Evans (USA) on 06/04/2007
Replied By Ted (Bangkok, Thailand) on 06/05/2007
Replied By Frank (Plfd, Nj/usa) on 01/02/2011
Does anyone Know the correct dosage of Iodine, for a 90 lb, 9 year old dog. ( or an alternative for treating hypothyroidism/skin issues). Except for the recent addition of Proin, for slight "leaks", he is in great shape. Also just switched to a lamb protein based dogfood. Can you give Iodine w/soloxine? He already gets ACV, as do I every day. (1-2 caps). Any help would be wonderful. Many thanks for the best site on the internet, and the most "giving" bunch of folks, especially Ted. Happy new year to all,
Frank
Replied By Debbie (Montgomery, Il, United States) on 05/14/2011
I stumbled across this website when researching cysts (he has those now and I found a natural remedy to try for that). I read about iodine, mag., sea salt, and humic acid, Vit A as options. Sam gets Kelp which contains Iodine, and he gets mag daily and has been on these for a few years now. Sam is fed high quality dog food (dry with some canned to hide herb taste) and he gets a mulitude of supplements daily and he is an active 9 1/2 year old dog. He is not overweight like many dogs with hypothyroidism. Again he is not been dx yet, but he has two thin fur spots and started being dog aggressive. I will be surprised if his thyroid isn't off. I was wondering what is the recommended amt of each of these supplements and where do you get humic acid? (what is it?). Thank you from Debbie and her dog Sam
Replied By Charlie (US) on 08/17/2011
I got my humic acid from bioag.com pet section. Thank you Ted, you are awesome.
Replied By Bonnie (Marysville, Ca) on 01/02/2012
Replied By Rachael (Baccaro, Nova Scotia) on 03/29/2012
My beloved husky has been on the Lthyroxin drug for years. At times the medicine was reduced because he became weak on it - it was having a reverse reaction, then increased because he needed it.
Recently he has developed incontinence and anemia. I took him off the drug for a week and things cleared up, although I know his thyroid was low. Once I gave him the drug again, within 30 min his gums went greish white, his eyes drooped and he appeared low on energy, he also started being incontinent almost immediately.
I have been giving him a very small amount of sea kelp and something from Pet Alive called Thyyro Pet - but I don't believe the levels I am giving are correct. I have just started this for the obvious alergic reaction to the drug. So I know I need to give things a bit of time. I tried him last night on L-tyrosine at the appropriate dose and again this am but it does not have a good effect on him, he seems lethargic.
Yesterday morning we took him to the vets to have a full blood panel done - this includes vitamin levels - B12 for Folic Acid Anemia, glucose levels, phosphate and a ton of other levels to see what is going on.
I have had to cook for him naturally now for many years. When he started on the drug I had tried all sorts of dog foods - read up on the crap especially the preservatives and animal biproducts and realized I needed to cook for him. I have tried to keep it as balanced as possible but the poor guy is allergic to several things that make it a challenge. For one, he can't eat beef or any type of poultry, we tried him on other meats but the only thing that works is Haddock and eggs. I have hens now so that I can make sure they don't eat things he is allergic to (thus passing down allergens through food). He has several other types of allergies which if I listed would make too much of a story here.
I need to share with your readers that it is critical to get an allergy panel done on their pets - food allergies cause skin, ear and other health issues. It's also critical to know blood levels for so many different things - liver, kidney, calcium, protein, I could go on.
I am having to ad vitamins and have researched a tremendous amount on nutrition. In my research I found that certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies can lead to if not cause hypothryoid - those are Zinc, Folic Acid (also deficiency causes folic acid anemia) and Selenium. There are others of course and I am not a professional, but the first two were very alarming - since I had to keep my boy off red meats and other known allergens, he may not have been getting the proper nutrition needed.
I am constantly trying to find solutions to a perfect balanced diet, the trouble is, there's too much information out there which conflicts. After taking information from several areas I have to draw my own conclusions on what might help.
The vets were a joke and I took him to several. One didn't believe dogs were allergic to anything, another tried to sell me on their canned and bagged foods, even though I specifically said he has known allergies to them, another tried to prescrible his thyroid drug - ten times his dosage - I think he wanted my boy to get very sick so that he could make more money - sick bastard.
I have had to go this alone. Basically requesting a vet draw blood and asking for the tests I think he needs, I am planning on checking anything that is elevated through additional tests once I can control whatever the issue is with diet and nutritional supplements.
If you can offer any help on something that will help his thyroid, please write back to me asap. thanks in advance.
Replied By Anna (Baton Rouge, La) on 05/10/2012
For the home diet preparers... avoid feeding raw goitrogenic vegetables.
And, as always, NO GRAINS!
Replied By Rachael (Baccaro, Nova Scotia) on 11/24/2012
I needed to provide information that may help other pet owners cope with hypothyroid - I was going to write a book because I have much to share but feel selfish withholding if I can help anyone's pet.
I have taken my pup off Lthyroxin. The last pill I gave him, his head started to pulse within 30 min of the pill. The vet suggested he's allergic to the meds. He weighs 70 lbs - the following may help your pet. I came up with everything from extensive research and trial and error but I think I have it down.
