The most alarming result was Raven’s TgAA (thyroglobulin autoantibodies) level. “The veterinarian saw how lethargic Raven was and how she refused to exercise and recommended that I have her retested using a full diagnostic panel to look at her thyroid level,” Clark says.Ī private laboratory ran this blood test and reported below normal levels for Raven’s TT4 (total T4) and fT4 (free T4) levels. Thyroxine is the most significant thyroid hormone, and triiodothyronine is produced at lower levels.ĭetermined to help Raven return to a healthy, fit condition, Clark began taking the dog for underwater treadmill workouts at a veterinary orthopedic clinic. Testing of Raven’s thyroid hormone levels for T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine) were in the normal reference range. “Raven’s handler suggested that I have her tested for hypothyroid ism because the signs were similar,” Clark says.Ĭlark took Raven to her primary veterinarian to have her blood tested for the endocrine disorder that results from an underactive thyroid gland, causing low thyroid hormone levels and affecting metabolic function throughout the body. Sometimes Raven was grouchy with other dogs. The beautiful black female had a huge appetite combined with a lack of energy and no interest in exercise. Owner Kim Clark of Phoenix first noticed her 1-year-old Doberman Pinscher, “Raven,” unexplainably gaining weight before her second heat cycle. The telltale signs of hypothyroidism can be concerning in any dog, par ticularly in a young dog about to start a show campaign.
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