My dog has hypothyroidism. Should I start Eltroxin slowly?

Question

Boxer male 6 yrs, 42kgs, diagnosed hypothyroidism after many months on antibiotics for folliculits/pyoderma/allergies etc. I had to BEG the vet if he would pls test for thyroid issues.Prescribed Eltroxin 20mg p/kg 2xp/d.I am concerned this is too strong to start with and very concerned for what may be the cause.Vet seems disinterested in finding cause, have been with him for 6 years, very good relationship but have lost all confidence..must I proceed with full dose or start slowly?Plse help. Pet's info: Dog | Boxer | Male | neutered | 5 years and 11 months old | 82 lbs

Daniel Fonza, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on Bismarck's weight you provided me with, the starting Eltroxin dose is typically 20 micrograms / kg (0.02mg/kg) by mouth twice daily. This would put Bismarck at about 1.6mg twice daily. However, it should be noted that we typically do not exceed 0.8mg twice daily. For cases like this, I would generally start with the 0.6mg Levothyroxine and then recheck the thyroid level in 3-4 weeks to see if an adjustment needs to be made. I keep doing this until the thyroid level has been corrected. Also keep in mind that if Bismarck is sick, the thyroid level could be falsely decreased, a condition known as euthyroid sick syndrome. I would confirm that he is indeed hypothyroid by sending out a free-T4. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further!

My dog has hypothyroidism. Should I start Eltroxin slowly?

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