Many times owners come to their veterinarian complaining about their dogs skin or weight never realizing that it is the dog's thyroid to blame.
Hypothyroidism in dogs is more common then you might think. Many times owners come to their veterinarian complaining about their dogs skin or weight never realizing that it is the dog's thyroid to blame.
I remember seeing a chubby Labrador with a very dull, flaky hair coat, and hair loss on the tail. This made the veterinarian recommend a blood test that would check the function of the dogs thyroid. Chubby Labradors are not uncommon but the weight gain coupled with the skin symptoms made the veterinarian consider hypothyroidism as a possible reason for the symptoms in this dog. Sure enough the thyroid function was low.
Hypothyroidism is more commonly seen in Golden Retrievers, Dobermans, Irish Setters, Cocker Spaniels, Dachshunds, and Schnauzers.
