Interesting article about effects of medication on thyroid function in dogs. However, many human studies are referenced too.

[TSH110]

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Although this 2023 paper is about how medications affect thyroid function in dogs, I found much of relevance to humans given within the text body, with good references.

I found it an interesting read and the first diagram particularly illuminating, as to how the thyroid hormones are made in the folicullar cells of the thyroid. I presume it is the same process in dogs as humans.

Hope others find it of value

[beh1]

Here is an interesting quote: However, no single thyroid function test is completely reliable, and approximately 25% of dogs with primary hypothyroidism have normal serum TSH concentrations.

They don’t seem to apply this logic to humans. I had ‘normal’ TSH but eventually when they tested T4 it was on the floor. Took two years and a lost job.

[TSH110 in reply to beh1]

vets seem to regard TSH as of little value diagnostically. They look at t4 initially. Jean Dodds in the USA is the expert in thyroid problems in dogs she advocates a full thyroid panel with antibodies for dogs to obtain a proper diagnosis. If only they’d do it for us as standard..,

[Bertwills]

Thank you for this article. Doctors have a lot to learn from vets. It was actually seeing how my hypothyroid dog was tested & treated that made me realise that my own regime was next to useless.

When I tried to find out more I found this forum & have never looked back. For a short while my NHS test results were online & I was horrified to see that my TSH was registered at 10 whilst taking 120 mcg T4. I wasn’t converting.

[Zephyrbear]

Seems to me this chapter should be required reading for every GP and endocrinologist who claims to have ANY knowledge and expertise in the treatment of thyroid disorders!

Having been a nurse who switched from humans to animals back in the 1970s and having to immerse myself into learning about several species' anatomy and physiology instead of just the one, I realise how much deeper my knowledge as an animal nurse was required to be as a human one.

The human medical world could learn a lot from the veterinary one and vice versa and I believe this is the whole raison d'etre of Prof. Noel Fitzpatrick's Humanimal Trust.

[TSH110 in reply to Zephyrbear]

Yes it’s very well written and illustrated as well as being bang up to date on latest understanding of the thyroid pituitary axis. What amazes me is that dogs need 10 -20x more thyroid hormones than humans, I wonder why ? Their metabolism must be on permanent full speed ahead!

I had a very funny dream about Noel Fitzpatrick, that he was an osteopath, it was quite a surprise when he answered my call. He arranged a spot to meet for my first consultation which was by a line of terraced houses, he proceeded to drive his 4x4 all over people front gardens absolutely wrecking them he wasn’t even bothered I had to plaquate furious residents saying he’d put it all right again cos he wasn’t short of a bob or two, then he suggested we did the osteopathy session in a local pub 😱 so I could take my dog with me. I thought oh my god I might have to take my clothes off in a pub😳! It never got as far as anything hands on the dream ended at the pub front door waiting for opening opening time like two winos . It struck me as the very antithesis of all he stands for 🤣🤣🤣 I bet he’d laugh to hear it!

[Zephyrbear in reply to TSH110]

Certainly made me laugh!!! Perhaps you should email him, I’m sure he’d get a laugh from it too!

[TSH110 in reply to Zephyrbear]

I have thought about emailing him as I’m sure he’d find it amusing and very bizarre. It had that eerie dream lighting like a very dramatic disaster movie. I never had a visit to the osteopath like that before I can still remember bits of box hedge topiary flying through the air from under the reved up wheels, to the horror of the resident who’d so carefully clipped it and staved off box caterpillar and box blight to boot 🤣🤣🤣