Article #9

Hypothyroidism In Dogs

We all love our dogs and taking good care of them is the best way that we can make sure that they stick around for as long as possible. The sad thing about dogs is that they are not immune to disease and just like humans, they can get sick, get diseases and pass them down genetically.

The degree of severity will depend on the disease itself and how much your dog's body is actually affected by it. Just like humans, dogs have hormones and those hormones need to remain in balance for a perfect healthy condition. One of the major hormone imbalances in dogs is called hypothyroidism and involves the thyroid gland.
 

Hypothyroidism In Dogs Symptoms

The thyroid gland found in dogs is similar to the one found in humans with the only difference being the fact that human thyroid glands are connected whereas dog thyroid glands are separated in two parts.

The responsibility of this gland is quite important as it can affect the entire body. The term that is often referred to as hypothyroidism is basically a lack of this so-called thyroid hormone. This can cause the entire body to feel lazy and inactive.

If you notice that your dog has become inactive and has been gaining weight for no reason you should figure out whether or not it has hypothyroidism. Some of the other symptoms of this illness include hair loss, abnormal skin issues and shortening of the tail.

Hypothyroidism In Dogs Aggression

Hypothyroidism in dogs can cause a few downsides that can become a nuisance for the owners. For example, dogs with low levels of the thyroid hormone in their bodies have been linked with a higher level of aggression. This can become dangerous if you have young children and it can also be difficult for adults to deal with. However, with the proper medication, your dog will be able to control its aggressiveness.

Hypothyroidism has also been linked to be more likely to happen if you have a larger dog such as a Golden Retriever or a Labrador. This can make it even harder to deal with the aggression, especially since hypothyroidism normally begins affecting dogs during the middle of their lives rather than when they are young.

 

Hypothyroidism In Dogs Medication

If you think that your dog has a thyroid gland problem you should definitely make sure that you use the proper treatment. This is a problem that will follow your dog its entire life just as it would if a human had a thyroid problem.

The medication that you will be required to your dog will normally be in a pill form that you can add to its food. The pill will most likely be made up of synthetic thyroid hormones in order to balance out the deficiency. This should create enough of a balance for the dog to regain its normal activities. Without giving your dog this synthetic hormone you will have a very hard time reducing the aggression, even by sending your dog to a professional trainer. This is because the aggression is not voluntary.

If you want to keep your dog alive for as long as you can, you will want to buy the required medication for hypothyroidism. The good thing about this illness is that it isn't deadly and your dog has the ability to continue living without even noticing it provided that you use the proper medication.

You should begin giving your dog its daily dose of synthetic thyroid hormones from the moment that you are sure that your dog has hypothyroidism. This will prevent your dog from having to be put down due to high levels of aggression. As long as you take good care of your dog it will live just as long as it would without this lack of hormones.