Dechra Brand Guidelines

Owner booklet

Your dog, hypothyroidism and you. Thisbooklethasbeendesigned tohelp answerquestions that youmay have about hypothyroidism and how it is treated. Itwillprovide youwith information about the condition aswell as someguidanceon howbest to help yourdogduring treatment. Withdailymedication and carefulmonitoring yourdogwill soonbe feeling a lotbetter.Manyof the signs associatedwith hypothyroidism will start todisappearwithinweeks andwillbe kept under control.

What is hypothyroidism? Hypothyroidism is a common endocrinedisorderoften seen inmiddle toolder aged dogs and is causedby adecrease in the thyroidhormonesproducedby the thyroidgland. Anunderactive thyroid can have negative consequenceson thebody’smetabolism.

A brief description

The thyroidgland is located in the lower neck. It isdivided into two parts called lobeswhich arepositioned either sideof thewindpipe (trachea). It is herewhere thyroidhormones important formetabolism,mainly thyroxine (T4) and to a lesser extent triiodothyronine (T3), areproduced. The thyroid hormonesplay a central role in yourdog’s carbohydrate, fat andproteinmetabolism, and they also affect theheatbalance.As such, the symptoms are verydiverse andnotnecessarily indicativeof thyroid dysfunction.Hypothyroiddogsmaybecome apathetic,weak, sleepmore frequentlyor for longerperiodsof time, inclined to suffer chills,orweight gainwithout changes to theirdiet. What causes hypothyroidism? Themost common cause forhypothyroidism (directly affecting the thyroidgland) is an immune systemdisease causing thebody’s immune system tooverreact. The thyroidglandbecomes inflamed as a resultof the actionof antibodies directed against thebody’sown tissues.This stage is referred to as an autoimmune-mediated lymphocytic thyroiditis. Other causesof hypothyroidism, such as tumoursof the thyroidgland, radiation and congenial thyroiddisorders are very rare. Occasionally, a tumourof thepituitarygland can also cause hypothyroidism. This is referred to as secondary hypothyroidism.

The recovery can happen in weeks. The positives can last a lifetime.

Recognising the signs of hypothyroidism Someof themore noticeable signsofhypothyroidism include: changes to yourdog’sbehaviour, yourdogbecomingmore lethargic;weightgain, althoughno changes in eating habits;hair loss and skin appearing thinner.

They say time is a great healer.

Symptomsoftendevelop slowlyover aperiodof time and are frequentlymistaken aspart of the ageingprocess.

Youmaynotice: •Hairmaybecomebrittleor thinner, easilypulledoutorgrowsbackwithdifficulty.Hair lossoften occursonboth sidesof thebody andoccasionallyon the ears and tail.A hairlessnosemay also be an early symptomof hypothyroidism. •Skinmaybecomedarkerorproducedryoroilydandruff (seborrhoea).Hypothyroidismmay also cause skin infections and ear infections. •Somedogs takeon a “tragic” appearance in the face.This is a resultofwater retention (oedema). •Fertilityproblems. •Changes in yourdogsbehaviour. It is known that thyroid hormonedeficiency can impact on theorigin and expressionofnumerousotherbehavioural and attentiondisorders. These include unexpected andunprovoked aggression towardsboth animals and humans broughtuponby anxietyor anxiousness and anxietywithunfamiliar situations and sounds. Not alldogs react in the sameway and yourdogmaynot necessarilydisplay all these signs.Whereverpossible it is always agood idea to keep a noteof the changes you see in yourdog. If youbecome concerned about yourdog’s health andwelfare you should consult your veterinary surgeon.

BETTERTIMESAHEAD

But treatment in weeks is even better.