My dog's thyroid is .9. Is this low and causing his skin problems?

Hello. Yes, I would definitely put Kayo on thyroid replacement medication first. As her thyroid levels normalize, her skin should improve & the need for allergy testing will no longer be necessary. New allergies in a 10 year old dog is unusual, so my guess her low thyroid levels are more responsible for her symptoms than anything else. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

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!

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.

It may take a little longer than two weeks to get his thyroid levels up. It looks like Butter is still dealing with skin inflammation and possible infection. Usually dogs will come back about two weeks after starting thyroid medication to check the blood levels. I advise to schedule that appointment and have them check the skin as well. In the mean time, you can wash the affected areas once daily with hand soap and rinse well. Make sure he is not licking the lesions as he will make it worse. An elizabethan collar will help prevent this. If he continues to have skin issues and his thyroid levels are good, it is possible that underlying allergies could also be affecting him. I hope this is helpful. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Spud. Addison's disease is not typically associated with hypothyroidism. However, when a dog develops one autoimmune disease, they can be more prone to developing another. Hypothyroidism cannot be diagnosed off of one low thyroid value though as this is not accurate. The thyroid levels can be artificially suppressed by stress or concurrent disease. Levels of thyroid stimulating hormone and free T4 by dialysis need to be evaluated in conjunction with thyroid hormone levels to make a diagnosis. I hope this information helps!