lung diseases ?

[Bailey Boy]

I have done several searches to find out what might be wrong with Bailey. I have taken him to the vet for excessive panting back in March. Part of his problem then was another over dose of his thyroid meds. But he was still panting so I took him back a month later since he meds where switched I wanted to make sure his level was fine, blood work done all is well. He is still panting so we try a week of anti inflammatory the vet thought might be the weather change and his arthritis causing pain hence the excessive panting. When that didn't work we tried just pain meds for several days and that didn't work so he went back in the 4 of this month for more blood work. When those tests came back normal his vet wanted to take a lung x-ray which we did on the 6th.

The x-ray show what looked like scaring on his alveoli they have sent his films out to have a specialist look them over hopefully we will here something this week.

He isn't coughing he is just panting. His appetite is good no problems eating, drinking going potty. He still wants to play with his siblings and with anyone else he can get to play with him. You wouldn't know to look at him that he has a problem. Just waiting on the vet to get back with us on what it is for one and our next step. Any information is most appreciated.

 

[Lori]

This sounds exactly like Sydney (my Aussie mix). When she started this panting/rapid breathing I had her checked out too. There's no coughing either. Did the pain meds also, didn't matter. Xrays showed changed to her lungs. The vet thought most likely chronic bronchitis. We tried a med for that and it didn't help. So far she's been doing good, no exercise intolerance. We go for a walk everyday and she recovers nicely once we get home. Sydney also takes thyroid meds. She's hypothyroid and takes Levo-tabs. All her bloodwork has been normal. I was looking up the side effects of levothyroxine and found this:

Signs of Toxicity/Overdose
With chronic overdosing (taking a slightly
higher dose over a long period of time),
expect to see signs of hyperthyroidism
such as an increase in drinking, urinating,
eating, activity; seeking cool areas;
increased heart rate; panting; restlessness;
and behavior changes. May also see
vomiting.

I'm wondering if actually her dose is too much for her, even though she's in the normal range for bloodwork. Maybe "her" normal is different. She has the panting and increased urination. She's due for a blood test this month and I'm going to ask about this, maybe decreasing her dosage to see if the panting lessens or goes away.

 

[Bailey Boy]

The excessive panting was always a clue for me that Bailey's dose was to high with the soloxine. When we switched vet they switched his meds to thyro-tabs. When I dropped him off on Thursday I asked if his problem might be a side effect to his meds, but they didn't think so. There is a listing for heat intolerance as a side effect.

You might be right and Sydney's dose is too high. Bailey is back down to .8mg 2x a day.

His new vet said she might wean him off his thyroid meds as his first test with the old vet was on the low side of normal.

 

[Lori]

Syd's last test, she was on the low side of normal so we went with .5mg 2x a day. This was up from .5 in the am and 1/2 of the .5 pill in the pm.

I think the weaning off might really show if it is the meds or not. I'm going to ask about it too.

 

[Bailey Boy]

I think I am going to ask about changing his tablets down to the .5mg like you have.

Maybe that is part of his problem too, he was weighing in at 93lbs when we first put him on .8mg back in July of 08. He is now down to 80lbs and still taking the same mg dosage. Don't know if that would make a difference or not along with cutting the meds back too?

 

[Bailey Boy]

We finally got the results back today from Bailey's lung x-ray. What ever our vet had seen as possible scar tissue the specialist said no. Lungs and heart are clean but they did note his liver is moderately enlarged. Good news along with some questionable news.

Our vets are going to discuss a few things this evening then call back tomorrow. We will either start taking Bailey off his thyroid meds or have him tested for cushings. Depending what they come up with next.

 

[Lori]

Glad to hear about the good news. Hopefully you will get some answers. I had a dog with Cushings. He took a daily med for it and we had to have blood work every so often.

Sydney went for her thyroid blood test today. We'll get the results probably tomorrow. I mentioned to the vet about trying to lower her dose.

 

[Tula]

Rhayni tested just below low normal for thyroid when she came into rescue this winter. Her weight was 142. Vet was pleased that weight is now down to 127. Her last blood test showed her just over high normal @ 6. She was panting alot , restless and not herself. Vet felt it was ok to leave her on the thyroid dose, but i disagreed - mother's instinct. We lowered her meds and the panting stopped! Now if I can just get her paw licking under control...... Kim

 

[Bailey Boy]

Kim, I am glad you agreed to disagree with your vet and dropped Rhayni meds for her comfort. Can't help with the paw licking Sarah chews on her but we know with her it is allergies.

Bailey woke me up this morning around 3:30 panting like he had just ran a mile. He has been up and down with his dosage so much over the past couple of years he had an over dose last August and again this March.

Lori, is Sydneys' vet considering lowering her dose or do you have to wait until you get the test results back?

 

[Lori]

We got Sydney's results today and the vet said she was within normal ranges and he wanted to keep her on the dose she is on. I had questioned him about lowering it when they did the blood draw. He didn't seem to want to then either. I pushed the issue today on the phone and he finally said it would be ok to try and lower it to see if any of the rapid breathing/panting slows down. If it didn't, then I should up her Tramadol to see if it's from pain. If nothing changes from either of these, then he wants to test for Cushings or diabetes. So we'll see. I started lowering her dose tonight. He said to give it 3 - 4 days, because thryoid meds don't build in their system, so we should see results pretty quick. I'm probably going to give it a little longer though, just to be sure.

Kim, glad to hear Rhayni isn't panting anymore. I'm hoping this helps Sydney too. Chance used to lick the tops of his front paw a lot, never raw though. I'm not sure if it was just something he liked to do or what. Someone told me that his arthritis could have been bothering him there and that's why he licked that area.

 

[Bailey Boy]

We are lowering his meds and testing for cushings. Hopefully by next week we will know if we have to do more then an initial urine test.