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Hypothyroidism in Sheltie.

Species: Dog
Breed: Sheltie
Age: 2-5 years
Hi
My dog had a thyroid test and the results came back as .8 which he said was low but not too low. However she is a sheltie and the website http://www.illinoissheltierescue.com/thyroid.html said that is low for a sheltie. the vet put her on .1mg of thyrozine twice a day. is this the same as Soloxine? is .1mg very low? will it help? thanks


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Thyrozine is indeed the same medication as Soloxine. They are both something called levothyroxine which work to improve the thyroid levels in a dog with hypothyroidism.

Interpreting the test results depend on which type of thyroid tests were done. There are several tests including Total T4, Free T4, TSH, T4 by Equilibrium Dialysis and Two Step T4. All of these have different results and different ways that they can be interpreted.

If it was just a T4 (or Free T4) test that was run I don't usually put a dog on thyroid medicine unless the dog has very obvious symptoms of hypothyroidism including weight gain, poor coat, extreme lethargy and lack of appetite. The reason for this is that other things can cause a T4 level to be artificially lowered. An example would be a hidden infection. This is why I usually run a combo of tests to determine if hypothyroidism really is the problem.

.1mg is a very low dose of thyroid medication. There is likely no harm in trying it to see if you notice an improvement.

I hope this helps. Thyroid disease can be hard to understand sometimes so let me know if you have more questions.

Dr. Marie


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Customer reply:

the vet also ran a complete blood test and everything was good
thanks


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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.