: Doodles aka Claire, Bella Run Softly: Softy aka Bowie (the Diamond Dog)

Missing my beautiful boy Sunsands Carl 2.25.2003 - 4.1.2014

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