[Chancellor'smom]

Hello everyone. I am a mom to a 9month old golden named Chancellor but we call him Chance. Chance has been having issues since we got him at almost 10 weeks old. First it was yeast in his ears, then skin rashes, then more ear problems. It's been consistent. This last vet trip he was put on allergy meds, an antibiotic, prednisone and ear drops. They suspect food allergy so I switched him from Eukanuba large breed puppy food to Natural Balance sweet potato and fish. Its only been a few weeks. My main concern is Chance's energy level. He is quite honestly the laziest dog Ive ever seen.He does well on his walks but outside of that he just lays around. At times we literally have to step over him. His weight is a tad high at 78 pounds. The vet feels he is about 5 pounds overweight. He is not fed any table food at all. Ive asked the vet to test his thyroid but they blew that off saying he's too young for thyroid issues. My oldest daughter adopted Chance's sister Maya and the difference between the two is quite drastic.Does anyone have any advice or experiences they could share? Thanks!

 

[Elisabeth Kazup]

There are so many people on the forum who will give you great suggestions. I just wanted to send you hugs, it's horrible to be worried about our furbabies. ((((((((((((Chance))))))))))

Oh and welcome to the forum.

 

[newport]

I would TELL THE VET to do a thyroid panel. You have the right to rule it out.

 

[Tahnee GR]

That's young for thyroid issues, but it would be well worth it to have it checked out. Be sure to run a full thyroid test, not just a T4. Just know that a low thyroid without autoimmune thyroiditis can be caused by other illnesses.

Has other bloodwork been done? Heart is normal?

Some allergy meds can make them very tired-what is he on? Pred can have side effects including weight gain and behavioral changes.

What about tick borne diseases? Any exposure there?

 

[Karen519]

Chancellor's Mom

Chancellor's Mom

I would ask another vet to test his thyroid.
Sounds like it could be that.



http://www.google.com/webhp?sourcei....,cf.osb&fp=2b265b7bb659a3f3&biw=1058&bih=468



www.newmanveterinary.com/Hypothyroid.html


Puppies with severe forms of congenital hypothyroidism are said to have ... Ultimately, the disease is characterized by loss of functional thyroid tissue that is ...



Puppy Thyroid Symptoms | eHow.com





www.ehow.com › Pets & Animals


Veterinarians classify thyroid problems in puppies according to where the cause of the thyroid problems originate. Hypothyroidism occurs when the puppy does ...



The Dog Bowl explains pet thyroid problems.





www.thedogbowl.com/PPF/category_ID/0_335/dogbowl.asp


Thyroid problems: When it comes to diseases in dogs, sometimes the thyroid goes un-noticed. A dog's thyroid gland is in layman's terms, located in the throat. ...



Thyroid Diseases: Hypothyroidism in Dogs





www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1597&aid=449


Many dogs suffer from a low thyroid hormone level for years without treatment. If your dog has chronic recurrent skin problems, or unexplained weight gain, she ...



Thyroid Disease in Dogs | NZYMES.COM





http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...../autoimmune_thyroiditis_by_Dr_Jean_Dodds.ht...


by J Dodds - Related articles
Furthermore, any dog having thyroid AA may eventually develop clinical symptoms of thyroid disease and/or be susceptible to other autoimmune diseases. ...



Thyroid Problems in Dogs and Cats - Pet Care Article





http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...com/.../thyroid-problems-in-dogs-and-cats-23/


Jun 28, 2004 – Thyroid disease can look like some other health problems. Blood tests and a ... Behavior and emotions your dog may be: Lethargic and more...

 

[Bogart]

How many cups a day do you feed to Chance? I hope you can figure out what is wrong with your boy.

 

[Chancellor'smom]

Thank you everyone, I will definetly be reading up and going back to the vet insisting a full panel be done. So far all bloodwork was normal but it wasnt specifically looking for anything. He had pre-op bloodwork done this past summer for his neuter. The meds certaintly are contributing to his lack of energy but this did start before all the meds. His heart is normal as far as we know, he's had all his vaccines, regular vet visits, heartworm preventative and advantix every single month. He is on Hydroxyzine for allergies. The weight was up before we started the prednisone too. He eats probably 5-6 cups a day. I hope I answered all the questions!

 

[Chancellor'smom]

Trying to post a picture!

