My Dachshund has low thyroid and gains weight. Is it hereditary? Can I breed?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Dogs do not typically have enlarged thyroids and hypothyroidism usually causes the thyroid to shrink. There are other organs in that area-lymph nodes and salivary glands- that could be the cause of the enlargement. Fat is also a possibility. I wouldn’t jump to any conclusions at this point and recommend waiting until her exam and blood work to be sure. They may also want to stick a needle in the area of swelling to determine what it is. Good luck and kisses to Chloe!

If you have a copy of Milo's medical record, you can choose a Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach Consult to discuss this fully. Hypothyroidism does not usually cause weight loss in dogs, and the test may be caused by euthyroid sick syndrome, meaning the thyroid hormone is low because of some other illness. There are confirmatory tests that can help your vet decide if Milo needs to be on thyroid therapy. If there are no other abnormalities on a CBC and complete blood chemistry, then additional diagnostics may be indicated, including intestinal parasite screen, GI panel, x-rays, abdominal ultrasound, etc. If Milo has a good appetite without vomiting or diarrhea, you could try feeding more calories. I like Purina ProPlan Sport. You could also try puppy food, which is higher in fat. If you do decide to switch food, mix them together slowly over 2-3 weeks to avoid an upset stomach.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. If you have been having difficulty in getting his weight down, it certainly could be from a disease such as hypothyroidism. If you have not had a veterinarian examine him and test his thyroid level, I would suggest doing so to rule this out as a cause. If his thyroid level is normal then you may want to enquire about Hills Metabolic Diet. The vet would need to provide you with a prescription for this food as well. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Daphne could have a slow metabolism or she could have hypothyroidism. I would recommend to make an appointment for a thyroid panel which is a blood test. This will tell you if she needs thyroid medication. Generally most dogs do well with treatment. If her thyroid is fine, then you may want to think about using a prescription diet dog food. Thank you so much for using Pet Coach.

Poor girl. It is really common for dogs used only for breeding to not understand play and to not be very active. If she is gaining weight despite being on a diet then I would worry about thyroid issues. She doesn’t look like she is very heavy. Also remember if she was recently spayed she will gain some weight after that due to her hormones being lowered. As far as her gum disease, if she is healthy enough (heart sounds okay and blood work normal), I would talk to your vet if she is a candidate for a dental cleaning and extractions of any diseased teeth. I hope this helps.

Syn is a cutie! You are correct that there are common health issues specific to certain breeds of dogs, but that is found in purebred dogs due to inbreeding. She is a mixed breed, so there aren't really any breed specific health issues for her but that doesn't mean she isn't susceptible to health issues such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, or cancer among others. It certainly is possible she could be suffering from hypothyroidism if she is gaining weight, but that's usually occurring in middle aged dogs (4-10 years of age). It could be that she is getting too much food and not enough exercise leading to her weight gain. I would have her seen by a vet for this weight gain. The vet can do blood tests to determine if she is suffering from hypothyroidism, and can treat her if she does have it. If she is medically normal, then the vet can discuss a diet and exercise program for her. I hope this helps!

Hello. If your veterinarian has not checked Moka's thyroid levels, then yes this needs to be looked at. Otherwise, this is a good fatty acid supplement, but it can take 6-8 weeks to see results after a supplement is started. If this does not work, she may need some additional testing. You can ask your veterinarian if there are any veterinary dermatologist specialists in your country. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.