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Guide To Dog Hyperthyroidism
June 30th, 2009
Thyroxine, an important hormone, is secreted by your dog’s thyroid gland. Your dog develops hyperthyroidism when thyroxine is overproduced by the gland. It normally affected middle-aged and old dogs. This article will discuss hyperthyroidism in dogs.
Cause
You should know that it’s very rare for dogs to develop this condition. When hyperthyroidism occurs, it’s usually because of cancer in the thyroid gland. The gland will be prevented from functioning properly by the growing tumor. This in turn causes the gland to overproduce thyroxine.
Signs
Hyperthyroidism in dogs is a slow, progressive disease which can affect many organ systems. Virtually all dogs with this condition suffer weight loss. Although some dogs eat less, others will eat more than normal.
This disease causes many dogs to experience hyperactivity. For others, it’s the complete opposite as they will appear lethargic. Other common symptoms include increased urination, weakness, and increased heart rate.
Diagnosis
Your dog will have to undergo a physical exam at first. This will allow him to check for an enlarged thyroid gland and elevated heart rate. Your dog will have to submit a blood sample to analyze with a variety of tests. Although this condition drastically changes the levels of thyroid hormones in the blood, the current level at the veterinarian’s office may be normal. Therefore, you may have to return in a few weeks to have it checked again.
Treatment
Your dog can effectively be treated for this condition. Medications can be prescribed to control production of thyroid hormones. Some dogs can have surgery to treat this health problem.
During surgery, one or both thyroid gland will be removed. However, this usually causes hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism in dogs develops when your dog’s thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough hormones.
All owners should know a little something about various diseases that can affect their dog. Fortunately, dog-illnesses.com provides a wealth of information on a range of these conditions. Click over right now.
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