My dog's thyroid medication isn't working. What should I do?

A human doctor is not a veterinarian. Dogs happen to need a higher dose than people of that particular medication due to the way they metabolize it. Do not ask human doctors for veterinary advice. They are not familiar with how animals metabolize drugs. According to the blood results the thyroid is improving but it is actually still too low. On the thyroid medication, the goal is to have the dog's T4 in the high normal range. His is still low.

Hello. Having a chronic condition like Addison's can stress the body & cause an artificial lowering of T4. You should insist that your veterinarian run a full thyroid panel, not just look at T4 which can be artificially lowered in many non hypothyroid situations. In addition, we generally treat Addison's disease with a mineral corticoid along with a glucocorticoid like prednisone. I would ask your vet about this as well. You need some more information on your pet. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

Interpretation of thyroid test results should always be made with the whole picture in mind - this means taking into account whether Ollie has any symptoms of hypothyroidism, and also keeping in mind his other health issues which can sometimes affect thyroid results. Cushing's disease, along with other chronic health issues, can often cause artificially low results on a TT4 screening test, which is the thyroid test that most veterinarians do in-clinic. So for me personally, in this situation, I would make the decision about whether to recommend medication based on whether Ollie is showing any signs of a thyroid problem. Symptoms of hypothyroidism may include decreased appetite, weight gain, skin issues or poor haircoat, and decreased energy levels. If he's not showing any of these signs, it would be reasonable to decide not to start any treatment at this time. If you want to get a better idea of whether Ollie is truly hypothyroid, your vet can send a blood sample to a reference lab for a full thyroid panel - this can often help sort out whether there is an actual problem or not, in cases where it isn't clear.

I recommend to have Tommy’s thyroid level rechecked. These are not normal signs from the medication and could inidicate that the thyroid level is now too high or it could be unrelated. That’s why you need to know what his levels are while on the medication. Have the blood sample drawn 4-6 hours after he takes the medication. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I would recommend rechecking Reba's thyroid level about 4-6 hours after you give the pill. I would also check a urine sample at the same time to check for a urinary tract infection. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would have his thyroid rechecked soon. Schedule an appointment to have his T4 rechecked 4-6 hours after the pill is given. The dose may be too high causing hyperthyroid signs. Signs of too much thyroid hormone is increased thirst, urination, hunger, increased activity, weight loss. I wish you both the best!