Jun 12 2009
Table dog’s
Dear Brew
We have a golden retriever that is very fat, so fat that his back is flat like a table. We have tried everything to get him to lose weight with no luck, we only feed him 1 cup of food twice a day and he get’s walked every day. Any suggestions on what to do?
George’s owner
Dear George’s owner
When your dog is so fat that his back is flat and you can use him as a coffee table and set your drink’s on him (Table dog’s) then it is time to see your Veterinarian and have George’s thyroid level checked. This is simple blood test that will check to see if George is Hypothyroid, which is the most common reason we see in overweight dog’s, other than over feeding and lack of exercise. Hyperthyroidism is easily treated with daily Thyroxine or Soloxine medications.
So what is Hypothyroidism and how does your dog get it?
Hypothyroidism is a disorder of the thyroid gland — two small butterfly-shaped lobes located in the neck. This gland regulating your dog’s metabolic rate. In hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland is underactive, and unable to secrete enough thyroid hormone. This, in turn, decreases your dog’s metabolism.
Most cases of hypothyroidism stem from the dog’s own immune system attacking the tissues of the thyroid gland. This condition is called autoimmune thyroiditis. The dog’s own system attempts to compensate for this at first by secreting more and more of the thyroid hormone, but eventually the gland is unable to keep up with the attacks on its tissue, and the dog becomes hypothyroid and symptomatic. While there is a genetic predisposition for thyroid disorders, environmental factors such as pollutants and allergies probably play a role as well.
What are the signs of a hyperthroid dog?
Lethargic behavior such as a lack of interest in play, frequent napping, tiring out on long walks
- Weight gain, sometimes without an apparent gain in appetite
- Bacterial infections of the skin
- Dry skin
- Hair loss, especially on the trunk or tail (“rat’s tail”)
- Discoloration or thickening of the skin where hair loss has occurred
- Cold intolerance/seeking out warm places to lie down
- Slow heart rate
- Chronic ear infections
- Severe behavioral changes such as unprovoked aggression, head tilt, seizures, anxiety.
- Depression
Most dogs who are affected by hypothyroidism fall into the mid to large size category. Many breeds are affected by this disease, including (but not limited to):
- Golden retrievers
- Doberman pinschers
- Greyhounds
- Irish setters
- Dachshunds
- Cocker spaniels
- Airedale terriers
Hypothyroidism is rare in toy and miniature breeds of dogs.
If Geroge’s blood test turn up normal, then it is back to dieting and more exercise and trying the new weight loss products out there for dog’s
TGIF joke :On the door of the little country store a stranger noticed the sign DANGER! BEWARE OF DOG! Inside he saw a harmless old hound dog asleep on the floor besides the cash register.
He asked the store manager, “Is THAT the dog folks are supposed to beware of?” “Yep, that’s him,” he replied.
The stranger could not help but be amused. “That certainly does not look like a dangerous dog to me. Why in the world would you post that sign?”
“Because,” the owner replied, “before I posted that sign, people kept tripping over him.”
