Basenji
Health Information
Hypothyroidism in Basenji Dogs
Thyroid Crusade
By
Karen Christensen
Since
my own dog. Selket, was diagnosed with hypothyroidism (HT), I have had some
time to research the symptoms of the disease. I have become something of a
crusader, suggesting thyroid testing to dog owners for symptoms ranging from
weight gain to seizures to infertility: the overweight, 4 year-old golden
retriever (HT is very common in Goldens) at the kennel, who was having
seizures; a friend whose year-old basenji is losing the fur from her puppy
buns; the woman in the dog park with the greyhound (another high-HT breed)
whose skin was callused, greasy and smelly, like Selket's; the couple at the
vet whose 2 year-old lab is so overweight you could serve dinner on his back....
The reasons for this are simple:
The
literature indicates that HT is the most common endocrine disorder in dogs, and
we know, for people, Synthroid is the third most used pharmaceutical in the
USA.
All of these symptoms can be related to HT.
Using the proper tests, HT is relatively
easy and inexpensive to diagnose.
HT is extremely easy to treat with daily
replacement therapy; and
Treatment makes such a huge difference in the quality of life for the dog and
therefore for its owner.
Add to that the fact that, although the
huge percentage of basenjis who are hypothyroid have idiopathic hypothyroidism,
a few do have autoimmune hypothyroidism, which is an absolute “stabilize and
neuter/spay,” and the case for regular thyroid screening for all dogs is easy
to make. While treating a HT dog is not difficult, it is not a characteristic
anyone would want to encourage in breeding, and which needs to be understood in
the breeding stock. Hypothyroidism in
basenjis has shown up in dogs as young as 12 months old.
A lack of thyroid hormone can cause a
vast array of symptoms that are also common to other illnesses. Thyroid
screening can thus be used to rule out hypothyroidism as the cause of some
symptoms, as well as ruling it in. Many of the conditions, such as weight gain,
lethargy, and joint problems, when seen in older dogs, are considered
unavoidable symptoms of age. I considered Selket an old dog at 8 years, due to
her lack of energy, thick skin, and lameness in her shoulder; at 11 years, I do
not consider her old at all as I watch her romp with a much younger dog. The
difference has been the diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism.
The reason for the symptoms is that
thyroid hormones control metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and lipids; energy
transfer; and cell maturation. This last is the cause of poor skin/coat
quality, joint problems (cartilage does not regrow fast enough to replace what
is worn off), and sterility (sperm and eggs do not mature).
Because lipids are not metabolized, a
hypothyroid dog may have high cholesterol, which can cause seizures and heart
problems due to plaques in the coronary arteries (atherosclerosis, the same
cause of heart disease as in humans), as well as strokes.
The blood serum sample from a
hypothyroid dog may look like a strawberry milkshake - cloudy, thick, and
bright pink. This is from the lipemia/high cholesterol and from hemolysis. I
was pretty shocked and upset when I saw this in Selket's second sample (after a
month on a low dose of levothyroxin, the synthetic thyroid replacement normally
prescribed), since I expected a clear, pale yellow liquid. When I spoke to Dr
Dodds (see below) she said this was a strong indication of hypothyroidism
(which makes me wonder why we even
had the sample analyzed instead of just upping the dose). Literature indicates
the presence of high cholesterol makes measurement of one form of thyroid, T3,
inaccurate for diagnosing hypothyroidism.
Of course it is preferable to diagnose hypothyroidism
before the dog becomes ill. Since it is relatively common in basenjis,
it is not unreasonable to begin annual testing, even dogs with no symptoms,
when they are 3 years old. Testing must
be done in anestrus, which means count 100 days from the first day of the heat
cycle. By the way, you should do the
same for male dogs who are around bitches in season. It is very important to have the right tests done.
To run the correct panel of tests, send
blood samples to:
W. Jean Dodds,
DVM
Hemopet
11330 Markon Drive
Garden Grove,
CA 92614
714-891-2022,
fax 714-891-2123
Web Sites:
http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/HEMOPET.HTM
(with a prompt
for the next form – print both)
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/DrDoddsInstructions.htm
(print three
forms)
I use Dr. Dodds because she gives her opinion
along with the test results, and the fee is very reasonable (your vet may
charge you the same fee they would charge to send it to their usual lab). And
you can talk to her. You SHOULD talk to her, if you suspect your dog is
hypothyroid, if you have results from a different lab, or if your vet gives you
a hard time. Just call her at
Hemopet. She will return your call.
