Can't Keep My Dog Warm

[dogbesotted]

I am hearing you..but a Total T4 test cannot be used to give an accurate picture of the effective ( free) T4 level ( altho some drs and vets still try to use this to evaluate their patients) .

There are a whole lot of reason that the set of tests be carried out and also a test for thyroid antibodies. You should check the blood test results to ensure that full thyroid panel was done.

why do i jump up and down so much about having the full panel done? I have had three dogs dxd with thyroid disease plus one mother ( :) ) two of the dogs and my mother had only T4 levels tested..my mother despite me asking for a full panel. All three deteriorated markedly before either dr or vet gave in to me asking for a full thyroid panel. The third dog had the full thyroid panel done very early on and with a low amount of thyroxine supplementation is doing very well. Once many symptoms are showing the thyroid is extremly damaged. With my mother she was finally dxd with toxic multinodular goiter ( multiple hot nodules in the thyroid) ..this took two years of me repeatedly asking the dr for proper tests.. needless to say as my mother is aged the subsequent three year wait to see an endocrinologist ...has meant that she will actually now get no further treatment

off my soap box now :D :D

H

[oakway]

For Thyroid you need a T5 and the blood needs to go to Jean Dodds at HemoPet in California.

The test done with these people are far more intensive so I have been told.

[persephone]

It sounds to me more fear/pain/discomfort ..

Mitchell used to chatter his teeth at a vets or when he was sore ...

It is your dog - however, I would hold off on encasing her in too much clothing as yet..giver her a source of warmth she can use when she needs to ..and which she can move away from if she gets too warm !

an easy "igloo which is SO warm (mitch used to use this when visiting friends where temps were minus 4 etc ;) ) a single bed foam (sponge) underlay .. made into a tunnel ..and secured. Place bedding inside .. with one of those snugglesafe things . Block one end , and hang a sheet or woolen blanket over the curved top :)

Dead easy ..extremely comfy (dog can stretch /move without any hindrance from clothing or heavy covers )

:)

[Erny]

I would be having her thyroid levels checked.

And I'd be inclined to have the blood (serum) analysed via Dr Jean Dodds (USA) rather than here in Aussie, as the USA testing is more thorough than ours.

ETA : Just saw that Dogsbesotted () has mentioned checking thyroid levels too.

ETA: There is a link between thyroid issues and cruciate ligament injuries.

Edited April 6, 2014 by Erny

[Little Gifts]

So how do you know whether you own a cold frog or a sick frog then? My pei girl feels the cold terribly but has no body fat and is practically bald over half her body so of course I assume it is a temperature thing and not a health issue. She can make the whole bed shake when she gets really cold. Unlike Megs's girl she has no injuries and her coldness ties into when the weather is cold or the temperature drops so I assume it is normal? Also, once in a coat or under a blanket she does warm and stay warm.

I'd hate to think she had a health issue I was oblivious of, so I guess I'd really like to know, before I start being a worry wart, what is hinting to health issues for Megs's dog over it just being cold? Is it mainly the cruciate ligament issue?

[Erny]

So how do you know whether you own a cold frog or a sick frog then? My pei girl feels the cold terribly but has no body fat and is practically bald over half her body so of course I assume it is a temperature thing and not a health issue.

The thyroid gland is responsible for the good function of just about every organ in the body. Consequently, symptoms of thyroidism can manifest in so many varied ways. Skin issue symptoms can be caused by thyroidism - in fact, it is quite a common symptom. At early onset and when the dog is younger, weight loss or inability to gain body weight can also represent as a symptom. As can nervous/vigilant type behaviour. So rather than looking at the reasons why your dog feels the cold, investigate why she is "practically bald over half her body" and why she "has no body fat".

Edited April 6, 2014 by Erny

[Staff'n'Toller]

My old Staffy girl had a Great White North coat for winter and the sweater for warmer transition months.

http://www.chillydogs.ca

I originally bought it because she loved to sleep outside during the day under the pergola on the hammock beds but I was afraid if the weather turned bad she'd get cold before she woke up properly- she was hard of hearing etc.

This might help too:

http://www.dogleggs.com/files/rear.cfm

I would second the idea for a soft crate with the drop down window covering, they operate a lot like a canvas tent and keep out the draughts.

I used to use only weatherbeeta but I think for dogs with very fine hair the chest flap of the great white north and the closer fit overall make it more effective.

The other thing we did was put an oil fin heater in the laundry if she preferred to sleep there as it warmed the room.

Edited April 6, 2014 by Staff'n'Toller

[Little Gifts]

So how do you know whether you own a cold frog or a sick frog then? My pei girl feels the cold terribly but has no body fat and is practically bald over half her body so of course I assume it is a temperature thing and not a health issue.

The thyroid gland is responsible for the good function of just about every organ in the body. Consequently, symptoms of thyroidism can manifest in so many varied ways. Skin issue symptoms can be caused by thyroidism - in fact, it is quite a common symptom. At early onset and when the dog is younger, weight loss or inability to gain body weight can also represent as a symptom. As can nervous/vigilant type behaviour. So rather than looking at the reasons why your dog feels the cold, investigate why she is "practically bald over half her body" and why she "has no body fat".

