Why is my dog scratching his stomach while on thyroid medication?

If I'm reading this correctly, it says Covo is hyperthyroid which is very rare in dogs. I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian if retesting is needed to make sure there was not a lab error. Here is a link about thyroid abnormalities: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/thyroid-disease-in-dogs/ Hyperthyroidism is very rare in dogs and skin disorders are not commonly associated with the condition. The most common causes of persistent itching are allergies to fleas, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the itching should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Continue to use the elizabethan collar at all times. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

If the rash is not itchy, and she does not seem bothered by it, you are ok to wait a few weeks to see if the medications help or if it goes away on its own. If it is itchy, Baile may have allergic skin disease or a bacterial or fungal infection that needs to be treated by your veterinarian. Hope that helps!

Skin problems are common in dogs with hypothyroidism, and should improve once medication has been started. I would give it about 6-8 weeks for the coat to get back to normal again. It is possible that it may appear to get worse around the 3-4 week mark though, as the old hairs are pushed out for the new coat to grow in. In the meantime, if the only problem is dry skin, try to bathe no more than once a month, and use a conditioner afterwards. Omega 3 (fish oil) supplements can also help to combat dryness. I hope this helps, and your pup is feeling better soon!

Not sure how you would know that a stray dog has hypothyroidism, since it requires a blood test to diagnose. You cannot diagnose this disease based on the clinical signs alone, especially in this case, as hair loss with severe itchiness (reflected by his chewing) are likely caused by mites (mange), ringworm, allergies, or fleas. If the antihistamines and steroids provide relief, he may very well have an allergy, but a veterinarian should rule out the other skin problems mentioned above with simple testing. You should also confirm the diagnosis of hypothyroidism with a blood test before continuing medications.

The only way to know if this is related is to have the thyroid level checked again. I recommend to call your veterinarian and let them know what you are seeing. They will advise on how much medication to give and when to test. The only way to know if Glanni truly has thyroid disease is to stop all medication for at least 2 weeks. Then test a thyroid panel that includes the Total T4, the Free T4 by equilibrium dialysis and the Thyroid stimulating Hormone. This will give you a complete and accurate idea of his thyroid function. I do not advise to make any changes to the medication with out first speaking with your regular veterinarian. Also keep in mind that the behavior could be coincidental and related to something else entirely. Best of luck.

Your dog needs to see a veterinarian for a skin scraping to rule out parasites and then a culture to see if there is an underlying bacterial or skin infection. Place a cone on him to prevent licking and chewing.

Sometimes an oatmeal-based or antihistamine based shampoo works well for itching. Your pet supply store may also have a leave on lotion that helps.Occasionally we start pets on medication for allergies although your Iyla is somewhat young to start that. Also adding in omega-3 fatty acid's like fish oil supplements help with itching although it can take 2 to 3 weeks to see the full effect. Another option is to talk to your veterinarian about a short course of steroids. Unfortunately steroids are prescription medications and had to be prescribed by your active veterinarian. I am somewhat concerned that your dog could have a bacterial skin infection with the open sores from scratching. If so she may need antibiotics for that to heal.