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Greyhounds and Hypothyroidism

© Judy A Tomlinson

Thyroid disease is a relatively commonplace condition that can turn up in cats and dogs. Greyhounds have a higher-than-average occurrence of hypothyroidism, which simply means that an inadequate production of hormone from the thyroid gland is being produced. The thyroid gland can over- or underproduce thyroxine. Hypothyroidism (not enough thyroxine) is more common in dogs; hyperthyroidism (more than enough thyroxine) occurs more often in cats.

Endocrine glands (glands of internal secretion) include the thyroid, parathyroid and adrenals. These glands have no ducts; their products are absorbed and carried all over the body by the bloodstream. The thyroid gland is situated in the neck and consists of two lobes - one on each side of the trachea joined by a middle section called the isthmus. The cells of this gland produce the hormone called thyroxine. The thyroid gland regulates many body functions such as temperature, metabolism, skin condition, heart rhythm and energy level.

Some of the most common symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

• Hair loss, mainly on the butt, thigh and neck. Dull, brittle fur, dry flaky skin and dandruff. Hyperpigmentation is a darkening of the skin. The skin can look dark, leathery and have a different feel to it.

• Wheezing (reverse sneezing, gagging, etc)

• Weight gain with no change in feeding habits

• Seeking warm places to curl up

• A bad odor, chronic ear infections,

• Lethargy

• Various undesirable behaviors such as mental depression, sudden changes in temperament, fearfulness, shyness, excessive separation anxiety, claustrophobia, and even explosive aggression

• Seizures

Bleeding tendencies may become more severe with hypothyroidism. The most common inherited bleeding disorder in the dog is von Willebrand's disease (vWD) which was first reported in 1970. In addition to the inherited variety, an acquired version has also been reported in humans as well as dogs, associated with thyroid hormone deficiency (hypothyroidism).

For an in-depth article on thyroid disease please read the article by W.Jean Dodds DVM.

Diagnosing hypothyroidism may be a challenging health problem since many of the symptoms can also be attributed to other diseases.

Hypothyroidism is best diagnosed with blood tests. In order to get a complete reading of your greyhound's thyroid function, the chief test to ask for is a full thyroid panel, which will consist of a TSH, Free T3, and FreeT4. Doing only a T4 will not give you the results you need to accurately understand your dogs test results. The University of Michigan and the University of Colorado School of Veterinarian Medicine are two preferred places to send the blood sample.

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