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Hypothyroidism Test Results

2K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  whitwilson89 
#1 ·
Hi Everyone. I'm new to this forum and hoping I can find someone with a little insight on hypothyroid test results.

Try to make a long story short: I've had my catahoula/pitt mix since he was 8 weeks. He was incredibly well socialized and trained. He went everywhere with me when he was a puppy and was very well adjusted and easy going. Dog parks, stores, friends houses, etc. At 2 he went through some sudden behavior changes. All of the sudden struggled with a lot of anxiety (car, household items, random things) and started to have some aggression issues with other dogs. Over the past 3-4 years he has continually gotten worse without reason. I just assumed it had something to do with puberty and that he needed behavior modification. He has never gotten to the point of being dog aggressive by any means, but developing good relationships with other dogs is very tough for him (and stressful for me).

I met with a trainer a year ago and she brought up possible thyroid issues. Everything fit in regards to symptoms, and I had blood tests run and sent to Dr. Gene Dobbs in California. I was really hoping it was an underlying health issue to be honest, as thyroid issues are very easy to fix. Unfortunately, I received the results and was told they were normal. I didn't feel very comfortable with this assessment but am not expert. Here were Oliver's results:

T4 -- 1.63 (General Range: .80 - 3.80)
Free T4 -- 1.09 (General Range: .55 -2.32)
T4/FT4 Ratio -- 1.50 (General Range: 1.25- 1.75)
T3 -- 25 (General Range: 30-70)
Free T3 -- 1.80 (General Range: 1.6 - 3.5)
TGAA -- Normal

He is below the 50th percentile in 3 out of 5 of the results, and in my opinion would be considered borderline low on almost every test. Does anyone have experience with hypothyroidism, who would take concern with the above numbers? He has continued to show negative changes in behavior and I am now very concerned as he is even having aggression issues with puppies (he has always LOVED puppies).

I am getting in contact with the vet to get the thyroid panel re run, but would love to hear about any similar experiences people have had with thyroid testing. Thanks!
 
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#2 ·
Unfortunately, I think you are grasping at straws with the thyroid issue. Totally within normal ranges, and nothing that a vet would medicate.

Some dogs begin to show more dog aggression at about 2 to 2 1/2 years of age. It is innate, and sometimes there is only so much you can do with training. Hopefully any training that you have done has been positive-reinforcement based, and has included counter-conditioning to other dogs and things he is fearful of. There is lots of good information on this in the "sticky" section of the Dog Training and Behavior forum here.

In the meantime, use good management to make sure that he is never in an uncomfortable situation, and that all other dogs are safe.
 
#3 ·
Thankyou for the response. I realize I am being "hopeful" that we have a quick fix. I took him back to the vet yesterday for a re test on the thyroid (it's been a year) as well as a full blood work up.

If dog aggressiveness was the only issue, I would be more willing to accept that behavior modification is the solution. However, his anxiety has continued to increase about everyday situations that have never bothered him. He continues to have seasonal skin allergies, his eyes are constantly blood shot and he sleeps, I believe, more than a dog of his breed and his age should.

Additionally, his behavior changes with dogs have been very strange. As stated--his entire life he has absolutely adored puppies, but has now begun snapping and going after them. He did well at dog parks the first 4 years of his life and then took a sudden downturn and we no longer can visit them. He also doesn't engage in play with dogs who he has always loved to romp around with nearly as much. Maybe it's just an overall anxiety issue. I am still hoping it can be pinned out via blood tests, but realize there is a chance it could be completely behavior based.
 
#4 ·
Thankyou for the response. I realize I am being "hopeful" that we have a quick fix. I took him back to the vet yesterday for a re test on the thyroid (it's been a year) as well as a full blood work up.

If dog aggressiveness was the only issue, I would be more willing to accept that behavior modification is the solution. However, his anxiety has continued to increase about everyday situations that have never bothered him. He continues to have seasonal skin allergies, his eyes are constantly blood shot and he sleeps, I believe, more than a dog of his breed and his age should.