Erny I will get her checked now but her body weight and hair pattern are not unusual for the type of dog she is - hence me not considering it a problem before. She lost the outer leg hair up to thigh area when she moulted late last year (her first moult) and given we have had a long hot summer (had fans on here still yesterday!) I was not surprised to still see no fine, velvet growing back. Her belly is bald and her rear end, underneath of her tail and inner back thighs are also bald. She was a square chunk as a puppy (still not fat) and elongated as she grew. We used to joke she had supermodel legs. She looked exactly the same as she developed as her two siblings in body and coat. She seems no different to me to other Tang style pei with horse coats and in fact, I've seen even finer coats and finer bodies. I don't consider her underweight and she does not seem to have trouble maintaining her adult weight. She does get itchy skin from nothing we can clearly identify (keeping on top of it with fortnightly calendula tea rinses!) but certainly nothing chronic or even ongoing. No joint issues. She vomits if she gets over hungry (less frequent as she has aged and it has been monitored by a vet). But she is a nervous/vigilant dog so that worries me. We have had some behaviouralist advice on that as there has been an increase in her 'concerns' and we've had to change how we are managing it again.

Sorry for derailing thread - I'd hate to think I was ignoring a health issue is all.

[kayla1]

Just another thought, is it possible that the teeth grinding coincides with the pain relief wearing off?

Slightly different situation but I had a dog on pain relief for a spinal issue and had to try various medications until I found one where he didn't get any breakthrough pain.

Good luck with your girl.

[Erny]

Erny I will get her checked now but her body weight and hair pattern are not unusual for the type of dog she is - hence me not considering it a problem before. She lost the outer leg hair up to thigh area when she moulted late last year (her first moult) and given we have had a long hot summer (had fans on here still yesterday!) I was not surprised to still see no fine, velvet growing back. Her belly is bald and her rear end, underneath of her tail and inner back thighs are also bald. She was a square chunk as a puppy (still not fat) and elongated as she grew. We used to joke she had supermodel legs. She looked exactly the same as she developed as her two siblings in body and coat. She seems no different to me to other Tang style pei with horse coats and in fact, I've seen even finer coats and finer bodies. I don't consider her underweight and she does not seem to have trouble maintaining her adult weight. She does get itchy skin from nothing we can clearly identify (keeping on top of it with fortnightly calendula tea rinses!) but certainly nothing chronic or even ongoing. No joint issues. She vomits if she gets over hungry (less frequent as she has aged and it has been monitored by a vet). But she is a nervous/vigilant dog so that worries me. We have had some behaviouralist advice on that as there has been an increase in her 'concerns' and we've had to change how we are managing it again.

Sorry for derailing thread - I'd hate to think I was ignoring a health issue is all.

I too apologise for continuing the derail ..... but, whilst I am not familiar with the Tang Pei breed, the images I've seen do not depict a dog with vast bald areas. The Shar pie's I have seen and worked with also do not show up as having bald areas, although because of the lay of the hair in the areas of their skin rolls, it is possible to see to the skin.

I may be incorrect, Little Gifts .... I'm certainly not proposing it to be the case, but that it might be worth checking out. Good luck ..... I'd be interested to hear how you get on. But as I've mentioned, if you do have the test done, have it done via USA. A negative result via Aussie tests doesn't necessarily mean "negative". It may only be that the thyroid condition has not degenerated sufficiently for our Aussie tests to pick it up.

[Megs]

Derail away everyone, I'm enjoying learning more. In fact as a vet nurse I've always wondered why you can get such classic hypo-t dogs and their t4 test is normal! All the vets I've worked with have never suggested additional tests. Kasey only had her t4 test as part of a complete blood profile so it was the basic thyroid test, despite being cold she doesn't have any other symptoms - hair loss, weight gain/loss or trouble maintaining weight, tired, grumpy, nervous etc & her bloods never showed anything that would link it - high cholesterol, mild anaemia etc. Anyway I'll send off bloods to the USA to be sure. I've just bought a soft crate, another bed, thick doona & a dog coat, so what's a bit more $ for my million dollar mutt :).

Kayla I believe the teeth grinding does coincide with pain relief wearing off but when it wears off in the evening & she's warm no grinding. When she initially had surgery & then the infection & then the tear I did set my alarm 8 hourly so she didn't get breakthrough pain but it's just not something I can keep up long term, having alarms going off in the middle of the night & not being able to get back to sleep isn't something I could keep up. The rimadyl is the only thing that lasts 24hrs. She's also on gabapentin & methocarbanol (muscle relaxant), all meds at the highest possible dose. Monthly cartrophen too. She was on tramadol as well but it makes her nauseated so we've stopped that.

