13 replies to this topic

[baron'sma]

So when we got Baron we noticed that he had bumps on his skin that looked like infected ingrown hairs. We would drain them and get the infected hairs out. Then he got these "pimples" (thats what I called them) all over his chin. That finally all cleared up. Then came the dandruff and thinning fur. We switched his food, and the thinning thickened up a little bit. The dandruff is not clearing up and he is starting to thin out again.

I have loked through the posts and have seen talk about thyroid issues, and other things.

Any of Baron's symptom sound familiar? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Steph and Baron(of course)

[CAB]

So when we got Baron we noticed that he had bumps on his skin that looked like infected ingrown hairs. We would drain them and get the infected hairs out. Then he got these "pimples" (thats what I called them) all over his chin. That finally all cleared up. Then came the dandruff and thinning fur. We switched his food, and the thinning thickened up a little bit. The dandruff is not clearing up and he is starting to thin out again.

I have loked through the posts and have seen talk about thyroid issues, and other things.

Any of Baron's symptom sound familiar? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Steph and Baron(of course)

I would recommend having his thyroid checked. Make sure your vet does a complete panel. The thinning of the hair, "pimples," and dry skin can all be symptoms of an inactive thyroid. When I had Cocoa tested, she had all those symptoms. I paid $90, but that was a few years back. It may be more, but it's worth having done and will save you money in the long run. It takes about 10 days to get the results back from MSU. It he does have an inactive thyroid, the fix is easy (daily pill) and inexpensive. You will be amazed at what a little pill can do!

[baron'sma]

Thanks

I took your advice, and scheduled an appointment for Baron for this Saturday @ 9:30am. They said they would test for just his thyroid, so I would not have to shell out so much money. With reading the boards and alll the research I have been doing I am pretty confident that it is his thyroid. Not that I want him to have any "issue". But I dont want him to itchy all theh time either. Keep your paws crossed that they find out whats wrong with Baron's skin. I will update everyone when I know.

Thanks again for the advice CAB

[Karen A]

Baron'sma,
I would recommend a FULL THYROID PANEL to be done. Just a thyroid level is not detailed enough to determine if a problem exists. Our bodies will compensate and produce thyroxine, but the body could not be absorbing it or it is simply not enough in the bloodstream to be "normal"...acurate levels are needed, especially for dosing if that is the case. Not sure if you're old enough to remember seeing people with goiters, but that is an enlargement of the thyroid gland because it is working overtime to produce the thyroxine, eventually to only fail completely one day. I paid $80 a couple years ago and it was well worth it. Make sure they send it to MSU to be run also

[LuvmydobeApollo]

I second the full thyroid panel and the best is to MSU... you will get better and more results than just to regular labs.

[baron'sma]

Well maybe I will just wait then...the vet wants $145.00 to do the full test. Oh I dont know...

[Cheri]

Did you see the previous discussion about dog zits? I don't know how to post a link to another thread, but if you just skim down the first page of Canine Health & Education, you will see it. I posted there about my experience with the chin pimples. I also wanted to mention that when Savanna was around Baron's age, she had a bout of pimple type things mostly over her back and rump, and they would dry up and then a patch of hair would fall out where the zit was, and the hair on her back and rump was kind of thinning, in general. That was a very long time ago, so my memory isn't perfectly clear, but the best I can remember it was some kind of skin infection (staph?), and it cleared up after a course of antibiotics.

[Karen A]

Maybe let your fingers do the walking and call around to other vets for a better price. $145 is ridiculously steep

[CAB]

Well maybe I will just wait then...the vet wants $145.00 to do the full test. Oh I dont know...

The vet practice where I take my dogs (in Allen Park) charges $97 for a full thyroid panel. Like I said, I paid $90 and that was a couple years ago so their prices have not changed much.

[CrocHunter]

I'm not saying it isn't thyroid, but Ben had horrid dandruff, thin hair, and bumps on his back, and a few washes with oatmeal shampoo got rid of it. Along with salmon oil.

[baron'sma]

The vet practice where I take my dogs (in Allen Park) charges $97 for a full thyroid panel. Like I said, I paid $90 and that was a couple years ago so their prices have not changed much.

Do you happen to know how much a office visit would be @ your vet? Or if you have the name of your vet, I could call.

[baron'sma]

I'm not saying it isn't thyroid, but Ben had horrid dandruff, thin hair, and bumps on his back, and a few washes with oatmeal shampoo got rid of it. Along with salmon oil.

Yea I tried the oatmeal scrubs/shampoos too. It seems to soothe his skin for a little bit, but then he flares back up again.

[CAB]

Do you happen to know how much a office visit would be @ your vet? Or if you have the name of your vet, I could call.

I'm not sure. If I had to guess, I would say around $40. Southpointe 313-381-7180.

http://www.southpointevet.com/

[CAB]

Any updates? Did you have Baron's thyroid tested?