Hypothyroidism in Dogs, Diagnosis, Treatment, Diet, Meds & TCM Herbs

Dogs with hypothyroidism benefit from changes in diet, receiving hormones, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulas.

Signs Of Hypothyroid Disease

In previous Caring for Pets discussions, we’ve covered some of the signs we see in hypothyroid dogs:

Poor skin, loss of hair, superficial skin infections (pyoderma), weight gain, sluggish thinking, anemia, irritability, ataxia, cholesterol in the blood and deposited in the cornea of the eye, change in the bark, slow heart beat (bradycardia), abnormal nerve conduction. In dogs that haven’t been spayed or neutered, hypothyroidism can affect sex organs and dogs will have shrinking testicles, gynecomastia, anestrus, and low libido.

Blood tests

To help hypothyroid dogs, we measure blood T4, free T4, T3 and TSH, a full thyroid panel. We also order a full blood and urine test. We look at blood tests for elevated cholesterol, elevated creatine kinase, and decreased red blood cells (anemia). We look for chronic low level infection from pyoderma (white blood cell elevation). We look for any other organ problem to ensure it is just the thyroid that needs to be treated. Some dogs with hypothyroidism have other endocrine problems, including Cushing’s disease, and they won’t get better unless we address all the problems.

Giving Replacement Hormone

When hypothyroidism is confirmed with blood tests, we start the dog on thyroid replacement hormone (thyroxine). Go slowly. The hypothyroid dog has been running in low gear, often for years. Take some time to get the pet up to full speed. I do this by calculating calculate the doseage for total replacement hormone, then dividing by 4. The dog starts on ¼ of its thyroxine medication for the first week, then ½  for the 2^ndweek, ¾ for the 3^rd week. By the 4^th week, the dog has worked up to the full thyroxine dose. During this month, the family watches for any indication the replacement hormone is causing harm, symptoms that often look like a carburetor is set too high: restless behaviour, rapid respirations (tachypnea), rapid heartbeat (tachycardia), inability to sleep at night. If we have these signs, we stop increasing the dose and measure blood T4 levels.

Blood Test to Ensure Correct Hormone Levels

Blood tests for T4 tell us whether the dog’s thyroxine has reached a normal, healthy level. To get accurate information about the peak (apogee) thyroid hormone, the test is done 4-6 hours after thyroxine is given. If a dog receives its morning thyroxine at 8 AM, the test is done between noon and 2PM. It is ok if the peak T4 is slightly higher than the normal. For example, if normal T4 is 13-55 and the T4 at 2PM is 60, that level is ok as long as the dog’s clinical signs are normal.  

Chinese Herbal Formulas for Hypothyroidism

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), hypothyroid disease is a problem with Kidney Yang or Life’s Fire Gate not generating energy, and with the liver and the Liver meridian, which help regulate metabolism. Herbs that stimulate the Kidney and Liver meridians are used to help pets with hypothyroid disease—in addition to the use of thyroid hormone medication.

·          Free & Easy Wanderer, also known as Rambling Ease Powder or Bupleurum & Tang Kuei (Xiao Yao San)

·          Generate the Pulse Powder (Sheng Mai San)

·          Kidney Chi Pill (Shen Qi Wan)

·          Rehmannia 8 (Ba Wei Di Huang Wan)

·          Arouse Vigor (Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan)

 

Diet for Dogs with Hypothyroidism

Dogs with hypothyroidism are encouraged to eat foods higher in iodine and avoid foods that bind iodine because iodine is needed to make thyroxine hormone. The following cruciferous vegetables, soy products, and foods are known to lower human thyroxin production and should be used in small amounts in hypothyroid pets:

·          Arugula

·          Bok choy

·          Broccoli

·          Brussels sprouts

·          Cabbage

·          Canola

·          Cauliflower

·          Chinese broccoli

·          Chinese cabbage

·          Collards

·          Cress

·          Daikon

·          Horseradish

·          Kale

·          Kohlrabi

·          Millet

·          Mustard

·          Mustard seeds

·          Peaches

·          Peanuts

·          Radish

·          Rapeseed

·          Rutabaga

·          Soybeans

·          Spinach

·          Strawberries

·          Tofu

·          Tempeh

·          Turnips

·          Watercress

Herbs and Supplements

Some dog with hypothyroid disease benefit from taking herbs and supplements in addition to thyroxine medication:

·          Alfalfa

·          Vitamin A from cod liver oil

·          B Vitamins

·          Fennel, Oats, Parsley

·          Kelp and seaweed to provide iodine

·          Milk thistle and Bupleurum to benefit the liver, especially important when hypothyroidism leads to hyperlipidemia and elevated cholesterol

·          Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids from flax, olive, coconut, primrose and borage oil