How to Treat Endocrine Disorders in Older Dogs
Decide which medication to use., Follow prescription instructions., Watch for bad side effects., Wait for symptom improvement., Schedule follow-up visits.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Decide which medication to use.
Common endocrine disorders in older dogs are diabetes, hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid glands), and Cushing’s Disease (overactive adrenal or pituitary glands).
Medication can be used to manage, but not cure, endocrine disorders.
Your vet will recommend a medication for your dog’s specific endocrine disorder:
Insulin for diabetes.
Soloxine for hypothyroidism.
Mitotane or trilostane for Cushing’s disease. -
Step 2: Follow prescription instructions.
To effectively manage your dog’s endocrine disorder, you will need to follow your vet’s prescription instructions.
If you are unsure how to administer the medication, ask your vet to show you how.
For example, if your dog has diabetes, learn how to inject insulin under your dog’s skin.
To administer insulin, create a skin tent with the skin just behind your dog’s neck and inject the insulin just under the skin.Pills can be a challenge to administer if your dog doesn’t like taking pills.
Tasty pill pockets are available at your local pet store if hiding the pill in your dog’s food doesn’t work, or you don’t feel comfortable placing the pill directly in your dog’s mouth.
Realize that medical treatment for endocrine disorders in dogs is usually lifelong., Medications that treat endocrine disorders in dogs can sometimes make a dog feel bad.
Soloxine, which treats hypothyroidism, can cause drowsiness, rash, and dry mouth.Trilostane, which treats Cushing’s disease, can cause nausea and vomiting.If your dog doesn’t seem to be doing well on the medication, contact your vet.
They may need to lower the medication’s dosage or try a different medication with fewer bad side effects. , With medication, your dog’s endocrine disorder will improve.
However, the improvements may not be immediate because it can take time to make hormone levels normal again.
For example, soloxine can take up to six weeks to restore normal thyroid hormone levels.Contact your vet if your dog doesn’t seem to be getting any better.
It may be that the medication’s dosage is too low. , Your vet will want to test your dog’s blood regularly to check hormone levels.
These levels will indicate if the medication is working properly.
If your dog has Cushing’s disease, your vet will want to perform an ACTH stimulation test, which will indicate if the adrenal glands are working normally.Do not miss any follow-up appointments.
These appointments are an important part of treating your dog’s endocrine disorder. -
Step 3: Watch for bad side effects.
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Step 4: Wait for symptom improvement.
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Step 5: Schedule follow-up visits.
Detailed Guide
Common endocrine disorders in older dogs are diabetes, hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid glands), and Cushing’s Disease (overactive adrenal or pituitary glands).
Medication can be used to manage, but not cure, endocrine disorders.
Your vet will recommend a medication for your dog’s specific endocrine disorder:
Insulin for diabetes.
Soloxine for hypothyroidism.
Mitotane or trilostane for Cushing’s disease.
To effectively manage your dog’s endocrine disorder, you will need to follow your vet’s prescription instructions.
If you are unsure how to administer the medication, ask your vet to show you how.
For example, if your dog has diabetes, learn how to inject insulin under your dog’s skin.
To administer insulin, create a skin tent with the skin just behind your dog’s neck and inject the insulin just under the skin.Pills can be a challenge to administer if your dog doesn’t like taking pills.
Tasty pill pockets are available at your local pet store if hiding the pill in your dog’s food doesn’t work, or you don’t feel comfortable placing the pill directly in your dog’s mouth.
Realize that medical treatment for endocrine disorders in dogs is usually lifelong., Medications that treat endocrine disorders in dogs can sometimes make a dog feel bad.
Soloxine, which treats hypothyroidism, can cause drowsiness, rash, and dry mouth.Trilostane, which treats Cushing’s disease, can cause nausea and vomiting.If your dog doesn’t seem to be doing well on the medication, contact your vet.
They may need to lower the medication’s dosage or try a different medication with fewer bad side effects. , With medication, your dog’s endocrine disorder will improve.
However, the improvements may not be immediate because it can take time to make hormone levels normal again.
For example, soloxine can take up to six weeks to restore normal thyroid hormone levels.Contact your vet if your dog doesn’t seem to be getting any better.
It may be that the medication’s dosage is too low. , Your vet will want to test your dog’s blood regularly to check hormone levels.
These levels will indicate if the medication is working properly.
If your dog has Cushing’s disease, your vet will want to perform an ACTH stimulation test, which will indicate if the adrenal glands are working normally.Do not miss any follow-up appointments.
These appointments are an important part of treating your dog’s endocrine disorder.
About the Author
Marilyn Perry
Marilyn Perry is an experienced writer with over 3 years of expertise in arts and creative design. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Marilyn creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.
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