Holistically treating hypothyroidism

bria

New member
Hey all,

It's been a long time and I've missed you guys. I hope some will remember me so that I get some responses. I was sick for a very long time but I'm back and better than before.

My question; has anyone or is anyone treating their dog holistically for hypothyroidism? I'm asking because my Bria definitely has a thyroid condition (the rat tail, knuckling when she walks, eye sty that won't go away, constant ear problems, odor from her body, weight gain, bi-lateral hair loss, change in personality, hungry all the time, vomitting after drinking and drinking like a camel). I would prefer to treat this holistically as I believe the meds from the vet have a steroid in it which will make her hungrier, more thirsty and very likely suffer from incontinence. I found a product on line called Thyro-Pet and it listed the ingredients. So I went to my health food store and bought Kelp (for iodine), Astragalus (for the endocrine system), Siberian Ginseng (for energy) and the last ingredient listed was Urtica Urens which I didn't buy. There are only 4 ingredients in this product. Now the problem is how much to give. I started Bria on it 3 weeks ago and within a week she was her old self. By this I mean she started playing with Sherman again and didn't seem so sluggish. So I increased the Kelp and the she had severe runs. Now I'm not sure how much to give and if she should be taking all the ingredients in this product.

Can someone help guide me a little? If I have to I will put her on vet meds but based on what I read it's a real bugger trying to regulate even their meds and get the right dose. I know another alternative is to remove the thyroid but Bria turns 9 in March and I worry about her age and surgery.

Best wishes to all for 2012.

Susan
 

R Taft

Active member
Welcome back Susuan....how are you, long time no hear ;)

Firstly you wrote Hypo thyroidism, which means low production.......Which means the low production of the thyroid hormone and the surgery will not help, because that is used for Hyper thyroidism or goitre.
Sorry I just need to know that it is hypo , low production

I have Hypothyroidism and i am on a very small amount of the thyroid hormone levothyroxine, which really helps and i will be on that for the rest of my life. And should never stop it suddenly.


I give my dogs a good teaspoon of kelp daily anyway and they do not have a thyroid problem.....it is part of the prevention of many things i give. I started it in increments, as I do with all stuff. I cannot correlate the kelp and diarrhea, except maybe to sudden a large dose and it might have worked like a dose of salts.

Hope this helps a little, good t see you back, Ronnie
 

bria

New member
Hi Ronnie,

Thanks and it's great to be back. I have Celiac Disease and with that a severely damaged esophagus. The pills they gave me for the esophagus very likely contain gluten as a lot of prescription drugs do but doctors are getting very careless here and I'm so fed up with western medicine. When I started vomiting blood I knew something was really wrong. In any case it all fit in once I read up on it and it's not uncommon to have esophagus issues with Celiac Disease. It may take a very long time to heal my body and my voice is so hoarse it sounds terrible. Acid reflux to the max is GERD or Barrett's Esophagus from what I read. I think we can safely say I'm there.

Okay enough about my **** I'm pretty sure that dogs get hypo and cats hyper. That's why dogs usually gain weight and cats lose weight. Although there have been dogs who got hyper and lost weight. Bria has gained weight so I would say that is low production. I didn't realize surgery is only for hyper.

I did read that even the vet meds if the dose is too high they will get the runs so I think you are correct in that it was too much of the Kelp. Also how do you give it as I got it in liquid form and put in in her food? I think I will reduce the amount and see how she does. I have been told by many clients of mine that they had a very hard time with their dogs and the vet meds in trying to figure out the correct dose.

Thanks,

Susan
 

bria

New member
Thanks Leonard and I'm back and I'm bad. It's good to see my extended family again.

Susan
 

janices

New member
Can someone help guide me a little? If I have to I will put her on vet meds but based on what I read it's a real bugger trying to regulate even their meds and get the right dose. I know another alternative is to remove the thyroid but Bria turns 9 in March and I worry about her age and surgery.
Thyroid meds from vet are same as what I take for hypothyroidism, levothyroxine. Thyroid tests do need to be done to see if low before self dosing. Dose is determined from values on the tests. Then it's rechecked after couple of months to see if dose is right. Then about once a year rechecked. It's easy to regulate and inexpensive med to give. Had several older newfs in past who were on levothyroxine, and remained on it for rest of life. I do remember adjusting 1 maybe once and 1 never adjusting dose. I've been on levothyroxine about 35 yrs and adjusted few times as have gotten older.

Thyroid has it's hands in all body functions so not taking the meds can basically kill yourself depending on how deficit the thyroid is outputting hormone. Can affect heart function and other important functions. The T4 man made replacement is replacing identical what thyroid produces.
 
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R Taft

Active member
I feed the dry stuff and a teaspoon, our horses get a huge tablespoon.....I think start with a small amount each week and see if there is improvement. If not up it a little. I just have no idea of the fluid and the concentration. But a human dosage often works for the average newf ( it is what i do) Also talk to some health store owners, they are often really clued up with this sort of stuff. I have learned a lot of my alternatives, from the guy at out health store and checked with a Equine herbalist lady i did some work-shops with.

You have to remember it is not a treatment and only supportive, I would go with the drugs, I know how much better I felt straight away :)
 

Elizabeth

New member
I don't think thyroid meds have any steroids in them. If you have not done so, you need to do the testing to see if it is indeed low thyroid or something else like cushings or Addison's disease. The symptoms you described could point to a variety of diseases.
Low thyroid is very easy to treat, with the meds.

E
 

bria

New member
Thanks all. Janice when I read up it it said it wasn't life threatening but that it will affect the quality of their life. Yes the meds the vet gives is the same as the human meds I did read that too. Nothing I read suggested heart problems and this isn't to save money but rather more of an alternative medicine thing. We do have a holistic vet here in our city and maybe it's time for a visit to him. Once tested I'm sure he will only to happy to suggest alternative stuff.

Ronnie you are correct in that I should speak to the man who owns the health food store. He knows his stuff but his workers not so much. I was giving Bria 1/2 ounce of Kelp along with the Ginseng and the Astragalus and the difference in her is unbelievable. She's back to her old self playing and frolicking though she is getting on in years too.

I wonder can you test them if you are giving the holistic meds or should you go off them first? Will the meds I'm giving alter her test?

Thanks E I will have her tested and then see what I can do as alternative meds (or not).

Susan
 
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