Thyroid tumors are much less common.
The functioning of the thyroid gland can be measured with blood tests. Unfortunately, this blood test is not completely reliable. To be able to make the diagnosis, a dog must meet 4 conditions (see below). The whole picture must be correct.
Hypothyroidism dog
Dogs with a slow thyroid gland are slow and run stiff. They like to sleep in a warm spot. Although the appetite remains the same, the dog arrives. Dogs can become bald, often have a thickened skin. There is no itching. Bitches with hypothyroidism do not become loops. The dog has a slow heartbeat.
Some dogs with a slow thyroid gland have diarrhea, get enlarged mammary glands and can give milk. Some dogs also get a thin coat, dark spots in the skin, and the skin can become inflamed and become greasy. In some dogs, the nerves become trapped, which can be expressed in lameness, a crooked head position or paralyzed facial muscles.
If the problems of your dog are not in the list above and / or your dog drinks and pees a lot, your dog probably has no thyroid problems.
Thyroid tumor dog
Thyroid tumors are mainly found in dogs of middle or older age. In almost all cases the thyroid tumor is easy to feel in the neck, in some cases the tumor is in the chest and can not be felt.
this diagnosis is made more often with the German standing long hair.
Thyroid tumors are usually malignant and can spread to the local lymph nodes and to the lungs.
Symptoms thyroid tumor dog
In most cases, the production of thyroid hormones has not increased or decreased. Thyroid tumors are often unilateral and usually do not produce hormones. The thickness in the neck is usually discovered accidentally. Sometimes the tumor damages surrounding tissues, which can cause chest tightness, coughing, poor appetite, weight loss, swallowing problems or neck pain.
If the thyroid tumor produces hormones, there can be a lot of drinking and urinating, weight loss despite a good appetite, panting and fatigue. Less common complaints are diarrhea and anxiety.
Diagnosis thyroid tumor dog
In almost all cases there is a thickness in the neck. In some cases, T4 (thyroid hormone) is increased.
Treatment thyroid tumor dog :
– If the tumor is not fused with the environment, surgery is often possible.
– If the tumor is attached to the environment, or if the tumor has spread, treatment with radioactive iodine is sometimes a good option.
– Both treatments can also be combined.
– Chemotherapy is generally not very effective.
Prognosis thyroid tumor dog
We want to treat a thyroid tumor in dogs at the earliest possible stage. At an early stage, if the tumor is not yet so large, it is more likely that we can operate successfully.