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Need Advice On Follow Up Blood Test For Thyroid Med


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So Tracker has been on Soloxine for almost 5 weeks now, for his lower energy level (thyroid was low, all other tests were negative/normal). I understand he needs to be rechecked after 6 weeks to see where the thyroid is at.

 

1. What should he be checked for? T4 and free T4? What else?

 

2. Can the local lab do this properly or should I have it sent to Michigan?

 

3. His energy level has not come up. If the re-test reveals his levels of T4 or whatever else were unchanged, should he be getting a higher level, and if so, how is it determined how much higher?

 

If the T4 level were higher than before, say, in the normal greyhound range, but his energy level is unchanged, should I discontinue the drug?

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What initial testing was done?? Hopefully, the Dr ran more than just a T4. You really need to run a TSH to diagnose hypothyroidism.

Diagnosing hypothyroidism in a gh has always been a challenge for many clinicians as "normal" greyhound present with many hypoT symptoms---sleep all day, cold intolerance, low t4's, thinning hair....

To complicate matters Soloxine will pep up any dog, hypoT or not so, when starting Soloxine many owners see a different brighter hound and therefore assume the Soloxine was warranted. In fact unwarranted supplementation can be harmful to your hound.

Another thing to consider--quite often while checking your supplemented hounds T4 the values may not increase-the veterinarian will increase the dosage and you still may not see the value change, however, if you check the TSH you will see a change there-most often seeing now they are hyperthyroid.

At this point you can (with your vets blessing) wean off the medication, wait 6 weeks and then run a full panel OR test the T4 and TSH 4-6 hours after dosing.

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What initial testing was done?? Hopefully, the Dr ran more than just a T4. You really need to run a TSH to diagnose hypothyroidism.

Diagnosing hypothyroidism in a gh has always been a challenge for many clinicians as "normal" greyhound present with many hypoT symptoms---sleep all day, cold intolerance, low t4's, thinning hair....

To complicate matters Soloxine will pep up any dog, hypoT or not so, when starting Soloxine many owners see a different brighter hound and therefore assume the Soloxine was warranted. In fact unwarranted supplementation can be harmful to your hound.

Another thing to consider--quite often while checking your supplemented hounds T4 the values may not increase-the veterinarian will increase the dosage and you still may not see the value change, however, if you check the TSH you will see a change there-most often seeing now they are hyperthyroid.

At this point you can (with your vets blessing) wean off the medication, wait 6 weeks and then run a full panel OR test the T4 and TSH 4-6 hours after dosing.

 

 

He had the full panel done 6 weeks ago at Michigan. Sorry, I failed to mention that. If I understand you correctly, at this point I should do T4 and TSH? Interesting that you say Soloxine will pep up any dog--certainly not mine...

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MSU suggested to start supplementation? If so, at this point if its been 3ish weeks I would run either their monitoring panel or a t4/TSH at your local lab. Now, let me clarify-most clinicians will only run a t4 while the pet is being supplemented-IMO I huge mistake with ghs as the T4 will often not change-if you run a TSH that will fluctuate.

For a quick example-I do have a hypoT hound (she had a unilateral thyroidectomy). When getting her regulated and adjusting her Soloxine her t4 was the same whether I used 0.4mgs or 0.6mgs but, when checking if a TSH that did change! The 0.6mgs made her hyperthyroid and the 0.4mg wasn't enough. If I never ran the TSH I would have just been increasing her dosage absolutely making her hyperthyroid and potentially causing her harm.

You may need to have further diagnostics run if your hound is still not acting well-his lethargy may not be thyroid related at all.

So, that's my 2 cents :-)

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