Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog developed skin scales after starting levothyroxine treatment
By Kasuga, Yoichiro & Murayama, Nobuo·Published in Open veterinary journal·2024·Department of Medical Sports, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Scales in a dog after levothyroxine sodium treatment: A case report.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old neutered male Toy Poodle was brought to the vet because he was gaining weight, had low energy, and was losing hair on his back. After being diagnosed with hypothyroidism, he started treatment with levothyroxine sodium. About a month later, he developed scales on his skin, particularly where he had lost hair. The vet adjusted his medication dose, and after three months, the scales disappeared as his hair began to grow back. This case shows that while scales can appear during treatment, they often resolve on their own as the dog’s skin improves.
People also search for: dog scales on skin after medication · Toy Poodle weight gain treatment · hypothyroidism in dogs symptoms
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Scales are composed of exfoliated keratinocytes and are frequently a secondary change, requiring the determination of the underlying cause. Consequently, making an appropriate differential diagnosis of scales and determining treatment necessity based on the results is crucial in dermatological practice. CASE DESCRIPTION: We present a 7-year-old, neutered male Toy Poodle examined at Myogadani Animal Hospital with chief complaints of exercise intolerance, unexplained weight gain, and dermatological signs, including symmetrical alopecia of the trunk. The dog was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and administered levothyroxine sodium. A significant number of scales were observed, primarily on the trunk, after 1 month of administration. The scales disappeared after only reducing the dose of levothyroxine sodium for 3 months. Additionally, hair regrowth was observed as the scales disappeared. In this case, the scales were primarily observed in the alopecia area of the trunk, where hair growth was subsequently noted. Hence, levothyroxine sodium administration was thought to not only facilitate hair regrowth but also influence skin turnover, causing the appearance of scales. CONCLUSION: Clinicians who treat hypothyroidism need to be cognizant that symmetrical scales, primarily located on the trunk, do not co-occur with other skin lesions, such as erythema, and are not itchy, may appear within a month. The scales will naturally disappear in such cases when hair growth is complete; thus, no additional treatment is required.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39545197/