 

[CAROLINA MOM]

Welcome, Chancelor is beautiful!

I'm sorry to hear about all the different health problems you have been going through and the concerns you are having.

Have you considered seeing another Vet for a second opinoin?

 

[Maggies mom]

First off I would say 5-6 cups a food a day is a bit much. If they think he has a food allergy I would have a allergy test run on him. Ear problems can be caused by allergies

 

[Tahnee GR]

I agree-5 to 6 cups of food a day seems like a lot, unless there is a lot of filler in it. My really active guys get 3-4 cups a day, and Trouble the eldest gets 2 cups a day.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Chance is a handsome boy, and I do agree with Maggies Mom, 5-6 cups of food daily is a bit much. I feed my Lennon 3-4 cups daily and he is 1 1/2.
Lots of good advice for you here, Good Luck!

 

[mylissyk]

He is a goregous boy!

I'll just agree with everyone, 5-6 cups a day is about twice what he should be getting, he may just be so full he has no energy. I would start cutting his food back slowly, maybe cut half a cup back for several days, then another half a cup, etc. until he is down to no more than 3 cups per day. I bet you see a change in his energy level.

The suggested feeding amount on the NB P&F says:
60 - 80lb dog - 3 1/3 to 4 1/3 cups*

That's the adult feeding guidelines, and at 10 months you should be using the adult amounts.

So even by the bag he is getting too much, and you should always go on the lower end, or even under, the bag guidelines because they always list more than is really needed to feed.

 

[GoldensGirl]

Welcome to the Forum!

What a gorgeous guy you have!

If your vet won't do the full thyroid panel, I'd strongly encourage finding another vet - one who will listen to you.

Please keep us posted.

Lucy

 

[Willow52]

Welcome! Your Chance is a handsome guy.

Yes, 5-6 cups is about double what he should be eating per day. I would slowly cut back to no more than 3 cups a day.

If your gut tells you to have his thyroid checked, find a vet that will do it.

 

[Muddypaws]

Welcome and hugs to both you and Chance

I agree, with everyone reduce the amount your feeding him. My guy is a big boy eats much less then that. Is the new food grain free?

insist that your doctor does a full thyroid panel or see another doctor. A puppy even a laid back puppy should have more energy, even with meds.

He's a cutie, wishing you both the best.

 

[Taz Monkey]

Agree with everyone else. My lab mix and my golden, both around 60 lbs, each only eat 2 cups of food a day. So I would say 3 cups MAX is what your guy should be eating. Make sure it's a measured cup.

 

[bioteach]

What a handsome youngster you have! Our Buckskin had Thyroid disease but he wasn't THAT lazy. A dog that young should be wearing you out rather than the other way round. Hopefully, your vet can figure it out. Meanwhile, it sounds as though you are doing a great job trying all of the possibilities.

Hang in there and enjoy Chance.

 

[OutWest]

Thank you everyone, I will definetly be reading up and going back to the vet insisting a full panel be done. So far all bloodwork was normal but it wasnt specifically looking for anything. He had pre-op bloodwork done this past summer for his neuter. The meds certaintly are contributing to his lack of energy but this did start before all the meds. His heart is normal as far as we know, he's had all his vaccines, regular vet visits, heartworm preventative and advantix every single month. He is on Hydroxyzine for allergies. The weight was up before we started the prednisone too. He eats probably 5-6 cups a day. I hope I answered all the questions!

Probably 5-6 cups is too much. Would be worth finding out the calorie count per cup on your food. I'm guessing he would be better off with 2-3 cups per day. Especially if he's not very active right now. It may take a few months of balancing things out--the meds, the food, the activity--before you get him where you want him.

 

[vrmueller]

What a sweet boy!! We went almost 3 years not knowing what was going on with Ruby. Horrible allergies, digestive issues and just not a well dog. We had allergy testing last year and she is allergic to almost everything. Her thyroid was tested through Dr. Dodds and she tested positive for Autoimmune Thyroiditis. I simply had her blood taken at our vet's office and I sent it out direct to Hemopet. You can go to Dr. Dodd's site at www.hemopet.org You can get the phone number from the site and call and ask what test they recommend for Chance. My vet charges $22.00 to take the blood and I take it to the post office and send it out. There is no need to refrigerate. Good luck to you.