He is now on 4 drops of Ashwagandha twice per day (Nature's Answer) Alcohol free. Try and space 8 hours apart. Ashwagandha can lower blood pressure (make sure you check with a vet and observe when trying out anything suggested here). Also be sure to only try one thing at a time - wait a day - if no allergies, add a 2nd and so on. The vitamins are critical - especially B complex with C - I wouldn't wait on those.
The same time I give him six drops of Thyropet - also twice per day (PetAlive) - liquid kelp with Nettle (I put both in his food - discussed below).
I give 500 mg of vitamin C two to three times per day (Ascorbic acid - no fillers or other crap).
I also give 50 mg of B complex - (do not purchase with Benzoic Acid - preservative that is toxic to cats and most likely to dogs).
I add the following herbs - 1/4 teaspoon of Olive Leaf (natural antibiotic - also helps thyroid). 1/4 teaspoon of Tumeric - good for arthritis, iron, liver cleanser, etc. 1/4 tsp of Terramin (California Earth Minerals) - includes calcium, iron, magnesium, chronium, selenium, manganese, copper, phosporus, zinc, potassium. If your dog eats dirt - the mineral might be the answer - it's also excellent to put on wounds or tumors. I also give 500 mg of Glucosamin Chondroidan - all human grade - with no fillers or other crap - be aware of vets who sell anything with Sodium Benzoate - a known carcinogen - especially around vitamin C.
I add 3 to six teaspoons of olive oil in his food and every now and then a squeeze of lemon juice.
To help with regular bowl movement in the early am - I give about 1/4 cup of organic apple sauce with a sprinkle of cinnamon (helps balance sugar).
Food - I cook organic oats for am - I add either 1 organic egg or a few ounces of salmon. I give him three meals a day - so lunch may end up being carrots or some fruit -blended pinneaple, apple sauce, peach or banana. Dinner - I cook brown rice - generally with a few ounces of salmon - squash and zuchini, green beans, etc. - try usually to mix it up a little bit.
Snacks - an important one which he craves - I give dates - excellent iron source - don't get the real dry ones (press one between your fingers - if it's squiggy, then it's good).
He still can have days where he's a bit slower, but at 14 he's doing wonderful. He developed a liver/kidney inbalance and he's now on Milk Thistle each day (just 1 capsule).
Other than the thyroid specific above (Ashwagandha and Liquid Kelp) I have four more dogs that eat the same thing - they get used to the different herbs and love their food.
If you have questions or would like to know more, please feel free to email me at safeharbor(at)forthehorses.com
Replied By Anon (Usa) on 01/31/2014
I wanted to reply to Rachel in Nova Scotia with a dog that has red meat & poultry allergy.
Continuing: my large mixed breed went out and in 5 minutes of walk brought in 2 ticks on his face, very small and reddish, midwest. In just 2 to 3 hours, we saw his eye swell almost closed, and one half of his muzzle huge and stiff with swelling (opposite the 2 ticks, strange enough). I pulled them out, and in another hour the whole muzzle was huge...lugol's iodine nipped it one day , he is on day 3 now, 2 drops of 5% in his water. Third day I am giving him 1/2 a human's potassium, magnesium, selenium and zinc to make sure it doesnt zap all his minerals.
Lugols is great stuff for this. I don't know what they have here that he was not already exposed to on west coast, perhaps the rocky mountain bunch from ticks, but whatever it is he is 100% better now and we'll stay on it a week to make sure its completely wiped out. His owner has lyme for many years and quite familiar with its stealth capacities.
Replied By Cate (Akron, NY) on 08/28/2014
Replied By Kelly (Phoenix, Az) on 10/28/2016
Replied By Solis (Alberta) on 03/22/2017
Theresa
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Get-Bobo-home/1409993732632080?sk=timeline&ref=page_internal
Please read up about hypothyroidism in dogs:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2097&aid=449
Taken from the above source:
"The thyroid gland is a small gland that is situated close to the larynx (voice box) in the neck. It is regulated by the small pituitary gland that is located at the base of the brain. Normally, the pituitary gland produces a hormone called TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). This hormone tells the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormone. The amount of TSH produced is dependent on the amount of thyroid hormone in the blood. The pituitary gland responds to the blood level of thyroid hormone by producing more TSH if the thyroid hormone level is low, and less TSH if the thyroid hormone level is high.
Hypothyroidism results from the impaired production and secretion of thyroid hormones. More than 95% of all cases occur as a result of destruction of the thyroid gland. Most hypothyroidism is due to thyroid gland destruction that is suspected to be caused by the dog's own immune system killing the cells of the thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism may also be a result of atrophy of the thyroid tissue and resultant infiltration of the tissue by fat, or by a cancer. Hypothyroidism can also be associated with the presence of other diseases and the use of certain medications. Rare cases of congenital hypothyroidism have been diagnosed, as well."
Have you had an actual diagnosis of hypothyroid from your vet via blood test? This condition in your dog is very likely NOT caused by iodine deficiency, so while boosting iodine may help, in the long run you may simple be spinning your wheels and delaying proper treatment to your dog, which certainly cannot feel good for your dog. This condition responds very well to the synthetic T4 used to treat it, and if you tried this medication and got poor results you might consider seeing your vet once again and have the dose you administered adjusted.
Replied By Paul (California) on 06/09/2020