|
Thyroid Awareness Month
Not all animals are the same
Young animals are still growing and
adolescents are maturing optimal thyroid
levels are expected to be in the upper half
of the references ranges. For geriatric
animals, basal metabolism is usually slowing
down and optimal thyroid levels are likely
to be closer to midrange or even slightly
lower.
- Puppies
have higher basal thyroid levels than
adults
-
Geriatrics have lower basal thyroid
levels than adults
- Small
and toy dog breeds gave higher levels
- Large
and giant dog breeds have lower levels
-
Sighthound breeds have lower levels
Did you know?
Thyroid hormone is given apart from foods
containing calcium or soy, to ensure
absorption
Half-life of thyroxine in dogs
is short; give total daily dose divided
morning and night
T4 alone not accurate
for thyroid assessment; minimum needs are T4
and free T4
Even those 2 assays fail to
detect heritable thyroiditis; thyroid
antibody (TgAA) needed
cTSH poor
predictor of thyroid dysfunction in dogs
with 30% discordancy (false negative & false
positive)
cTSH helpful in diagnosis and
follow up monitoring of hyperthyroid cats
Thyroid glandular and other support
insufficient to correct true thyroid
dysfunction
To facilitate diagnosis of
thyroid disorders, veterinarians need to
routinely employ more complete thyroid
profiles, and there is a need to balance
affordability with accuracy.
Thyroid Dysfunction is
the most frequently recognized endocrine
disorder of pets and its often difficult to
make a definitive diagnosis, since many
clinical signs mimic those resulting from
other causes.
Dogs
Hypothyroidism is the
most common endocrine disorder of canines.
Nearly 90 percent of canine cases result
from autoimmune thyroiditis. The heritable
nature of this disorder poses significant
genetic implications for breeding stock.
Common symptoms to look for in dogs:
-
Scratching Hair loss Seizures
Chronic bowel issues Seizures in
adulthood Chewing feet and skin
Skin and ear infections Behavioral
changes: aggression, moodiness, phobias
Cats
Hyperthyroidism in
readily induced, especially in geriatric
cats, by feeding commercial pet foods,
treats and snacks containing excessive
amounts of iodine. This finding has led to a
major change in the iodine formulations of
feline commercial pet foods.
Common
symptoms to look for in cats:
Pacing
Anxiety Phobias
Howling House soiling
Insatiable hunger Dementia
with aging Hunger and weight
loss
Nutrition Affects Thyroid Function
Maintaining a health thyroid gland requires:
adequate, but not excessive, amounts of
copper, Iodine, iron, linoleic acid,
magnesium, Lactobacillus probiotic,
selenium, vitamins C, B-2, B-6, E, and E.
zinc, and fresh vegetables and fruits.
Negative effects of foods on thyroid
function (goitrogens) occur with
millet, soybeans and soybean isoflavones (genistein)
and all glutens as they contain gliadin,
the protein that mimics thyroxine (avoid
wheat, barley, rye, oats unless labelled as
gluten-free, kamut, spelt, farro and
couscous).
|
