Guide to Pet Medications: Thyroid Medications and Your Pet In
dogs and cats, the two thyroid glands sit in the middle of the
neck on either side of the trachea. These glands produce thyroid
hormone, which is necessary to maintain a healthy metabolism. If
the thyroid gland malfunctions, multiple organ systems are
affected and the pet can become very sick. This can happen with
either too much (hyperthyroidism) or too little (hypothyroidism)
thyroid hormone production. Hyperthyroidism affects cats while
hypothyroidism affects dogs. Both diseases are very common in
veterinary medicine. There are two different types of thyroid
medication: there is a supplement for dogs that make too little
thyroid hormone and there is a medication that blocks production
for those cats that make too much. Thyroid Supplementation for
Hypothyroid Dogs Hypothyroidism involves a deficiency of thyroid
hormone production and is usually caused by immune-mediated
destruction of the thyroid tissue (the dog’s own body attacks
the thyroid gla