How to know if my dog ​​has hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is an endocrine disease that can affect dogs . The cause is the insufficient production of thyroid hormones caused by the deficient activity of a gland called thyroid .

It is a frequent disease and has symptoms that are easy to recognize, so in .com we explain how to know if your dog has hypothyroidism .

The causes

In dogs, hypothyroidism is almost always primary, that is, it is caused by a problem in the thyroid gland itself, which is not able to produce hormones in a sufficient amount.

These problems in the thyroid can be caused by tumors, by autoimmune diseases in which the dog's own defenses attack the gland, or by atrophy of the organ, of causes not yet well explained.

In any case, hypothyroidism usually appears in young adult dogs, between 2 and 6 years old .

The symptoms

The symptoms of hypothyroidism in dogs more common and easier to recognize are weight gain, exercise intolerance, lethargy, weakness and alopecias.

These alopecias tend to be, as almost all caused by endocrine alterations, symmetrical bilateral (on both sides of the body, may affect the tail) and not usually occur with itching.

The diagnosis

The above symptoms may be caused by other diseases in addition to hypothyroidism, so a veterinary diagnosis is necessary .

It can detect bradycardia (slower heart rate), analytical abnormalities, such as increased blood cholesterol and sometimes anemia. The most reliable diagnosis is a study of the levels of thyroid hormones in the blood.