I have a 3 and a half year old GSD with HYPOthyroidism. I’m curious if…

I have a 3 and a half year old GSD with HYPOthyroidism. I’m curious if anyone else has dealt with this disease in itself. So to begin, when she was about a year old I started noticing redness on her stomach. The vet I was currently with kept telling me she had ringworm and providing me with medicated shampoo and treating her with ketoconazole. It always seemed to clear up but would come right back soon after. So I searched and found another vet and he did all the testing and blood work and diagnosed her with HYPOthyroidism. She has kept a chronic skin infection which he diagnosed as a type of yeast infection due to the fluctuation of thyroid levels. She has been on levothyroxine for a year now. We have adjusted her dosage 3 times and each time she seems to do well for a month or so and then it seems to “level out” and her skin flare up comes back full force. It seems to get better and lightens up and starts to pink up and then goes right back to the hair loss and crusty on her stomach and under her legs/pits. I continue to do the medicated baths as told but it’s getting frustrating. I’m in the vet’s office every couple months it seems and spending hundreds each visit for the same thing with no resolve. Dont get me wrong I will do whatever it takes to help her but somethings gotta give. I’m just curious if anyone else has seen/heard or has dealt with hypothyroidism and the chronic skin infection. Have u found anything that helps or resolves it? What is your experience? Also she keeps bad ear infections (also tested and diagnosed as a type of yeast) daily flushes and drops in her ears as well. Still not seeming to get any better.

I feel so helpless and quite frankly I’m getting discouraged. I love the vet she sees now, he is a million times better than the one she seen previously.

Does it ever get better?

The pic is an older one, shes alot better now but still has the hairloss and discoloration over the better part of her stomach and under her legs. Just not as dark or as much.

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Elizabeth Crisp
Elizabeth Crisp
5 years ago

Ha ha it’s not a problem. Thank you for the response! I talked to a different vet awaaaaaaaay the same office and he suggested ruling out a food allergy, then told me about a Veterinary dermatologist nearby. So we will start next week and see what we find out!

Elizabeth Crisp
Elizabeth Crisp
5 years ago

Her vet seems to think it is unlikely due to the fluctuation in thyroid levels. Heck I dont know anymore. It may be time to find another vet?

Laura
5 years ago

Good luck! Do report back, if you think about it? We see hypothyroidism leading to hair loss in Dobes, but it doesn’t usually come with rashiness. I’d be very curious about any other vet’s ideas about it.

Laura
5 years ago

I would wonder if there’s an allergy situation going on in addition to hypothyroid.

Laura
5 years ago

That’s possible, too. I certainly wouldn’t rule out a second opinion. I’d also look for a veterinary dermatologist, if there’s one near you.

Laura
5 years ago

oh wow, apologies for the crazy number of responses. sometimes this site glitches in the strangest ways.