Thyroid disease is fairly common in older cats and can easily be tested with a blood sample that can be completed within about 30 minutes right at Alpine Animal Clinic.  Common symptoms of high thyroid level are

• weight loss
• vomiting
• poor hair coat and skin
• brittle tooth enamel and tooth loss
• bone loss
• kidney disease
• heart disease
• retinal degeneration and loss of eyesight
• high blood pressure
• irritability

Treatment is vital to maintaining your cat's health and quality of life.  Thankfully, medication is inexpensive and often easy to give, especially if made in to flavored treat-sized pills.  Alpine Animal Clinic also has the ability to surgically remove the affected thyroid gland if your cat is affected with a thyroid tumor that is causing the disease.

Hypothyroidism causes weight gain, lethargy, and dry hair coat.  Left unchecked, your dog can develop serious, life-threatening health problems. As disease advances without treatment, dogs can progress to

• obesity
• skin thickening
• hair loss
• heart enlargement
• poor reflexes
• high triglycerides
• coma 
• death