The vet thinks my dog has an underactive thyroid. Has anyone else ever dealt with this? She gained 6lbs in 5 mos, we have been dealing with a fungal infection in her ears for about 3 mos and she is loosing hair. So she has all the classic signs. I had a test done today, but won't know the results until tomorrow. The medicine is going to cost somewhere between $120-$300 a year. Are there any alternatives to this costly medicine? I assume this is going to be for the rest of her life? We were also wondering if it will really help? We decided we can probably afford it if it is really going to raise her quality of life. Right now the ear infections are driving her (and me) crazy. And her serious lack of energy seems kind of sad I don't want to spend a bunch of money on something that just keeps her going, I would like for her to be as healthy as she can be.
During her bi-yearly exam, my Goldie dog was diagnosed with the same affliction about 6 months ago and and she had gained nearly eight pounds over her normal weight too. My vet recommended she be put on L-Thyroxine 0.6Mg, a little purple pill, twice a day. I must say this medication not only improved her energy level, but she has lost all the extra weight too and is back to being my big happy gold dog (the most important thing to me). I can only say from my experience that the medication is worth every cent. You may asked them if it would be less expensive to purchase a large quantity, which is what I did and they sold me 500 tablets for about 80 dollars. By the way, it is very important to have their blood work (liver function) checked on a periodic basis, usually once a year will do, but I feel better doing it twice a year with my old dog.
Thanks for your answer. That is what I wanted to know. If it is going to truly improve her health then it is worth it to me. Coco is a part of our family and we love her. I am just a bit wary, as we spent a LOT of money trying to treat an autoimmune disorder in a puppy, only to realize that he was still very sick and in pain despite the treatment. After 4 months and almost $500 we had to put him down. As for the $20 or so a month, the fam talked about it and we decided we would give up one of our Friday night dinners from the local chinese restaraunt. Not really a huge sacrifice for something that loves us so much.
You know most vets suck at diagnostics, they just pick somthing thats possible out of their butt. You can not diagnose thyroid disorders unless you recieve an absoulute marker from a full blood work up. Many conditions like addisons disease and adreanal tumers and pancreatic infections will present as weight gain, bloat and lethargy. Last year I had an adreanal tumer removed from my english bull that 6 vets miss diagnosed . Not until I took him to vetrinary imaging referal center . They have a modern digital imaging system that will see what most vets cant see with the 30 year old xray and ultra sound machines that most vets use. Most of these chucklheads don't even do proper testing and imaging and just adopt a we'll try this pill or that treatment and if that doesn't work we'll look at somthing else. Try looking for a teaching vetrinary hospital, or call some breeders from the AKC breed clubs who have vast experience for a good vet in your area.
It is sad to hear of your experience with veterinarians, yet I believe it is unfair to simply write them all off as a group of incompetents. Nonetheless, it is prudent to use caution when selecting a doctor for your dog or you too. In regards to the other disorders you mentioned, each of them can be effectively diagnosed by a complete blood panel which my dogs get every year during their full exam. I am always given a copy of the entire report for my records after having it explained to me line by line. I feel very fortunate that my vet and I have been close friends for many years since I met her at UC Davis, so I and my dogs trust her implicitly, not to mention, she is a great cook over a campfire. I do agree with you in terms of the advantages of medical imaging systems, yet these systems are quite expensive ($100,000 or more) and simply out of the price range of most veterinarians--not to mention, they have to be operated and interpreted by a trained MRI/CAT specialist. In addition, most people are simply unable to afford the cost of these advanced testing procedures and I personally would only resort to them if the blood panel data was inconclusive. I hope your bulldog is doing better and that you both have found a veterinarian you can trust.
