I am going to go and have a complete set of thyroid tests done on one of my dogs.Has anyone had it done and can you tell me how much I'm looking at?...not that cost is an issue but would like to be prepared for the shock 

Archer

Are you sending the serum direct to Dr. Jean Dodds in Califonia ?  If so I did this and had the FULL 6 PANEL test run, (which isn't done to often over here) you have to insist on it, and a full biochem, sending it out via overnight courier and the testing cost me in the region of £130.00
The 6 panel consists of T3, T4, Free T3, Free T4, T4 antibodies, T3 antbodies.

Here's Jean's Website addy (cut & paste) http://www.hemopet.com/

But there are regular blood testing sessions held at Windsor with Katie Rourke from http://www.caninefilmacademy.com/ whom collects all the samples and sends them all out to Jean on your behalf (I've done this twice with Katie and found her superb). The next testing session is this coming Tuesday September 6th, then the next will be Tuesday November 1st.

If you can't make it down to Windsor, (I couldn't get there myself ) so I actually had my vet draw the blood, spin it down,  I then sent it to Katie via 9am special delivery next day and she sent it to Jean with all the other samples, as if her vet had drawn the sample.

All this was in the amount above, and included the full biochem test to.

Hope this helps

Thats very interesting Peilady.

Warm regards Susan

Hi Susan

Getting Vets to actually do a Thyroid test is just as hard work if not worse than us humans wanting to be tested :-( And many UK dogs have gone through the "Normal" test the UK vets do, but this normally only covers the T3 &T4, so a normal negative reading is usually their response from the lab results :-( when a more detailed testing I.E 6 panel test, would more than likely confirm that many already negative tested dogs could be still suffering from Hypo/Hyper Thyroid.  I have actually had this proven myself with my poor girl Ash. 

Three UK thyroid tests and my vet definately said she was negative for Hypo T, when all her symptoms she showed were classic for Hypo T, on my last hope I found Dr Jean Dodds, who was so annoyed that the UK vets had let Ash suffer and wouldn't listen to me, re my thoughts, she actually phoned my vet directly re Ash's results and demanded that they should admin Meds for Hypo T instantly before poor Ash "crashed" 6 weeks after the first tabs were given, a second blood sample was sent out to Jean Dodds, which confirmed that meds had Ash's condition under control, I just normally send out a sample now annually for a re-check to see if meds need altering.

Glad I continued to "hound" my vets otherwise I dread to think what would have happened :-(  The full story about Ash and her condition is actually published on her webpage on our site.

I have heard many people talk about Jean Dodds and recommend her as a brilliant vet. I have been considering sending her blood samples from my dogs for some time but had no idea of costs or procedures involved, so I was so pleased to see your posts.
I know t4 and t3 thyroid testing can be done over here but have been told (by a friend in the USA) who regularly has her dogs tested that we need to establish a "base" t4 and have the dogs tested every year.
It seems to make sense though, with so many dogs in our breed suffeing from horrific skin conditions, which is one of the problems with hypothyroidism.
I am definatly going to have a look through the website. Glad Ash is now doing so well.

Hi Setters4me

Yes with my Breed Sharpei, we tend to have some skin conditions, and for many years I personally now believe, that the vets instantly said, Oh Mange, etc, dog needs antibiotics for literally months, extreme batheing, and still the condition never cleared up, so the poor dogs were then put on steriods for the rest of its life.  If more people would have their dogs Thyroid (6 panel) tested, I truly believe they would show positive for Thyroid, and once on Soloxine (pretty cheap drug to) the condition would improve. 

Since I wrote Ash's story and popped it on the website, its unreal as to how many people (some not in the breed) has emailed me for further help and advise.

So even though it was an uphill struggle getting the correct dx for Ash, at least her story seems to be getting over to the public, and making some changes and helping dogs with similar conditions. :)

Peilady,
Vets do seem to go down the steroid route once all the antibiotics have been used and the dog is immune to most types antibiotic, leaving them still sore and itchy and the owner much poorer. Steroids must not be the long term solution although about 15 years ago, when there was even less known about skin conditions, we had a dog whose only "solution" was steroids. I wish we had known then what we know now and it may have saved his life.
How did you find out about Jean Dodds?

Setters4u

I found out about Jean Dodds literally by accident, when I was trailling the net for answers to Ash's condition.  I found a health group called C.I.M.D.A = Canine Immune Mediated Disease Awareness (cut and paste) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CIMDAsupport/?yguid=152086736

I owe Ash's life and my sanity to these wonderful people, all have canines with some Immune condition or have had in the past.

They were the ones to drive me on (to insist that my vets do as I want and not as they wish) they were all there for Ash and I on the "kick in the mouth days" and of course for the "great wow days".  They are a great bunch, very much a big family that feel like they are actually holding your hand all the way.
 

Our vet has been talking about doing more thyroid tests on one of our bitches.  Each test costs between £50-£60 - these are UK prices although I daresay they vary from one area to another.
Neeva

Neeva

I paid about £50 just for the (2 panel test) T3 and T4 here in Lancashire.  Which obviously gave false readings three times over three months :(

I paid £68 for a 3-panel test - T3, T4 and TgAA - for my dobe.  It did take some persuading as he doesn't have symptoms beyond being very mellow for a dobe.