can anyone comment on thyroxine side effects, if any.

Clyde is on 1 1/2 tabs twice per day, I'll update the dose when I get home. If the dose is too much may cause the panting. Clyde was panting in the begininng until we found the correct dose.   

he has .4 mg tab 1 1/2 pill in the morning and 1 1/2 at dinner.
At 1st they tried 2 pills in the am 1 in the pm, he was restless/panting. It then was adjusted to 1 1/2 twice daily. He has been on this dose for a couple years and doing well.
Good luck

It does sound high if he is panting. The itching may be a result of his immue system not working correctly due to abnormal hormone levels. In nutshell, hormone levels effect each other, and they effect other bodily systems (like immune). 

Were they going to retest your dog a few weeks down the road?  My lab was super restless at first and so I asked for a retest at 3 wks.  It came back normal.  Then she dropped about 20 lbs and I again had her retested.  At that point, it was a tad high, so we lowered the dose.  If you're concerned, I'd definitely speak to the vet.

I had a dog who was hypothyroid and was taking Soloxine (a name brand thyroxin)
 
First thing is never give the thyroid medication on a full stomach; it will have almost no effect if you do.  It takes about a month to notice any significant change in the dog.  She may loose some weight after a while so you may need the vet to re-calculate the dose every 3 to 6 months for the first year; many require doing a follow up thyroid panel to make sure the dosage is working for the dog after a few months of first giving the dog thyroxin.  What the thyroxin does is regulate the T4 levels in the dog#%92s thyroid often because the dog#%92s body is having trouble doing that itself.  In some extreme cases the thyroid may need to be removed all together.  
 
If you believe that there are side effects from the medications then get that checked you by a vet.  There are other thyroid medications that some think work better for their dog such as a chewable type but every vet has their opinion of what works and what they prefer to give.
 

ORIGINAL: cakana

Were they going to retest your dog a few weeks down the road?  My lab was super restless at first and so I asked for a retest at 3 wks.  It came back normal.  Then she dropped about 20 lbs and I again had her retested.  At that point, it was a tad high, so we lowered the dose.  If you're concerned, I'd definitely speak to the vet.

 
hi, thank u to all who replied. its helpful!
yes, they will retest her in about 3 weeks. she also has loose stools for a week now as well.
i can pick them up with the plastic bag but they are soft--- guess not so loose but its a concern.
gave her yogurt in AM as well so that may be causing stools loose.
will stop that.
she seems to be much more balanced these days now...then when I first typed this.
less restless--- panting has stopped and the amazing part...the calouses she had on front elbows of paws have begun growing hair!! I read this may  happen....
thnx again all
big hugs.
jef

Hi -- just wanted to comment on your post title -- there are a zillion (exaggeration) different meds for hypothyroid.  BUT it's not so much a "side effect" of the drug, it's the EFFECT of it.
 
See hypothyroid is "low" thyroid.  When you talk about things like panting, restlessness, bulging eyes, nervousness -- those can be symptoms of HYPERthyroid.  *high* thyroid.
 
Meaning -- it's not a side effect of a specific drug -- it's too *much* of the drug which causes the thyroid to swing too high.
 
HyPER thyroid is dangerous -- **very** dangerous.  It causes high bloodpressure, and dogs can die of high blood pressure just like people can.  That is why it's so critical to get the levels checked and to watch for side effects.
 
There are different drugs you can try -- my dog is hypothyroid and he takes Armour Thyroid -- it's not a *synthetic* thyroid, but it's a glandular.  It's actually porcine thyroid and Billy does really well on it (you get a better coat and generally less over-all thyroid-y type of hallmarks).  Nothing major -- it just works really well for us.
 
But monitor those levels -- it's really important.

she seems to be much more balanced these days now...then when I first typed this.
less restless--- panting has stopped and the amazing part...the calouses she had on front elbows of paws have begun growing hair!! I read this may happen....

 
The clearing up of the elbow patches was the single most amazing thing to me.  My girl (a black lab) had huge white callouses and within a few weeks, they were completely gone.  Her fur became much thicker and shinier too.  It was great to see the transformation []

hi.
thank you to [link>http://forum.dog.com/asp/showProfile.asp?memid=2536]calliecritturs[/link] and [link>http://forum.dog.com/asp/showProfile.asp?memid=2515]cakana[/link] for the most recent replies and to all else too -- THNX
 
Today it is day 9 and the med and I really see changes to her. Quite amazing especially in the hair/coat area which of course we can see. Internal changes, obviously, I cant see.
 
