# Blood work - Just T4 or Thyroid full screening?



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Rob's GRs said:


> Just curious to see how you all handle thyroid testing when just getting blood taken on a routine exam.
> 
> Do you get blood work done and only a T4 test or do you get a blood work done as well as a full screen thyroid test?
> 
> For me, I get a blood work up done and only a T4 test done as a routine yearly exam. If the T4 test is a little on the lower side I will go back to the vets for a full thyroid screeing done. Does anyone just go for the full screening instead each year?


 
I feel that anything less than a full panel (including free T3 and free T4), is not worth paying for.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

I too always get the full panel. It is just not worth the risk, to me, of a problem not being caught.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Gunner has already been diagnosed with the full panel but when he has his yearly check, I always get the full panel again so I know what's going on and if we need to adjust his meds.


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## Rob's GRs (Feb 25, 2007)

I just want to bump this once to see what others may do with routine thyroid tesing (just T4 or full screening). 

No matter what method you may choose to do please have some form of thyroid testing done at every yearly exam.


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## Rob's GRs (Feb 25, 2007)

Well here is a unexpected result now on my other dog Hogan. I took Hogan into the vets at the end of November and had a t4 test done with full blood work sent off to New York (Antech Diagnostics) as well as I had another vial of blood drawn to send to MSU for a full thyroid test. 

Everything from Antech Diagnostics said he was fine, except his T4 was 1.1 (1.0 to 4.0 is the "normal range" for them)

The MSU results just came back.



> _TT4_ = 28 (ref range 15-67)
> _TT3_ = 1.0 (ref range 1.0-2.5)
> _Free T4_ = 8 (ref range 8-26)
> _Free T3_ = 3.4* (ref range 4.5 -12.0) **Low*
> ...


Well my vet felt she did not want to wait for Hogans thyroid to give out since his body is killing his own thyroid by an autoimmune attack. She has put Hogan on .4mg of Soloxine twice a day for 6 weeks to see how he handles it.


I like how that _Thyroglobulin Autoantibody_ test can tell you a head of time that I will have another dog with a thyroid condition in the near future and that my vet has decided not to wait for that day to come and to take action now.


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## Allie (Nov 30, 2008)

Since I'm relatively new to the GR world, I need to ask, why thyroid testing for our Golden's?
Is there a problem that can crop up? What can it help prevent? I am so worried for my baby anyways.. I want to prevent anything that I can..
Thanks!


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## Claire's Friend (Feb 26, 2007)

I always do a full panel and for those over 10 years and/or on thyroid meds, I check it every six months.


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## Rob's GRs (Feb 25, 2007)

Allie said:


> Since I'm relatively new to the GR world, I need to ask, why thyroid testing for our Golden's?
> Is there a problem that can crop up? What can it help prevent? I am so worried for my baby anyways.. I want to prevent anything that I can..
> Thanks!


Unfortunately there is nothing one can do to prevent a thyroid condition if a dog is to ever have one. The best thing to do is at every yearly vet exam as to have some blood drawn for a full blood work that will include blood counts, liver and kidney function tests as well have another vial of blood drawn up to have a full thyroid panel done. These tests will cost a little bit of money each year but all of them can tell you how your dog's internal organs are functioning and if there is, or there might be a problem with any of these organs in the near future.


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## Allie (Nov 30, 2008)

Claire's Friend said:


> I always do a full panel and for those over 10 years and/or on thyroid meds, I check it every six months.


Right now I'm awaiting a radiologist's report on Allie's hard mass that was hiding under the fatty mass. Odd place for it the vet said. Since she went in late Friday, I'm thinking I won't hear until Monday.

So, regarding thyroid, at three years old.. should I start now, or wait until 5 years old? Or older?


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

Low thyroid is very common in goldens. Two of my 4 full goldens have had this problem. They wre full brothers, different litters. Scooter was diagnosed just after his 4th birthday and he had all the syptoms. Buck's was caught during a full blood work up done before a dental He had no symptoms as all and his was lower than his brother's. Thing is Buck had just had a full panel done aboutg 4 months previous and no problme. It came on so suddenly. He was just a little past 10 yearfs old when diagnosed.


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## Claire's Friend (Feb 26, 2007)

I test anyone 1 year and older. I have had several Goldens test low now, at 1 year old. Actually there is something you can do for this. Your dog's thyroid needs to be in the high normal range to be working properly. Once it starts to go down, you can start medicating (usually half a dose) and prevent them from become full blown thyroid dogs. We caught JOY's low at 6, she has been taking 1/4 of the meds for her weight. She will be 12 in Mayand has needed no increase in meds.This is one of THE most important things you can do for your dog. Untreated thyroid disease can cause many problems, including seizures.


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## moverking (Feb 26, 2007)

Great post, Rob....will help folks understand the auto-immune process better. 
Dr. Dodds also believes treating low thyroid levels in the presence of low autoantibodies can prevent progression to full blown thyroiditis. 



Rob's GRs said:


> Well here is a unexpected result now on my other dog Hogan. I took Hogan into the vets at the end of November and had a t4 test done with full blood work sent off to New York (Antech Diagnostics) as well as I had another vial of blood drawn to send to MSU for a full thyroid test.
> 
> Everything from Antech Diagnostics said he was fine, except his T4 was 1.1 (1.0 to 4.0 is the "normal range" for them)
> 
> ...


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