Guest BrindleBoy Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) OK, so MSU is the gold standard. What do I do- tell my vet I want the "full thyroid panel FROM MSU"? How do I get a full panel so I can understand the numbers, and have something to compare it to online? Clinical Signs Of HypothyroidismLethargic or mental dullness SOME, BUT THIS IS NORMAL FOR HIM DURING HEAT OF SUMMER Significant hair loss NOT SIGNIFICANT Difficulty keeping proper weight (weight gain) NO, he was a pound low a couple days ago at the vet Difficulty keeping proper balance NO Overall feeling of low self-esteem HOW DO I KNOW? Poor interaction with strangers NO Shyness NO Fear of thunderstorms NEVER Behavior changes including aggression NO Dry scaly skin and dull coat MAYBE A TAD, BUT IT HAS SINCE GOTTEN BETTER Edited August 5, 2015 by BrindleBoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) Can you just ask your vet's office to email you the results? I can just cal the front desk and they will email them to me. The actual results will have the ranges. But bottom line, as Turbotaina pointed out, TSH isn't high. Doesn't sound to me like your dog is hypothyroid. But I'd like to see everything. Hopefully tbhounds will chime in too as she's an actual professional. Edited August 5, 2015 by NeylasMom Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BrindleBoy Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 whew.... "I don't know if we have that capability" [to email the test results]... "we normally fax" [WHO faxes anymore?!?!]... "I'll ask our head technician in the morning and get back to you"... Yeah, recent events have me thinking I really need to find another vet.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macoduck Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 My vet will email me any record I want include digital xrays. Quote Freshy (Droopys Fresh), NoAh the podenco orito, Rita the podenco maneta, Howie the portuguese podengo maneto Angels: Lila, the podenco, Mr X aka Denali, Lulu the podenco andaluz, Hada the podenco maneta, Georgie Girl (UMR Cordella), Charlie the iggy, Mazy (CBR Crazy Girl), Potato, my mystery ibizan girl, Allen (M's Pretty Boy), Percy (Fast But True), Mikey (Doray's Patuti), Pudge le mutt, Tessa the iggy, Possum (Apostle), Gracie (Dusty Lady), Harold (Slatex Harold), "Cousin" Simon our step-iggy, Little Dude the iggy ,Bandit (Bb Blue Jay), Niña the galgo, Wally (Allen Hogg), Thane (Pog Mo Thoine), Oliver (JJ Special Agent), Comet, & Rosie our original mutt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 (edited) Interpreting the results you posted it does not appear that your dog is hypoT. The TSH should be elevated. For example--one of my girls became hypoT after a thyroidectomy --her TSH was just under 5.0 (Idexx)! Which lab does your vet use? Idexx-Antech? Personally I wouldn't pursue further bloodwork-you have the core results. Curious-how was your hounds cholesterol? Edited to add Idexx reference ranges.. T4 = 1.0-4.0 cTSH = 0.05-0.42 Edited August 6, 2015 by tbhounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BrindleBoy Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Interpreting the results you posted it does not appear that your dog is hypoT. The TSH should be elevated. For example--one of my girls became hypoT after a thyroidectomy --her TSH was just under 5.0 (Idexx)! Which lab does your vet use? Idexx-Antech? Personally I wouldn't pursue further bloodwork-you have the core results. Curious-how was your hounds cholesterol? Edited to add Idexx reference ranges.. T4 = 1.0-4.0 cTSH = 0.05-0.42 IDK what lab they use, and IDK what his recent (may) Cholesterol was, but I assume in the normal range, since they didn't say anything about the results of his annual bloodwork- except for the "less than .5" T4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJNg Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I don't have the references ranges, other than he told me the range for FreeT4 was 8-something...40?, and the TSH should be no lower than 0.6 That simply isn't true. As several others have stated, if a dog is hypothyroid, the TSH should be *high*. TSH is "thyroid stimulating hormone". When the feedback system in the brain detects that blood levels of thyroid hormone are too low, the pituitary gland produces TSH which tells the thyroid gland to make more thyroid hormone. So when thyroid levels are too low, the TSH will usually be high. If you want a definitive diagnosis, I'd recommend submitting blood to Michigan State for a full thyroid panel with endocrinologist's interpretation. But in most cases, simply doing the T4, FT4, and TSH through a regular lab, like you've done, is adequate. With a low TSH, hypothyroidism is unlikely, especially if he doesn't really have many of the typical clinical signs. Btw, I work at an old clinic where we have a fax machine but no clinic email. For clients who want bloodwork or forms emailed to them, I use my personal email address. Quote Jennifer & Willow (Wilma Waggle), Wiki (Wiki Hard Ten), Carter (Let's Get It On), Ollie (whippet), Gracie (whippet x), & Terra (whippet) + Just Saying + Just Alice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BrindleBoy Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 OK, as I suspected, they did NOT run the full panel, which I DID request. Anyway: Total T4 <0.5 0.8-3.5 Free T4 8 8-40 TSH 0.06 0.00-0.60 "While many dogs with primary hypothyroidism have elevated TSH concentrations, up to 1/3rd of affected dogs have normal TSH concentrations. If hypothyroidism is still suspected, consider performing FT4(ED)." That's all the info I got. Plus the (lack of) symptoms that I posted above. But in most cases, simply doing the T4, FT4, and TSH through a regular lab, like you've done, is adequate. With a low TSH, hypothyroidism is unlikely, especially if he doesn't really have many of the typical clinical signs. Thank you for that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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