T3 measurement alone, or T3 & T4
alone, are not accurate for diagnosing HT. You need to have results for T3, T4,
Free T3, Free T4, T3 AA, and T4 AA. TSH
levels are not particularly useful.
Treating the hypothyroid dog is
inexpensive and easy. They simply get a small pill twice a day of levothyroxine
(T4). A typical dose is 0.1 mg per 10 lb (4.5 kg), although your vet may opt to
start out with a lower dose, and a very few dogs end up needing very high doses
(2 mg per 10 lb). It costs about $20 per year to treat a basenji on an average
dose of Soloxine, if you buy it in bulk from Omaha Vaccine (800-367-4444).
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE BRAND,
SOLOXINE, as the generic is not as effective (in people or dogs.) One thing suggested to me when Selket's
thyroid levels had elevated into the normal range but some of her symptoms were
still a problem was to switch brands, and this made a big difference in her
case. Soloxine (Daniels Animal Health, www.soloxine.com) is the gold standard
of T4 therapy for dogs and that is what she takes now. Maybe her cells can use
it better, but I'm not as concerned with the reason as I am with the fact that
it works.
Finally, I have heard of some people who
are reluctant to use thyroid replacement because it is synthetic, because it is
a pharmaceutical, a drug. Well, it is a chemical the dog normally has. There is
no herbal equivalent for synthetic levothyroxine. The synthetic drug contains
only the T4 and no other biologically active molecules. As for the drug
companies possibly making money off of us, I'd say they make their profit based
on the huge amount that's sold, because the per-dose cost is so low, it cannot
be much more than it costs them to manufacture and distribute it.
Here is a list
of symptoms of hypothyroidism (that improve when T4 therapy is given); one or
more other diseases or conditions could also cause most of them but it is such
a common condition, and is inexpensive and easy enough to test for,
Lethargy,
Mood swings,
Aggression,
Loss of energy,
Vestibular (ear) disease,
Poor coat, scaly skin,
Hypo pigmentation,
Body odor,
Skin lesions,
Weight gain,
Weight loss, picky eater,
Seizures,
Sterility,
Testicular atrophy,
Aspermia,
Absence of heat cycles,
Too many heat cycles,
Prolonged interestrus,
Pseudopregnancy,
Reproductive failure,
Re-absorption of fetus,
Joint problems,
Slow heart rate,
Stiff or slow movement,
Dragging front feet,
Head tilt,
Tragic expression/facial paralysis,
Balance problems,
Frequent vomiting,
Diarrhea,
Cardio-myopathy,
Megaesophagus,
Ruptured knee ligaments,
Corneal ulcers,
Dry eye syndrome,
High cholesterol,
Atherosclerosis,
Cold intolerance,
Heat intolerance,
Exercise intolerance,
Chronic infections,
Anemia,
Low white blood cell count,
Bone marrow failure,
Chronic hepatitis, etc.
HEALTH WEBSITE LINKS
Dr. Dodds, Immune System
& Disease Resistance -
HEALTH CONTACTS
Fanconi - E-mail Dr. Steve Gonto
IPSID -, E-mail Dr. Willard, 409-845-2351
or E-mail Cindy Griswold, 830-868-7649
Thyroid - W. Jean Dodds DVM (Hemopet)
-714-891-2022, fax 714-891-2123
-11330 Markon Drive, Garden Grove,
CA 92841
http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/HEMOPET.HTM
(with a prompt for the next form --
print both)
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/diagnostic_testing.htm
PLUS
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/DrDoddsInstructions.htm
(print 3 forms)
BASENJI CLUBS
BASENJI WEB PAGES
An update to Karen and Selket’s
story: Her sassy beautiful girl Selket
passed away on Saturday, December 15, 2001. (Mooties Alpha Centauri Selket ~
12/24/87 to 12/15/01)
In Karen’s own words,
“Fast as a basenji can run....
That's
how fast Selket left me and crossed the Rainbow Bridge today just before
lunchtime. She was lying under a blanket in her favorite chair, and seized and
that was the end -- it took about 15 seconds and she was gone. I'll miss her
terribly. She was just a few days shy of her 14th birthday (Christmas Eve). I
hope those of you who knew her in her better days will remember her as the
smart, sassy, self-possessed beauty I always saw her to be. I'll take comfort in the fact that, as Karen
Sahulka said, "she died just like Jim did, in his chair," -- Selket
was within a few feet of Jim when he died in 1999. Now, says, Suemaw, they are
likely enjoying Szechuan chicken livers together!
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updated March 10, 2002