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Excessive Thirst/hunger in Aging Greyhound



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 21st 05, 05:28 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.rescue
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Default Excessive Thirst/hunger in Aging Greyhound

I adopted my 10 year old rescued greyhound 8 years ago. Recently he has
developed an excessive thirst and appetite. As a result, he has to
relieve himself very frequently, and is having accidents in the house.
He had geriatric bloodwork done as well as x-rays, and all is fine. He
has been on thyroid meds since I adopted him, and his dosage has been
upped twice in the past year. Can anyone offer suggestions or a
possible remedy? Thanks!

  #2  
Old December 21st 05, 06:55 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.rescue
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Default Excessive Thirst/hunger in Aging Greyhound

On 21 Dec 2005 08:28:16 -0800, "Cougar" wrote:

I adopted my 10 year old rescued greyhound 8 years ago. Recently he has
developed an excessive thirst and appetite. As a result, he has to
relieve himself very frequently, and is having accidents in the house.
He had geriatric bloodwork done as well as x-rays, and all is fine. He
has been on thyroid meds since I adopted him, and his dosage has been
upped twice in the past year. Can anyone offer suggestions or a
possible remedy? Thanks!


This is the rescue group. You'd have a better chance of getting
suggestions in rec.pets.dogs.health.

What's his weight like - - is he on the thin side, or overweight?
What's his activity level? Why has his thyroid med dosage been upped
so much? Hypothyroidism is way overdiagnosed in ex-racing greyhounds,
which normally have very low normal thyroid levels. Too much thyroid
supplementation can cause problems too.

Mustang Sally

  #3  
Old December 22nd 05, 05:00 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.rescue
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Default Excessive Thirst/hunger in Aging Greyhound

Max has always been on the thin side, and a light eater until recently.
He's up to 74 lbs. from 68 last spring. He was very active until the
past year or so. As for the meds, he is tested every year (twice this
year), and his vet is knowledgable regarding Greys. I have seen
distinct mood changes (for the worse), and when his dosage was upped
after testing, he was back to his old self. Right now he's at .6 mg of
Thyrosin twice daily. I worry about the meds, but believe he's way
better off on them. Without them, he's moody and almost "paranoid".

I posted here because Greyhounds have special needs, i.e., the thyroid,
and was hoping to get advice from someone with a Grey who has had a
similar experience, but I will check rec.pets.dogs.health - Thanks.

  #4  
Old December 22nd 05, 02:45 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.rescue
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Default Excessive Thirst/hunger in Aging Greyhound

On 21 Dec 2005 20:00:14 -0800, "Cougar" wrote:

Max has always been on the thin side, and a light eater until recently.
He's up to 74 lbs. from 68 last spring. He was very active until the
past year or so. As for the meds, he is tested every year (twice this
year), and his vet is knowledgable regarding Greys. I have seen
distinct mood changes (for the worse), and when his dosage was upped
after testing, he was back to his old self. Right now he's at .6 mg of
Thyrosin twice daily. I worry about the meds, but believe he's way
better off on them. Without them, he's moody and almost "paranoid".

I posted here because Greyhounds have special needs, i.e., the thyroid,
and was hoping to get advice from someone with a Grey who has had a
similar experience, but I will check rec.pets.dogs.health - Thanks.


I sincerely hope your vet is not upping his medication based on mood
changes. A dog that is on the thin side and very active is pretty
unlikely to be hypothyroid, and he shouldn't be supplemented based
only on lab tests. I have two spook greyhounds living in my house and
they have perfectly normal thyroid levels - for greyhounds.
Greyhounds do *not* have special needs in terms of being particularly
prone to hypothyroidism. What they have is a low normal thyroid level
(just as they have a high normal red blood cell count, low normal
white blood cell count, and a number of other laboratory anomalies).
Many vets and, unfortunately, adoption groups, misunderstand this.
One of our foster dogs with supposedly borderline thyroid levels was
put on thyroid supplementation by a vet (not our vet), and he became
aggressive.

There aren't that many greyhound owners here or on .health. Try the
Greyhound-L.

Mustang Sally

  #5  
Old December 22nd 05, 03:48 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.rescue
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Default Excessive Thirst/hunger in Aging Greyhound

cacing
catcing
We,el,done!

  #6  
Old December 22nd 05, 05:01 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.rescue
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Default Excessive Thirst/hunger in Aging Greyhound

To defend my vet, HE was the one who told me during our first visit
eight years ago exactly what you wrote, including what the adoption
groups say regarding hypothyroid hounds. His tests at that time showed
abnormally low T counts *even for a greyhound*. As for mood swings,
they are my indication that something's not right and bloodwork is in
order - I would never increase dosage without testing first! You
indicate there is some other way than *based only on lab tests* to
determine thyroid function - if so, please let me know and I'll pass
it along to my vet! When my normally good-natured and friendly boy
becomes aloof and even fearful, it tells me something's wrong, and sure
enough - his counts went down again. So apparently some hounds DO need
supplementation, and Max is one of them. Thanks for your comments.

 




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