[persephone]

can you get her acupuncture ? That does work with pain relief :)

[dogbesotted]

how long ago was the surgery and did the tooth grinding start around the same time??

or after a while.. rimadyl can have adverse effects on the liver and the Gi tract. Has your pup had a recent liver function test?? abdominal pain can be a cause of tooth grinding.

also gabapentin can have xylitol in the mix if it is an oral suspension. ..so i am assuming that your pup is getting it in capsule or tablet form.

just musing here..but worthwhile asking your vet

H

[westiemum]

I use snuggle safe heated pads for the westies and they love them - they work brilliantly. And they've come down in porch since I bought mine - you might need two for a bigger dog.

[Megs]

You asked for it dogbestottled! :)

(Everyone else can skip to the * to not get bored)

I suspect she ruptured both cruciates at around 18 months of age, clinically her only symptom in the beginning was an odd pacing gait that didn't happen overnight but gradually as the months went on got more pronounced. I took her to a dozen different vets & specialists then to a physio & a chiropractor & acupuncturist. In the beginning no one could get any pain response from her in any area & I was either told she was normal, had wobblers or to repeat X-rays (she had spinal, pen hip, all four legs & toe X-rays). However, I started her on anti-inflammatories & while her gait didn't improve she seemed happier.

After about 6 months she stared being grumpy with the other household dogs & when I saw another specialist he got pain response along her lower spine. X-rays had already been done so we proceeded to an MRI of spine & hips. Normal. I gave up looking for a diagnosis & kept her on rimadyl & on lead walks only. I'm not sure exactly when the teeth grinding started in the beginning, maybe 6-12 months after her gait changed but then it was only maybe one grind every so often.

6 months after the MRI the grinding increased & more X-rays taken. Nothing obvious but possible degenerative changes to her stifles. Booked in for exploratory knee surgery only to find moderate arthritic changes, complete acl rupture & meniscal tear. 3 months later we did the other leg which had more de & full acl rupture. N

1st surgery post op & far too little pain relief on board later (these vets weren't big on pain relief & I didn't know better at that time) the grinding was constant. Second surgery better due to fentanyl patch + everything else under the sun but still some grinding, especially at night.

Skip forward almost 12 months post op & overnight she went 3 legged lame. Fluid in stifle & hock but X-rays showed nothing & stifle felt stable. Strict rest instructed & increase pain relief. 2 weeks & no improvement. Ultrasound leg & ultrasonographer suspected joint infection. Remove cruciate implant & flush joint. Nothing grown on swab of joint or implant so thought foreign body reaction to implant. Continued abs for 1 month anyway. Some improvement after surgery but 4 weeks later still not even 70% better & swelling now present along hock, vets suspect gastroc muscle tear - ultrasound finds nothing, theory was fluid from stifle because of instability without the implant. I then took her to a specialist to confirm. He got massive pain response (normally she gives nothing away) on palpation of Iliopsoas muscle, likely tear/strain.

That was 7 weeks ago & you can hardly tell which leg is the problem one but since the change in weather I hear her grinding early in the morning. She doesn't grind any other time and it only coincides if she's cold, if I manage to get a blanket on her before the temp drops she's ok.

*I did shorten all of that history honest! Anyway since the new crate no problems. She' feels super warm even without a coat & so far no grinding :). At least when the weather drops I can add a coat in too. Thanks so much everyone for all your help & thoughts. Much happier dog & human now :).

[kayla1]

Poor girl! Sounds like you've both been through a lot.

I'm glad the new crate arrangement is working. :)

[piper]

Funny, I had this thread open and then went and looked at Facebook and a friend had shard this link: http://www.henryhottie.com/our-story/

[persephone]

A flat pillow/mattress type bed might look wonderful to us ... however , dogs are diggers/ den sleepers , and in cold weather love having their backs protected from cold , so they can tuck themselves around and snuggle . Heat rises, too..so a hooded, curved cover will reflect body heat , and THESE look wonderful- hamlet would have been so happyto have had this to climb in :) .they do make a LARGE !

[denali]

Funny, I had this thread open and then went and looked at Facebook and a friend had shard this link: http://www.henryhottie.com/our-story/

I groom Stan, the groodle owned by the Henry Hottie lady. She is a little odd, and stands there the whole time i groom him..

I've never tried her beds, but apparently theyre good.

If you dont want to buy the bed, Maybe you could buy tontine pillows? they're made of the same thing :)

[denali]

A flat pillow/mattress type bed might look wonderful to us ... however , dogs are diggers/ den sleepers , and in cold weather love having their backs protected from cold , so they can tuck themselves around and snuggle . Heat rises, too..so a hooded, curved cover will reflect body heat , and THESE look wonderful- hamlet would have been so happyto have had this to climb in :) .they do make a LARGE !

They do look awesome!

These ones only come in small, but thought i would share for anyone who may be reading this thread :)

I have a wallybed, just a rectangular one, all my dogs love it, and it is so easy to wash, still looks new 2 years later!

Not the worlds cheapest bed, but worth it for the longevity so far. Its the most heavily used bed in my house and has outlived quite a few cheaper ones now.

Plus it feels comfy :)

http://wallybed.com/2012/08/hooded-wallybed/