Month: March 2014

My 9 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback was recently diagnosed with low-thyroid. She was lethargic, had gained weight, not wanting to get up or eat her regular meals. The Vet did lab work and her T-levels were 4 and 6.9. "Levothyroxine" was prescribed: 600mcg twice a day but I just felt that was too much and have been giving her 400mcg ‘bid’ instead. Now, on the 11th day, she has perked up just a little but still just isn’t "right". She is also arthritic in her hips and has been taking a combo of "Traumeel" and "Zeel" (1 tablet each, 2 times a day). I have been taking her for very short walks to help strengthen her leg/thigh muscles as well but she doesn’t like the cold weather and isn’t eager to walk much.
I am searching for anecdotal observations and suggestions for her condition.
PLEASE HELP!!
Thank you ver much!
Dianne
Using the calculation I found on the internet, 10# of dog’s weight x 100mcg and the fact that she was at 91# at the time, I felt that 1200mg was too much. She looks like she has lost a few pounds since beginning the treatment.
Historically, she has been fed "Beneful" with occasional attempts at Iams, and other high-end brands of kibble. She had injured her gum on a "jerky" type treat a neighbor gave her and wouldn’t eat dry food so I began giving her "Pedigree" canned supplemented with a homemade mixture of mostly rice & lentils with a few black beans and stewed chicken. She is only eating about 1 1/2 cups of this per day plus a breakfast piece of whole grain toast with olive oil.
OK, here’s more: My Emma doesn’t seem to have much of an appetite anymore and I have to cajole her to go out to P & P (about every 12 hours). She is hesitant to try to jump off the bed our couch and seems content to just stay in a prone position. She’d had a lump on her inner thigh/belly area that fre over 2 years from walnut size to about lime size that has disappeared in the last month. The Vet had giadnosed it as a "fatty tumor" but it was never aspirated to rule out anything else. My Black Lab crossed the Rainbow Bridge last July from PLE. I have rescued dogs & cats for many years and I am now down to one dog and one cat; I’m feeling depressed and so worried about my dog and I’m afraid she can sense my despair. I massage her achy right shoulder & hips and talk to her in "dog-speak" to encourage her. To make matters worse, I’ll be out of town for a week and I’m worried something awful will happen although loving "dog-neighbors" will pet-sit while I’m gone.
It’s now 8pm and Emma did get off the couch to go outside. She’s wobbly on and keeping her her back feet close together. I guess, after spending 12 hours lying on the couch and then getting up would (and does) make it difficult for me to walk too. I have severe arthritis and a bad hip and I hobble around for a while when I get out of bed or stand up after sitting for a long time. She managed to get up the 5 steps to go out but "bunny hops". She peed but no poop but she hadn;t eaten her breakfast so perhaps there wasn’t anything to evacuate. I gave her a nice slow shoulder massage when she sat down instead of coming straight in, then she got up and came inside and ate her dinner and has now hopped up on the bed.
Also, just a FYI: Our Vet specializes in cats and took over the practice from another Vet several years ago. Could she be missing something? She knows Emma very well and is prone to homeopathic treatment vs. "standard" Rymadyl, etc. type treatments.

I had brain surgery when I was 12(currently 20) Prior to the surgery I was skinny, post surgery I was overweight, and still am. The issue is that m tumor was on the pituitary gland and when the tumor was removed it crashed my Thyroid hormones as well as Cortisol levels. Now, I was put on 20mg in morn 10mg night for Cortef and the dosage has never changed, is that enough for me? I hear that waking up repeatedly at night may be a sign of struggling adrenals. And then the Thyroid drug i’m on (Synthroid) 100mcg once daily. I’ve recently read only takes care of T4 levels and the rest has to be picked up by converting T4 and that stresses the adrenals even more. I’m 6’1" and 290lb if that would matter on doasge, any thoughts? suggestions?