Nico getting thyroid panel done/allergy question
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ROROSHELTON
Super Boxer
When starting this medicine, how long before you see any changes?!
Cami
Boxer Insane
My girl had developed panicky-like behavior. Very nervous to normal every day things like opening and closing doors/cabinets, furnace kicking on, car doors closing, etc...
This behavior was eliminated within 24 hours (4 doses).
She had lost all the hair on her tummy and on the backs of her legs. That started to grow back in within 2 weeks. Stubble was clearly seen by that time.
Her chronic staph infections on her belly, most often treated with antibiotics were eliminated as soon as the meds were on board. All remnants of that were gone within a week or so.
She also stopped hyper-salivating (drooling a ton) which she did occasionally. We assume from nausea at times and it stopped while on the meds but did return when her heart issues progressed.
I think it is common for progress to be seen fairly quickly. This doesn't mean all symptoms will disappear entirely but those that don't seem to be more manageable *if* they were a direct result of the thyroid being under active.
An update for Nico - My vet still doesn't think Nico needs thyroid meds, but I think she is willing to try it as I am pushing. She is to call me tomorrow and I will tell her I want to at least see how it goes for a month.
Thanks once more and I'll certainly fill everyone in, in the chance that it helps!
Thanks once more and I'll certainly fill everyone in, in the chance that it helps!
Cami
Boxer Insane
That is a generic version. You really do want the brand name Soloxine. If your vet doesn't carry it they can EASILY order it. Since you have waited this long I would request it. They should be able to get it within a week or less. My vet would order it and I had to take the whole bottle (250 pills) since they didn't keep it in stock or prescribe it normally for their patients. The only problem with having to take the whole bottle was that the dose might change before you are finished and it is almost like wasting the money BUT you can easily 1/2 the pills and if you get lucky, still use them if the dosing amount makes sense to do so.
I also was able to find another clinic that carried Soloxine and my vet just called in a script for it originally and after that I would just call for a refill at the other clinic.
Stick to your guns. Your dog and your money!
I also was able to find another clinic that carried Soloxine and my vet just called in a script for it originally and after that I would just call for a refill at the other clinic.
Stick to your guns. Your dog and your money!
Stuck to my guns!
The vet said that this was the same drug, just another brand name and it appears at least on pet meds or some site, that it is true: the generic name starts with an "L," and several companies/brands offer this drug. However, she said she could order it if I wanted, and I said that I did, so I should have it (Soloxine) likely tomorrow. She was going to go with 0.7 mg, but I told her let's try 0.3 first. I feel odd telling my vet what to do, but she's putting up with me. Have I said thank you lately?
. Thank you so much, and I'll update to let others know in case there are more boxer parents in the same boat.
So now the question is, if the thryroid is the issue, what sort of results should I see and when should I see them? I'm hoping for less itching/scratching and for his fur to fill in. He has the thinnest coat! You all are the greatest!
The vet said that this was the same drug, just another brand name and it appears at least on pet meds or some site, that it is true: the generic name starts with an "L," and several companies/brands offer this drug. However, she said she could order it if I wanted, and I said that I did, so I should have it (Soloxine) likely tomorrow. She was going to go with 0.7 mg, but I told her let's try 0.3 first. I feel odd telling my vet what to do, but she's putting up with me. Have I said thank you lately?
. Thank you so much, and I'll update to let others know in case there are more boxer parents in the same boat. So now the question is, if the thryroid is the issue, what sort of results should I see and when should I see them? I'm hoping for less itching/scratching and for his fur to fill in. He has the thinnest coat! You all are the greatest!
Cami
Boxer Insane
Levothroxine is the drugs name. Soloxine is the name the manufacturer - "Virbac" - gave it. If that makes sense?
Levothroxine can be sold as a generic under many other manufacturer's names like Thyroixine, Thyrozine, Thyrosyn, Synthroid, Levotabs, Thyroi-tabs, etc...
Think of it like this....
Most people know of the antihistamine "Benadryl" but don't know that the actual drug's name is Diphenhydramine. You can buy generic versions of "Benadryl" just by looking for something generic sold as Diphenhydramine.
In the situation with thyroid meds you can easily use a generic version and it will be fine however in some cases you end up switching generic versions from one prescription to the next. You are still giving thyroid medication at a certain dose but each manufacturer has their own "stuff" they place in the medication. If a problem were to arise you won't know if it is a thyroid issue (or another issue) or if it might be one of the other ingredients contained in the generic version. I am not very scientific so I hope this makes sense? There are a ton of different chemicals that can be put together to create one type of medication and once the generic versions become available the list is pretty endless on what a specific drug is made up of.
Best example I can offer....
My DH takes a specific medication. He started out on the brand name. Once a generic became available he started taking it based on the recommendation from our insurance carrier. Generics are sometimes far cheaper and we all know how much insurance providers like to save a buck!
DH started the same medication only a generic version and was fine for many months and multiple refills....eventually testing showed it wasn't as beneficial to him and the docs wanted to increase his dose or change meds. He also started having symptoms of something that no one could put their finger on. DH had done very well for many years on the brand name of the medication so a little investigating showed the pharmacy wasn't being consistent in what they sent him generic-wise. He had been taking at least 4 different generic versions of the same medication over many months. Once the docs started writing DAW (dispense as written) on the prescriptions he could only receive the brand name....problems went away and he was back to normal.
