Bear's not growing her shaved hair back

 It cost me $43 to send a full thyroid test to Michigan, and I live in Ga. It shouldn't cost that much.

How did you have a thyroid test done without the vet? I called today and it was $45 for the visit and the rest for the test. or did you use a vet? J

yes but you have to pay an exam fee also most places. That is another $30-80 depending on where you live. Add the two and you get a nice chunk of change LOL. Not saying don't do it...information is always good to have. Just kinda can see where the $100+ figure comes from.

Here a Thyroid sent to Antech is about $70+ office visit.

Just a suggestion but if you've seen the vet fairly recently like you mentioned, if that was our vet, I could just call and she would write on the chart what Willow needed and I'd take her in for the blood draw with a tech--no charge for tech visits.  Yes, I'd have to pay for the test itself but not another office visit.  Maybe your vet does that too?

That's a great idea, and I bet he would. Thanks, J

 That's what I did. A tech drew gobs of blood, and I wasn't charged for an office visit (we did a senior comprehensive, as well, that day). Of course, Emma is at the vet's office very, very often, and we have a long standing relationship. I forget that other vets charge an office visit for everything.

My husband wanted to give her a bit more time to see if she would start to grow more back before taking her for a thyroid check, so we did. She is inside and always has inside access when outside, plus I can get her a coat if I need to , but let's hope that doesn't happen. Anyway, she has grown a little more, but I took her today and got her blood drawn. I was able to do it by just seeing the tech even though it was still over $60. I will know on Fri if it has anything to do with her thyroid. If not, I guess she will need to get that sweater, if and until she ever grows the hair back. It was a rough ride, she hates the car so much and is so sick. She didn't want to leave the vet's office where they loved on her and there were other dogs. She spent the evening laying here with me on her bed while I sewed. She is feeling better now. I don't know whether to hope she will need a pill every day but her hair will grow, or that there is nothing wrong with her and we have to wait and see on the hair. I know she looks funny, but we still love her. J

Sorry to see that Bear is so...bare!

 Checking her thyroid might be worthwhile to rule it out but this is not an uncommon problem to have with dogs who have guard hair/under coats and are repeatedly shaved. I work at a grooming shop and clients who want their dogs with such coats shaved are warned that there is a possibility that the coat will not grow back properly and their dog will end up with bald patches. You may want to try Inflight Coat Formula, which I have seen help grow hair back quickly on dogs who were shaved for surgeries. http://inflightcoatformula.com/

Thyroid came back normal. I looked up the Inflight Formula, thanks for the tip. I started another thread about it to see if anyone has experience with it. I give it a couple days, then I will order it, and see how it goes, unless I get a lot of negative feedabck on it. Thanks again, Julie

That's great news about the thyroid!  Welactin in another option for you to use.  It's a very easy to give oil that you use daily.  I'll bet your vet probably has it but you can also order it online-you do not need a prescription. 

Willow is very fussy and takes it in her food with no problems. 

Good luck!

Lori

 Oh my gosh!  I almost shaved Dahlia down last summer at the suggestion of the rescue but this makes me really glad I didn't.  She, too, is pretty listless in the summer (and even when it's 70 degrees out), and I hate seeing her so hot but I'm ever quite sure if it's her coat or just the fact that even without the coat she still couldn't cool herself off easily.

I hope Bear's coat grows back soon.  Maybe it will start to accelerate as the weather gets cooler.  If not, perhaps a sweater for a time to keep him warm?

 We use a furminator and just get as much undercoat out as we can in the summer.  It seems to work pretty well and she gets to keep her pretty coat.

If you do decide to get her a coat I bought the most adorable fleece for Willow last year from Fido Fleece.  They are really nice and easy to take on and off.  And, you can machine wash them. 

Just tossing this out there, because she is an older dog and the symptoms can sneak up over a period of years, but have you thought to have Bear tested for Cushing's?  http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2&aid=416

I'd hate to have you think that just because the thyroid was normal, that nothing else could have caused this, especially since you describe it as having occurred before, but to a lesser extent.

Thanks Spiritsdogs.. I read the article, and it really doens't sound like Bear. She is almost the opposite in all the things it listed, exceot for the hair. But she also didn't lose the hair, but I shaved it off. Thanks for the link though. Everything is worth looking into. J