# Hair Loss



## Ky92 (Mar 16, 2012)

I noticed about a month ago that my 2 year old Golden Austin is losing patches of hair on either side of his back. His skin in visible and the patches are in the same spot on both sides of him. I had him to the vet and they did blood work and everything came back normal. I noticed this week it is getting worse so they are going to do a more extensive test. He seems fine in every other way except today he did get sick and throw up. I'm worried about it being linked to whatever is making him lose hair. He eats Nutro hollistic dog food + I make up rice and hamburger with green beans and cauliflower to mix with his food. I don't know if this could be causing it. All my other dogs do fine with it. If someone could give me some insight I'd really appreciate it!


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

Did your vet do a 6 panel thyroid test or just CBC/Chem? If your pup hasn't had the FULL thyroid panel (a T4 is not enough), then that's what I would consider the next step. Bilaterally symmetrical hairloss is a symptom of hypothyroidism.


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## Ky92 (Mar 16, 2012)

The vet told me they just did a basic test at their office. Next week they'll send his blood work away to Michigan State. I know she did tell me it could be his thyroid but he's just need to be on medicine till his levels are normal. Would him throwing up have anything to do with it? I just think he has an upset stomach. none of my other goldens have ever had any of these problems.


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

My guess would be just an upset stomach too, unless it happens regularly. MSU is the "gold standard" lab for thyroid testing, so I'm happy to hear that's where your vet will be sending the blood of to. Let us know the results!


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## Ky92 (Mar 16, 2012)

Thank you so much! He's doing good today, no more throwing up. I'm glad to hear Ill get some answers!


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

Ky92 said:


> I know she did tell me it could be his thyroid but he's just need to be on medicine till his levels are normal.


He will need to be on the meds for the rest of his life. Testing is done again in 6-8 weeks to check that the dosage is working. Then again in 6 months. The meds are cheap though.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Yes if it is hypothyroidism he will be on meds the rest of his life. And yes thankfully affordable.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Illness can make their thyroid test low on the simple in-house test, so that is why you run a full panel and check for autoimmune thyroiditis. Autoimmune thyroid issues are genetic and, in Goldens at least, felt to be inherited.

If he does have an autoimmune thyroid issue, he will need to be on medication for the rest of his life but, as others have said, the medicine is cheap.


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

I have had two goldens with low thyroid, meds all their life. Same with me. Our first golden with low thyroid showed all the classic symptoms including the thinning hair. Our other, a full brothr, but later litter, showed not a single sympton and his was caught at age 10 due to a full panel before dental. Mine was caught when being tested for diabetes. Myhair also thinned A LOT and still is. Didn't come back thick like Scooters did.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

My Cody was hypo also. The only symptom I saw was he seemed to be more mellow than usual. I thought he was just starting to mature at age 5. Then on our runs he would stop and rest. Once meds kicked in he was back to his old excitable self again: Never lost any of his lush lion king hair.


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## Ky92 (Mar 16, 2012)

Thank you! I thought he'd need to be on medicine for the rest of his life, I must of heard her wrong. My first Golden, Salsa was on medicine his whole life for sezuires. He had a couple a year. My other Golden, Queso, has never had any problems.


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## desi.n.nutro (Mar 18, 2011)

The NUTRO holistic or ULTRA is really rich with 3 proteins. I would try the Natural Choice for a while until his stomach settles. There are 3 for sensitive stomachs in either chicken, venison, or herring.


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## Ky92 (Mar 16, 2012)

I have another question if someone could answer it for me (I'm such a worrier!) I know it's been about a month since I started seeing his hair loss and he's been completely fine in every other aspect. So my question is, is he gonna be okay while we wait for the results of his tests?


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## desi.n.nutro (Mar 18, 2011)

He will probably fare better than you. He isn't worrying. I am sorry that the waiting is so hard.


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## Ky92 (Mar 16, 2012)

That's true. He's just being his same goofy self. I know I'll feel a lot better though when we know what's going on so I can make him better.


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## Ky92 (Mar 16, 2012)

Hello everyone. I havn't been on in a while but they took Austins blood Wednesday and sent it of to Michigan State and they said it could be a few weeks to get the results. But last night around 4AM he started throwing up everywhere and he has diarreha very badly, it's jus pretty much liquid. Around 5 he threw up again so I called the vet and they got him in and took an x-ray to make sure nothing was stuck in his stomach, which there was not. They also did a Parvo test which was negative. They then gave him two shots one for his vommiting and one for his diarreha. He has a temp of 103 so they did an IV with fluids. He's home now and just seems a little blah. Poor thing has been stuck with neetles 5 times this week.


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

Well, I hope all is okay with him. My KayCeehad a virus a couple of times that was pretty much like waht you described. Shealso got the injections and had to be rehydrated. She was "punny" for about 36 hours each time, and then fine.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

Did they do a barium test for blockage? I hope he feels better soon!


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## Ky92 (Mar 16, 2012)

Today I got Austin's panel results back and everything came back normal there is no Thyroid problems so we don't know whats causing his hair loss. It could be just unusual seasonal hair loss.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

What were his numbers? Low normal is considered very low for a Golden.


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