He's gotten some new quirky fears that are really heartbreaking for me. In just the last 2-3 months he decided one hallway was scary. I figured it was slippery hardwood floors + a heat register on the floor, so I put down a doormat, and more recently, a no-slip carpet. He now finds the hallway nearly impassable. I've been doing some training sessions with loads of treats but the effects are short lived. Then last week he decided the hallway near my bathroom was scary; he scrunches down and scuttles through, which makes him more likely to slip/scrabble, and when that happens, it's scary. Today he got weird in the kitchen, of all places. He loves the kitchen! Now there's a spot by one cabinet that he's afraid to walk on. This literally happened since I brought him home from work today til now. Sigh.
He isn't fat and doesn't have a dull coat, minimal flaking except for a flakey tail. He got pustules on his tail last month along with some hair loss, and was treated with cephalexin for stud tail. Now it's just smooth and bald in a growing patch. It's not itchy or red. He has the return of cysts/pustules on his feet after over a year of their absence. He's been somewhat more lethargic lately at work, though mostly at home he tries to stay in bed to avoid having to walk through the hall.
Seeing him afraid to move freely in our home makes me want to cry. His little face peering down the hallway trying to muster himself up to come down the hall to me, wagging his tail low and fast with his ears back and down... sob. It's awful. So tomorrow we're getting blood & urine samples and submitting it for a senior screen w/free T4 add-on. I guess if that seems off then I will get another Idexx test (I get a discount that makes it about the same price as UMichigan, and WAY less than hemopet) for more specifics. If it's better to just shell out for a Hemopet one, then I will. Not sure if you guys have any feedback on that... ? He had the Wellness panel bloodwork in October, pre-op labs in February and in April tested HW, Lyme, & Erlichia negativem
Anyway, the Soloxine (sp?) is like $10/month and apparently works quickly. Hence, I'm hoping it's a thyroid problem and not something else like cognitive deterioration. I have mats & carpets and he's still suddenly scared, so I don't think the primary cause is orthopedic pain, plus he runs around on the polished concrete floors at work just fine. He's about 8, eats a grain-free low-glycemic-index diet, is on salmon oil, coconut oil, & Glyco-Flex 3.
Anyway. Any feedback or ideas are very welcome. It seems like dogs with hypothroid issues still can live a normal life span if caught early enough & consistently treated?
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I really hope this gets figured out ASAP. I can't imagine waiting to test until he's fat & has bigger bald areas & is lethargic, because seeing him so worried/hesitant is really hard on everyone.
, Cholesterol 294, chloride was 116 (just above normal range).
