Does anybody own a dog with this condition, if so :
What are the symptoms ?
At what age was it diagnosed ?
Is it easy to treat ?
Can I just ask my vet for a blood test to be done ?
Ollie has to go back to the vets on friday to check on his eye infection and swolen glands so I was going to ask the vet about it then..

Hi
Heat seeking, lethargy, gets fat on nothing and can't get weight off, coat changes, sometimes thins on flanks. Yes, a blood test will confirm it and with treatment prognosis is usually good.
Dawn.

Dawn
Ollie seems quite lethargic at home, he likes to go for walks, but dosnt do much running. He does lie in the sun, and near radiators and although his coat isnt particularly good, I put this down to him being neutered. He hasnt put on any weight though. He isnt yet 3 and I feel as though he is not as energetic as he should be. should I ask the vet about a blood test ?
Nicki

Hi Nicki
Yes, ask your vet for a blood test, it will confirm it either way for you. Don't worry if it is positive, I know a Dobe with it and he has regained peak condition and looks superb again.
Dawn.

A friend of mine has tqo unrelated 12 year old dobe bitches, who have had it most of their lives. They have done very well on their medication, and they are a good age for a healthy doberman!!

Hi Nicky,I have just come back from a seminar held on Sunday where this was discussed in detail by Dr Jean Dodds (a recognised world expert on this and other illnesses). I don`t know how to get the notes on here but some people from Brit Barf(a dog board on yahoo groups) were there & they would be able to discuss it with you in detail. Hope this helps.
Christine2

Hi Christine I was there too sorry to have missed you. I have the notes also but like you don`t know how to get them on here. Wish we could find a way to get them on here.
Christine2

Christine how many pages are there of notes from this seminar? I noticed in DW that you can contact Jo Tucker who will send out copies, it just said small charge but didn't say how much other than an SAE would be appreciated, I was going to send for them. I'm thinking if there aren't pages and pages and pages then maybe I could type them on here. I have a typing speed of about 90 wpm so if I can help let me know. :-)

Hi Clare, there are 31 pages & nearly all of them are continued over the other side. What do you think? Anita has also offered as well so maybe between you it wouldn`t be too much work. It would be really good to get them on.
Christine2

I don't mind bashing away at the keyboard, Anita could do Part 1 and I could do Part 2. :-) Wonder if we should check with Leigh/Mark if it's okay to have such a huge posting, or how they would prefer it to appear on here, where would they want it to go etc.

Then I need to get copies of the notes which I was going to send for anyway but I need to ring Jo up first to find out how much they cost as it didn't say in DW.

Presumably Jo will be happy for the notes to appear on here, if there is a charge for them in the first place then it would mean many people can get them from here for free and I'd hate to do her out of money etc.

Was thinking that Clare but didn`t know how to put it! She is very nice so why don`t you ask? The money goes to B. Collies I think. Yes I think we better check with admin first!
Christine2

I just spoke to Jo, very nice lady :-) She has no funding whatsoever and so the £3.50 + £1 p&p for the notes really just covers the expense of all the printing, photocopying, posting, producing a video hopefully, surveys and so on. No wages are paid. Then of course there's the travelling costs of the speakers. I think it would be unfair of us to post the notes on here but if anyone wants copies of the notes I can certainly post the address etc. She is also hoping to produce a video and a more detailed report but that will take a bit longer.

What do you think? :-)

Hi Claire, in fairness to Jo I think we will have to leave them off. I know she worked very hard to put it together & will probably struggle to break even. The speakers didn`t take a fee either you know & Dr Dodds was on holiday in Italy & came over especially for it.Think we will just have to let people know where to get them from.
Christine2

I'll help as well, I spend all day on the pc I might as well do something useful!!

Fiona
x x x

Hi Nicki

Don't worry if it is Hypothyroidism as this is what my 4 1/2 year old Cocker has and since he has been on the correct dosage of his tablets he is now fine and running around with my 8 month old Cocker Puppy. As mentioned by the others; coat changes like bald patches, thinning and different texture, weight gain, and a reduction in energy are all common symptons of this condition.

Sebastian has had two different strengths of tablets and had a blood test to diagnose it and then again to check to see if the dosage was right. The blood test had to be done exactly 6 hours after I had given him his tablet. He is a little over what he should be at the moment but is going back for another blood test on Saturday. Even with changing the strength of his tablets it has made a huge difference already, his coat is back to normal and he is even more energetic.

HTH

Derryn

Thanks for your advice everyone. I am going to ask the vet about a blood test on friday.
Can I just ask you Derryn... Has Sebastion only just been diagnosed recently or has he had it a while?

Ollie went from being an absolute loony (but good natured) puppy to a grumpy (this I have read on another site can be a symptom) and now quite lethargic 2 3/4 yr old dog.
More I read on the subject more I think this could be his problem.

The vets going to think im a right know all... :)

i had a bitch with it-symtoms where-awful coat ,thin and scaley----no appetite whatsoever,heat seeking, lying up radiators or on underground heating pipes,-nervous temperament, -no energy,, i also found her greasy to touch with a bit of a smell.

Hi Nicki

Sebastian has been diagnosed for about 3/4 Months now ...

Derryn

Took Ollie to the vets on friday and had a lengthy chat to the vet. She said that he didnt look like he had thyroid problems as he was active enough (cowering in the corner of the room/trying to escape), and his coat was good, but if I wanted to put my mind at rest, she would test his blood. He is going tomorrow morning, and the results should be back by evening.

Hi Nicki

Well fingers crossed for you and Ollie that it isn't :D

Although I must say Sebastian was still quite active but his coat did change .......

Let us know how you get on though. Sebastian had his blood test on Saturday and his results will be back in 7-10 days time ....

Best wishes

Dessie

I own a dog who has shown all the sort of symptoms you would expect from adrenal malfunction or disease but extensive blood tests, including one sent to the USA, could not pin point any disease. In the end it was put down to him being castrated young (13 months) and he was given HRT but they have had very little effect, quess he was too old when the treatment was started. I have no idea if his case is unique but it has put me off castrating again, if it was nessasary I would chose vasectomy. Jackie H

We have just got back from collecting Ollie from the vets, and he is fine. His t4 was 3.0 (average being between 1.3 and 2.9 I think ) so if anything the reading was quite high but still acceptable. The vet told me to stop worrying now (I think she thinks im neurotic). She suggested I change his diet around a bit to see if we can up his energy levels that way.....and if I am still worried I could go in when they are on lunch break and have a chat to the head vet nurse who is well informed on behaviour problems (although she said his snapping at unfamiliar dogs was possibly due to him being attacked as a puppy and his dislike of strangers was possibly due to 2 men breaking in to our house last year, both of which she said I may be able to cure by feeding yummy treats when we are in the presence of strange dogs/humans, so he associates the two....)
Very long winded...sorry but I am now quite relieved.. :D