11Yr Old With Sudden, Shockingly Low Thyroid (Below 3)

[Batmom]

If he seems to be feeling well to you and doesn't have symptoms, I'd just redo the CBC and if desired thyroid panel in 6 months. You could do x-rays and whatnot, but given the bloodwork, unless there's a symptom to point you somewhere, you'd be shooting in the dark, really. IMHO his thyroid numbers look just fine for a greyhound . Scritchies to your good boy.

[Guest sorenkkg]

He really is such a good boy!

 

 

 

That is our plan-- I watch both of them like a hawk anyway, since I work from home 99% of the time-- he's here beside me on the couch.

 

 

I know the vet is pretty convinced there is *something* but I don't want to go poking around in the dark, like you say.

 

 

 

All that said-- he's not had a dental cleaning since 2006, just before we adopted Aleeya. She's never had one. I was thinking of getting the funds together and having their teeth cleaned. Aside from the thyroid numbers, he's healthy and she is too.

 

 

Any reason not to do this?

[Guest arlosmom]

Arlo had a low thyroid value, I can't remember what it was but he developed a lump in his throat which was moveable and sometimes you just could not find it. I would feel something and 15 minutes later it would be gone. It turned out to be cancer and it took 4 months before it could be found on an ultrasound. We took him to a Specialty Vet Hospital and it was removed with no problem. Just to be sure he had 4 chemo treatments with no ill effects he is 11 years old.

[turbotaina]

The crustiness around the mouth is probably dental related. If your dog is otherwise healthy, no reason not to get a dental, and it could help prevent other issues down the road

[Guest sorenkkg]

The crustiness around the mouth is probably dental related. If your dog is otherwise healthy, no reason not to get a dental, and it could help prevent other issues down the road

 

 

good to know-- I figure that's the case. We've had other medical issues pop up EVERY YEAR when we consider doing a dental so there's always been something getting in the way of doing it... Hopefully this will be our year for clean teeth!

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

You know I just have one question, does your vet know greyhounds? You keep quoting the "normal" range, but is that the "normal" range for canines, or greyhounds? Reason I ask is because greyhounds have notoriously different values especially when it comes to thyroid values. Just throwing it out there...

[Guest sorenkkg]

Good question greyt_dog-- yes, they're familiar with greyhounds. We're not the only ones in their practice, and we've been going for 6yrs... The "range" on the test results above is from the lab, and my vet knows that older dogs, sighthounds-- older sighthounds, can be lower.

 

But she still said basically there's "lower normal", and then there's virtually unmeasurable, which is what she said about some of his numbers. We did do different blood samples on different days, and we have his numbers from 2009 (T4, not the full panel). We'll do it again in 6 months and have more info as well as something to compare to.

 

they're very good about all the things that are different about my dogs-- from anesthesia to larger heart, lower pulse, different BP, whatever else.

 

I also tell them that I run everything by you guys and look stuff up on the internet (which can be good and bad) and talk to my greyhound group person.