The biggest change is those dam calouses growing hair! hmmm. Maybe I can take some for my scalp. Kidding of course. hehe.
 
I just hope this balances her out and I may look in to Chinese Medicine for treatment too since I did work on my MS in that and still to complete it.
 
The panting/restlessness are all gone and shes sleeping well and hopefully no more attacks with the vestibular area. On 2/22 I thought she had a stroke but was inner ear thing which the root was the low hormone from the thyroid.
 
Her ALKP or SAP is high which concerns me to wonder about Cushings but she doesnt have any other signs of this but its still not a normal lab result though I read hypothyrodism can cause high ALKP but shes also a 12 yo so anythings possible.
 
Well thank you all for this board and your great support!
 
Jef n boo too

My dog also is on throxine she is 14. She has cushings and low throid I was giving her 2 tablets daily but cut back to 1 as she was very restless and painting alot.She has had a problem going to the bathroom. Would that be caused by the throxine?

No it shouldn't cause that -- has your dog had a thyroid test? 

When you are first supplementing the thyroid it can take some time adjusting the body to the med -- DO THIS WITH YOUR VET -- you may see a bit of relessness at first but it shouldn't be at all severe. 

Your vet should be helping you with this -- the one "side effect" to watch most closely for is something like indicators that the dose is too high which can cause the thyroid to be TOO high (high blood pressure is the biggest sign, bulgy eyes, restless/unable to settle).  In other words, don't double it unless the vet says to do so.

 I'm confused -- do you mean the vet prescribed the bigger dose and you halved it or you just went to once a day? In dogs, thyroid meds MUST be given twice a day -- in humans they give them once a day.  A dog's metabolism is different -- so don't just cut back to once a day or it will not even out.  But again I'm saying your vet need to be in on this.

The blood should be tested (and once they are ON supplementation you should always have the blood drawn 4-6 hours post-pill so the dose is effective in the system when they check it.)  Usually they say to test the blood about 6 weeks after they start supplementation.

Restlessness?  That would be a concern.  Panting?  that can be caused by a lot of things. 

Not knowing you nor this dog's background it is very difficult to say.  Given that this dog has Cushings I'm reluctant to say yes/no -- your vet should be the one you talk to.

For my dogs, I always have the thyroid test done and sent to Hemopet rather than just a typical lab because that way you get a breed-specific panel (it does make a big difference). 

When you get a dog with Cushings there are already a lot of physical considerations -- what meds is the dog on for the Cushings or are you treating it holistically?  The Cushings changes things --

Any time we change the level of any dog's thyroid supplement I"m really cautious for the first few days.  Given the "restless" and "panting" symptoms those alone would send me to the vet

 If it were me, I'd also have the vet take the dog's blood pressure -- there are things like renal problems that can elevate the blood pressure (in other words it could be something other than just the thyroid supplement).  typically thyroxine doesn't have many side effects.  When you add in "problem going to the bathroom" that would make me want to ask more questions -- do you mean urinating?  Does the dog try to go, walk a few steps, try again?  That sounds like a urinary tract infection.

Or do you mean the dog is constipated?  That's an entirely different problem.  Be a bit more specific -- we're all dog people here and we talk about pee and poop endlessly. 

Sounds to me like you need to talk to your vet first to be honest  -- I"m not sure the thyroid supplement has been dosed properly and that's something the vet should be monitoring, not just you.  The symptoms you mention could be too many other things.

O.K. Thanks she is on trilostane for the cushings.

Any time you have Cushings (or even Cushings-like symptoms) the thyroid is always SUCH a huge deal.  But ask your vet to send the thyroid panel to Hemopet **NOT** just a regular lab.

And keep in touch with your vet -- you will need to play with the supplement levels to get it where you need it to be.

My 14-year-old dog is also taking throxine. She has low thyroxine and cushings. She was getting 2 tablets everyday, but I reduced that to 1 because she was so restless and liked to paint so much.She's had trouble using the restroom. Would that be caused by the throxine?