The neck harbors your dog's thyroid gland. One of its main functions is regulating the metabolic rate. Canine hypothyroidism occurs when the gland doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone, causing your dog's metabolism to decrease significantly. One of the most common reasons why dogs suffer from a hormonal imbalance is because of this condition. The age group that is most common affected is seniors. Certain breeds are also at an increased risk of developing the condition. Great Dane, Boxer, Golden retriever, and Doberman pinschers are some of the most common breeds. This condition commonly develops because of an immune disorder. Your dog's own immune system will attack the thyroid gland as if it were the enemy. Hashimoto's Disease or autoimmune thyroiditis are two other names for this condition. Dogs commonly develop a dry coat, suffer from hair loss, or have frequent skin infections. It is also a problem when dogs become obese and lethargic. Anemia, decreased heart rate, and anemia are also common symptoms. Recurring ear infections are also common. Behaviorial changes such as depression may also occur. Dogs may start behaving more aggressively, tilting their head, or even having seizures. In order to diagnose this condition, the vet will start with a medical history and a thorough physical exam. If he suspects that hypothyroidism is the cause of your dog's symptoms, he will usually take a blood test. This blood test is useful for various reasons such as checking the level of thyroid hormone. Even though dogs may have the condition, they may show a normal level of this hormone on a test. It is best that the vet conducts other tests in order to make an accurate diagnosis. In order to treat this condition, your dog will need to take thyroxine twice a day on a daily basis. This is also a synthetic thyroid hormone. Owners will also need to take their pets for checkups at the vet's office frequently. This will help determine the correct dosage required for your dog. Dogs can live a high quality of life as long as they take the medication on a daily basis. If you want to be a good dog owner, then you should do your best to learn about various diseases and conditions that can affect your dog like osteosarcoma in dogs. You never know when your dog will get sick. Recognizing the signs quickly can go a long way. You can go to common-dog-diseases.com right now to learn about many different common dog diseases.
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