As far as seeing results....if the problems are directly related to an under active thyroid, supplementation should help to reduce or eliminate symptoms fairly quickly. There are upwards of 50 different thyroid "symptoms". Some are pretty obvious while others are not. Cami was a heat seeker and we thought it was just because she liked to be covered up by blankets (she was always covered up even as a tiny puppy). Once she started meds she could still be covered up but she would kick the blankets off soon after (too hot). I had no idea at the time that thyroid issues can make them cold. Things like that might not be so obvious but you will start to see things as time goes on. As far as the hair growing back and their coats getting better....it was pretty quickly in Cami's case. The thinner areas grew in faster than the completely balding areas but I noticed stubble's within weeks. Other things like skin infections were completely eliminated and we were told they were a direct relation to her allergies. If that were true then the infections would have stayed since we didn't get rid of her "allergies".
She never had another seizure either. Can't prove the only one she ever had was related to her thyroid issues but seems highly coincidental if not!
Levothroxine can be sold as a generic under many other manufacturer's names like Thyroixine, Thyrozine, Thyrosyn, Synthroid, Levotabs, Thyroi-tabs, etc...
Think of it like this....
Most people know of the antihistamine "Benadryl" but don't know that the actual drug's name is Diphenhydramine. You can buy generic versions of "Benadryl" just by looking for something generic sold as Diphenhydramine.
In the situation with thyroid meds you can easily use a generic version and it will be fine however in some cases you end up switching generic versions from one prescription to the next. You are still giving thyroid medication at a certain dose but each manufacturer has their own "stuff" they place in the medication. If a problem were to arise you won't know if it is a thyroid issue (or another issue) or if it might be one of the other ingredients contained in the generic version. I am not very scientific so I hope this makes sense? There are a ton of different chemicals that can be put together to create one type of medication and once the generic versions become available the list is pretty endless on what a specific drug is made up of.
Best example I can offer....
My DH takes a specific medication. He started out on the brand name. Once a generic became available he started taking it based on the recommendation from our insurance carrier. Generics are sometimes far cheaper and we all know how much insurance providers like to save a buck!
DH started the same medication only a generic version and was fine for many months and multiple refills....eventually testing showed it wasn't as beneficial to him and the docs wanted to increase his dose or change meds. He also started having symptoms of something that no one could put their finger on. DH had done very well for many years on the brand name of the medication so a little investigating showed the pharmacy wasn't being consistent in what they sent him generic-wise. He had been taking at least 4 different generic versions of the same medication over many months. Once the docs started writing DAW (dispense as written) on the prescriptions he could only receive the brand name....problems went away and he was back to normal.
As far as seeing results....if the problems are directly related to an under active thyroid, supplementation should help to reduce or eliminate symptoms fairly quickly. There are upwards of 50 different thyroid "symptoms". Some are pretty obvious while others are not. Cami was a heat seeker and we thought it was just because she liked to be covered up by blankets (she was always covered up even as a tiny puppy). Once she started meds she could still be covered up but she would kick the blankets off soon after (too hot). I had no idea at the time that thyroid issues can make them cold. Things like that might not be so obvious but you will start to see things as time goes on. As far as the hair growing back and their coats getting better....it was pretty quickly in Cami's case. The thinner areas grew in faster than the completely balding areas but I noticed stubble's within weeks. Other things like skin infections were completely eliminated and we were told they were a direct relation to her allergies. If that were true then the infections would have stayed since we didn't get rid of her "allergies".
She never had another seizure either. Can't prove the only one she ever had was related to her thyroid issues but seems highly coincidental if not!
Got the soloxine, now help me convince DH!
All - I have an update here: we decided to hold off on any more meds or interventions until we got the GI stuff figured out from him eating that chicken carcass. He seems to be back on track now. However, my husband is sort of with the vet on this one and is not all that convinced we should try the Soloxine. I was wondering if any of you would mind telling him why it will be worth it to at least try it.
He is concerned about giving it to him with the Pred and benadryl, number 1, but also that if he doesn't really have thyroid issues and we give him this stuff, that it will damage the thyroid in some way. Could this be the case? I am really grateful for your information and support, and don't want to take advantage. But Nico still has a thin, dry coat, he's bald behind his ears and his underside is pretty bald, too, and he still scratches a lot, even with the steroids. And I want to get him off of those things! Thanks in advance!
All - I have an update here: we decided to hold off on any more meds or interventions until we got the GI stuff figured out from him eating that chicken carcass. He seems to be back on track now. However, my husband is sort of with the vet on this one and is not all that convinced we should try the Soloxine. I was wondering if any of you would mind telling him why it will be worth it to at least try it.
He is concerned about giving it to him with the Pred and benadryl, number 1, but also that if he doesn't really have thyroid issues and we give him this stuff, that it will damage the thyroid in some way. Could this be the case? I am really grateful for your information and support, and don't want to take advantage. But Nico still has a thin, dry coat, he's bald behind his ears and his underside is pretty bald, too, and he still scratches a lot, even with the steroids. And I want to get him off of those things! Thanks in advance!
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