Best diet for senior dog with anemia, low protein, and low thyroid?

Yes, a single thyroid test can be very difficult to interpret and T4 levels are generally reduced if unwell from any cause. A repeat sample in one month would be recommended to investigate and comparison with TSH level is important at the same time

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.

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!

Because hypothyroidism can cause weight gain, it's important to have Baby Girl on a well balanced and nutritious diet, and I would feed her a high quality dog food. Look for one that the first ingredient is derived from a protein or animal source, not corn, grain, or fillers. She doesn't need a grain free food, but she should have a food that contains protein or animal source as their number one ingredient. I recommend feeding her Royal Canin or Hills Science diet.

It sounds like Sherry has been through a lot. With intermittent low grade fevers, I think it would be time to pursue more advanced diagnostics. This would be xrays of the chest and abdomen, and then moving on to ultrasound. Based on your zip code, I think it would be important to rule out Coccidioidomycosis, which is a fungal disease. I'm not saying that is what she has, but it can cause seizures, lethargy, fever, and more, and I think it needs to be ruled out. To encourage her to eat, you can try warm baby food, just make sure there are no onions or garlic in the ingredients.

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.

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.