Additionally, his behavior changes with dogs have been very strange. As stated--his entire life he has absolutely adored puppies, but has now begun snapping and going after them. He did well at dog parks the first 4 years of his life and then took a sudden downturn and we no longer can visit them. He also doesn't engage in play with dogs who he has always loved to romp around with nearly as much. Maybe it's just an overall anxiety issue. I am still hoping it can be pinned out via blood tests, but realize there is a chance it could be completely behavior based.
If what I bolded is as bad as I'm imagining then he's likely miserable, and that could be making him cranky with other dogs and more anxious.

Have you had any allergy test done on him? Have you had his eyes checked to make sure he's not suffering from dry eyes? How's his skin look? Is he chewing or scratching to the point that he's getting sores? Could he have a yeast infection of the skin?
 
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#5 ·
Hi Rain. He only struggles with allergies, typically, in the summer time. But he struggles A LOT. Hotspots, itching, redness, the whole 9 yards. When he has had serious break outs I have put him on steroids to get it under control and then managed with benedryl. The vet (I have moved around a lot with undergrad, graduate school, and now full time employment and haven't had a steady vet) has always told me its that time of year and they see a ton of breakouts, so I just manage it the best I can. He also has a sensitive tummy.

He is on grain free Earthborn holistic and that has helped in that regard. Very regimented pooping schedule (2x daily) and solid.

Right now he has some dry skin on his belly and a little dandruff, but nothing incredibly noticeable. He does have very runny eyes, however, all year around.

Would you suggest food allergy testing, environmental allergy testing or all of the above? I had thought about it in the past, but had never pulled the trigger.
 
#6 ·
Sorry to post a quick second response. But could the low T3 be a sign of year round allergies? Vets have told me it is very normal, as it ca signify any type of inflammation in the body. But if he is struggling with allergies all year around that seems like a reasonable explanation.
 
#7 ·
If his allergies aren't year round, and he's constantly on the same food, it's likely environmental as opposed to a food allergy. It wouldn't hurt to check out his food (a food allergy would probably be easier to deal with). Since you're not with the same vet and aren't terribly attached, I'd check reviews and try to find a vet that will take your concerns more seriously and lay out all the options you have available to help keep his allergies under control. Controlling those may help him in other areas, or it may not, but getting to the root of his medical conditions will certainly make him happier and more receptive to any behavior training you need to do.
 
#8 ·
I agree, the inflammation can make him miserable, and very snippy. Allergies are a real PITA to deal with. You could get him tested for both environmental and food allergies, but oftentimes the results are not helpful (like so many things register, that there is no way to avoid all the allergens). Take a look at the Dog Food Forum here, and you'll see many posts regarding food allergies. I have very strong opinions regarding dogs with food sensitivities, but I won't go into that here. The best thing you can do is educate yourself as much as possible about dog allergies and nutrition, and get a vet that you trust completely. Also look into counter-conditioning if you have not worked with that yet.
 
#9 ·
Thanks for the info. I am going to wait to get the blood tests back and then go from there. I have looking into starting him on a raw food diet, but need to figure out logistics and costs. I think it would be feasible, but still need to do some more looking.

In the meantime I am taking some small steps that will hopefully help if this is all behavior rooted. The majority of his issues revolve around resource guarding when it comes to other dogs. I am setting up his routine different so he doesn't have the option to resource guard and hopefully won't be as attached to the objects I am currently seeing issues with (bed and couch). This type of resource guarding is new, which is why I had become so concerned-- especially with the fact that he is resource guarding with a puppy, when puppies were never as issue in the past. The only issue I have ever had with him is food aggression with other dogs, and it was very easy to manage and by no means out of control. As of late, it seems as though every object he is around has become a prized possession with other dogs-- sticks in the back yard, trash bags on walks, the bed, the couch, toys, etc. Everything is making him grouchy and reactive.

I have a behaviorist I started working with last year-- but she wasn't very punctual and frustrated me a bit in that regard. I am working on finding another one in the area with extensive dog aggression and resource guarding experience. I consider myself to be very well versed in dog behavior and tend to be the resource everyone else goes to. But with my personal dogs the training is more of a struggle.
 
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