Question:
I have a 5 1/2-year-old black Labrador retriever named Buster. He has not been neutered.
Earlier this year, at his annual wellness visit, it was revealed that Buster has an underactive thyroid condition. His weight has always been 68 to 70 pounds. On that day, his weight was 73 pounds. He was put on thyroid medicine that seemed to make him extremely active, and he barked a lot. He was impatient, and his appetite was abnormal. I found myself throwing out food (which is quite costly) because it just sat there all day or night.
What can I do to correct this without exposing him to drugs? I would also like to know what you would recommend as a substitute to Revolution flea medicine. I learned that those medications are toxic.
V.B., Manassas, Va Oct 10, 2011
Answer:
Many environmental factors underlie what is now a virtual epidemic of low thyroid activity in dogs. These include fluoride and chlorine compounds in tap water, endocrine-disrupting chemicals lining food cans and plastic food containers, bromide compounds in flame-retardant chemicals in carpets and upholstery, and household dust from same. (For my new detailed review, see my website at www.twobitdog.com/drfox.) Some breeds and individual dogs are more susceptible than others.
There may also be an autoimmune component triggered by vaccinations, and tests on laboratory rats given anti-flea drugs such as Frontline (fipronil) revealed damage to the thyroid gland.
You should first consult with your veterinarian. Consider conducting additional blood tests and reducing the amount of thyroid replacement medication. Address the fact that the disease has secondary effects on the skin, heart, brain, liver and other internal organs. Beneficial supplements such as selenium, vitamin E, milk thistle (silymarin), coenzyme Q10 and alpha lipoic acid should be considered.
For safe methods of flea control, beginning with a flea comb, check my website or my book "Dog Body, Dog Mind
" for details.
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