My dog is shedding and losing weight. Is it her thyroid or hormones?

If she is healthy otherwise, try transitioning her to a puppy diet or high performance diet. Once she is at an appropriate weight, transition to a maintenance adult diet. A vitamin supplement, such at Pet-Tabs, can be used but as long as she is on a quality diet, she shouldn't need vitamin supplements. A fish oil supplement, such as DermCaps or EicosaCaps, can be used to promote healthy skin and coat. Use a monthly flea and tick preventative as well as a monthly parasite preventative. If her condition does not improve in the next month or two, have her rechecked by your veterinarian.

Excess shedding can be from low thyroid levels, hormonal imbalances, allergies or yes environmental. I do recommend a blood panel including thyroid, and if she’s not spayed you may want to get that done to settle down her hormonal swings. That will also prevent uterine infections and lower the risk of mammary cancer too. In addition I recommend a fatty acid skin oral supplement which will help the hairs live longer thus reducing the shedding amount. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Kira.

Dogs that are hypothyroid have a deficiency of thyroid hormone which can cause the symptoms you describe as well as lethargy, weight gain, etc. Replacing with thyroid hormone is the only way to treat the problem, and it is necessary to confirm that she is indeed hypothyroid before starting treatment. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be given at home.

I'm so sorry that Duke is doing poorly. Unfortunately skin problems can be very difficult to diagnose and treat because they often look the same on exam and require further testing for an accurate diagnosis and treatment. If Duke has a low thyroid level, then he will need thyroid medication for the rest of his life. I have attached more information on hypothyroidism below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=461 Unfortunately, hair loss can be caused by a huge variety of hormonal and skin problems. Below is a handout that discusses another hormonal disease that can affect the skin called Cushing's disease. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1551 If Duke is itchy, I would also recommend that your veterinarian perform a skin cytology to evaluate for secondary bacterial or yeast infection which is very common with hormonal diseases. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=466 I think you will likely need to have your vet recheck Duke's skin, recheck his blood work, and possibly do additional testing to determine the best treatment for Duke. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. You should try food supplements containing omega 3. I can recommend Triglyceride Omega by Vetoquinol but there is a wide choice of products on the market. After 3-4 weeks of supplementation you should see improvement.

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.

Cushing Disease, food allergies (it's too early to see results yet), skin mites, flea allergies and environmental allergies can all cause these symptoms. Make sure you are conducting a proper food trial. If Maddox does not respond to the food trial, discuss with your veterinarian next steps. Here are some links with good information" https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/cushings-disease-in-dogs https://www.petcoach.co/article/allergy-testing-immunotherapy-in-dogs/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/food-allergies-and-food-intolerance/ I agree with your vet that a hydrolyzed diet is the best option. I hope this helps.