I just realized that this might be a bit confusing. I'm referring to two different dogs. My parents' dog is being thyroid tested. Ava is my dog and she has no shortage of energy!

@tanza My parents' dog is a rescue, but she had the Fanconi test when she was a year old. Luckily, it's not Fanconi.

@rugosa So it's like the 3-year rabies vaccine-- exactly the same as the 1-year product but costs more due to the added testing. When Ava was vaccinated last year, her vet didn't have the 3-year DHPP. Hopefully, she won't need to be vaccinated again.

@seibel45 She just turned five, but has gotten really lethargic, with no energy—lies around and sleeps all the time. She’s drinking a lot more water, pees more and her hair has been thinning. Her coat is losing its shine and feels rough, almost matted. Her skin has gotten flaky and scaly, but not itchy. She had been to the groomers for a bath and nail clip, so the vet said she could be having an allergic reaction to their products. The hair loss suddenly escalated around her tail—and the “rat tail” really made me think thyroid.

She’s had several eye and ear infections over the past six months and has been prescribed antibiotics for those. The vet suggested allergies, until the hair loss and change in her coat. She’s fed Fromm’s Surf-n-Turf, so no chicken or grains, and she’s been eating it for years. She’s on flea control and has been tested for parasites. No UTI; negative fecal. So we’re down to thyroid… Cushing’s (no weight gain or pot belly, though)… some unknown allergy… or maybe something else?

Thanks for the advice! I agree about Hemopet-- it's worth the added cost. We just want to find out what's wrong with her so we can get her the treatment she needs.

I appreciate the replies! Her vet suggested the FT4 test, but I thought Hemopet's Thyroid 5 and a consult with Dr. Dodds would be more thorough. The Hemopet site is very helpful, but I didn't know about MSU. Thanks for the suggestion-- I'll give it a look.

I've always done 3-year rabies, but she's required to have DHPP every year for playcare and agility classes. Like most, I don't agree with annual vaccines. It's amazing how many vets still push it and how many facilities still require it.

Have you tried a petcam? You could watch what he's doing on your phone and see if he settles down after a while. It's possible he quietens down and naps when he knows you're gone and starts crying again when he hears you returning. You can find monitors that allow you to talk to your boy or dispense treats, but the basic ones do the job!

Looks like my parents' dog could have hypothyroidism, and I'm considering having the vet run tests through Hemopet. Has anyone used Hemopet and consulted with Dr. Dodds? I'm wondering which test I should order-- the Thyroid Profile 4 or 5... or the Thyroid Profile PLUS? The vet ran a CBC, but I wonder if it'll need to be run again by the same lab?

Also has anyone run vaccine titers through Hemopet? Ava had a minor reaction to her vaccines last year. She has another two years on her rabies, but I'd like to avoid the DHPP. All feedback welcome-- thank you!

Rescue Remedy didn't work for me. I tried it, but my girl didn't even like the smell. I also tried a DAP diffuser, a thunder shirt and all sorts of calming treats, but the only thing that worked for us was crate training. It was a challenging process-- for her and us.

You mentioned soft cheese, but have you tried Kraft Easy Cheese (in the spray can)? It was my go-to for years. Most coatings, like meat, gravy or regular cheese, will either dissolve or separate from the pill so the dog gets the bitter taste and spits out the pill. Spray cheese is sticky, so the instinct is to swallow it quickly, pill and all. Vary the flavors so Lily doesn't get tired of it. For a change, you can coat in cheese and dip the tip in gravy, meat or bacon bits-- something extra fragrant and yummy.

I hope your Lily does well on the Protocol! I pilled more than 20 pills a day for seven years. It gets easier.