Jack Russell Terrier diagnosed with Grave's disease

[mdmdogs3]

anyone have a dog with Grave's disease?

our 4 yr old Jack Russell was diagnosed with it yesterday
the vet based her decision based on a bunch of symptoms including a cough (lasted for 6 months), shaking (as if he is having a seizure), muscle loss on his head

she put him on Prednisone and we have to watch him closely for signs of pneumonia

I've found more about the human version than the dog version so I was wondering if anyone had experience with a dog with Grave's disease

thanks
Melanie

 

[MikeC]

Don't know anything about it, but with a name like 'Graves' it sure sounds serious. :shock:

 

[chrisy]

mdmdogs3, PM Victoria she may be able to put some light on it for you.

 

[Big D]

Hi Melanie!
I'm Big D's wife. He showed me your post because I was diagnosed with Graves Disease about 3 years ago. I don't know if it's different in humans and dogs, but it seems like the first step in diagnosis should be some bloodwork. I'm sure there are major differences in humans and dogs, but I wasn't given prednisone. I took some medication for awhile, but in the end I opted to have my thyroid surgically removed. Was there any thyroid testing done, or was it diagnosed only on the symptoms you posted?

 

[Rangenerd]

I too had Graves disease. It is another name for being hyperthyroid, your thyroid produces to much of the thyroid hormone. I was losing lots of weight, (Wasn't a bad thing, I had the weight to lose), I had the shakes (I could almost get whitecaps on a glass of water), and whenever I tried to do anything, I felt like I was out of shape.
I had the surgery to remove the Thyroid and then took the I135 pill to kill what little thyroid material that was left. Now I take a little pink pill every morning and I feel fine.

 

[mdmdogs3]

hey everybody
thanks for all of the info - including Victoria's research via PM
the vet said that she is going to get me some information, I'll let you know what it says when I get it
after the last 3 days on the Prednisone his cough is pretty much gone and the shaking has calmed down quite a bit
I'll keep you posted
Melanie

 

[mustangkoda]

i have to see if i can find the info i had on this. my jack russell's mother died of graves. actually, she choked to death, with the decease they had to hand feed her and make sure she swollowed everything, they thought she was done but she through up her dinner and choked on it, she could not swollow on her own. i'll see if i can find it and post site.

 

[mustangkoda]

only have what the vets gave to me regarding graves, no site listed on it. full name is myasthenia gravis, if you go to google and type in myasthenia gravis in canines, it comes up with some sites for you to check out, hope this helps.

 

[mdmdogs3]

thanks so much
he is doing so much better now -
the cough is completely gone (don't know if that is from the Grave's or the herbicide mist he got into last summer)
and the shaking is soooo much better

he didn't really have a lot of the muscle loss on his head yet -
sure glad that he came to us for free (rescue) I sure wouldn't to have paid big money and now have this 2 years later.
but we love the little beast

thanks so much to everyone for their help

melanie

 

[chrisy]

glad to hear he is doing better. hope you have many years with him.....Chris

 

[Less]

only have what the vets gave to me regarding graves, no site listed on it. full name is myasthenia gravis, if you go to google and type in myasthenia gravis in canines, it comes up with some sites for you to check out, hope this helps.

Myathenia Gravis is a different type of disease altogether. Graves Disease has to do with the thyroid.