A bit worried about Alfie

[Helen]

Definitely 2nd opinion time  While coat condition is considered one of the "classic symptoms". it is not necessarily always present. Several of my Dobes were hypothyroid and had beautiful coats and no weight problems (In fact I don't remember how we came to test them  )

You're so right- Ive been doing loads of reading and coat condition is only a symptom in about 1/3 of dogs with hypothyroidism, and some dogs even have a thickening of their coat.

This is from one website I read, and describes Alfie to a T - he seems to have waves of being snarly and snappy anyone wants to stroke him, and will growl for 5 mins to an hour, but then will suddenly start wagging his tail as if he has forgotten why he was like that.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism include major depression, unprovoked aggression, joint pain, sudden onset of seizures, anxiety, phobias, submissiveness, passivity, disorientation, moodiness, erratic temperament, hypo-attentiveness, compulsiveness, and irritability. After the episodes of aberrant behavior, a majority of these canines were reported to behave as if they were coming out of a trance-like state and seemed unaware of their previous behavior.

http://autoimmunedisease.suite101.com/article.cfm/canine_epilepsy#ixzz0BgjCYeaT

I'm so pleased you're seeking another opinion and I hope the next vet listens to you.  If you have no success with the next opinion then I would seek the help of a homeopathic vet - they seem to have the full use of their ears and eyes and don't automatically leap to the 'rage' conclusion.

It's awful though - imagine how many less informed owners would have their pets PTS at that first diagnosis 

[Stacey]

Lets us know how you go with the 2nd opinion. Hope he is feeling abit brighter today 

[keepupwith]

Just caught up with this thread- I really hope you get someone who will take your concerns seriously and listen to you. The professionals need to realise that whether it is dogs or kids we know them best. We live with them 24/7 and are the people best placed to notice when there is something really wrong and our instincts tend to be right. I would agree that Rage doesn't appear over night and the weight gain and behaviour etc put together are significant symptoms. I wish you the best of luck, I know it's tough but you will get there. Different I know, but when my daughter was 3 I 'knew' there was something wrong, having burst into tears infront of the GP, we were referred and even the hospital doctor was just trying to get rid of us we felt by doing a blood test. That was until it came back- her iron stores were so low they were off the scale and then suddenly everyone stood up and took an interest. So go, with your gut instinct and try and get someone to run the right tests.

Thinking about you and Alfie

Pam

[stuffster]

Thanks everyone for your support in this. As Rachel and others suggested, Ive had a look at the ingredients of the food he has been on the last month or so, (Skinners) and its missing one ingredient his last one wasnt - seaweed, which contains iodine- and low iodine levels can cause thyroid problems! I feel like a detective, piecing together parts of a puzzle. (OH says Im obsessing  )

Anyway, OH has insisted we wait til Monday just to see if the painkillers change anything (he's already had another funny half-hour of growling at us this morning despite being dosed up, so no change so far) then we will insist on full bloods, just to see if my instinct is right.

In the meantime we are keeping a diary of when he eats, sleeps, has painkillers etc, and how his mood changes through the day to see if there are triggers we are not seeing.

[Stacey]

Alfie is so lucky to have you 

[Saffaroo]

Just catching up with this thread - poor Alfie - I hope that whatever is amiss with him can be identified and sorted.  The vet sounds a complete and utter disgrace - a second opinion, as has been suggested is a must    We have only one vet on the island, and we do agree to disagree about certain things, but he is always open to listening to concerns and asking lots of questions.  Interesting about the food issue - my money is on that     Alfie is indeed lucky to have you and hope there is improvement soon - lots of hugs from us     

[keepupwith]

Hang in there- that sounds like a typical male response BTW, my hubby would be the same!! Is Alfie pure golden, he doesn't look solid from the pictures? I think your idea of keeping a diary is a really good one- well done, you are doing a great job.

Pam

[Helen]

everything you're doing is fantastic - the diary is a brilliant idea, and your sleuthing is fab 

keep strong, and you know where we all if you need us 

[Annette]

everything you're doing is fantastic - the diary is a brilliant idea, and your sleuthing is fab 

keep strong, and you know where we all if you need us 

Sorry, I thought I had read this thread before but now see I haven't.

Anyway, I am sorry you had such a frustrating time with stoopid vet, and agree with Livercake here!

I do also agree with your OH by the way. Waiting until Monday is a good plan IMO.

[6thSense]

       This sort of thing makes me so angry!! People who think they know it all are far to quick to jump to the conclusion that any problem a golden cocker has is down to Rage. I used to have a Rescue golden from where I used to work and he was very aggressive in his kennel and basically he would have been pts if I hadn't rehomed him. He was not easy at first, but he soon settled in and you new how to handle him. He was extremely insecure and had developed guarding issues because of this and would react badly if you scared him or did anything to worry him, but another thing we discover was that he had very bad mouth ulcers and was in a lot of pain. Everyone was so quick to say it was rage, but I new it wasn't and everytime he reacted there was a cause and he was never unpredictable. I am glad I stuck with him, because despite his issues he was an extremely loving dog and lived to a good age. I still miss him. I know have 3 goldens babies and adore the solid colours. I would definitely get a second opinion and I really hope it's sorted out for you soon. 

[bracken]

Alfie is such a lucky boy having you 
We have a golden cocker Bailey she too has issues,so glad you are getting another opinion
keep in touch 

[Ben's mum]

Hope you manage to get to the bottom of the problem with Alfie.  I don't know anything about thyroid probs, but Bens mood/temper/issues are definately not helped by any changes in diet.  Most dog treats have something in them that really make him snappy and grumbly, so I just don't ever give them to him and have kept him on a food that suits him for a couple of years now and it helps.

I think you are right to be considering the change in food as a possible cause of change in behaviour.
hope Alfie is feeling better soon.
Bens mum

[stuffster]

Well Alfie has had a great day today. We went for an hour long walk and he let me groom him, including his feet etc, with no growling. (He was still growling at Purdey occasionally, but she is blooming annoying at times so I cant blame him, especially when she jumps on him when he has just woken up!)

I dont know if it the painkillers doing the trick, or if he is just feeling better generally.

We're not going to switch his food over til we have had his blood tested and tried a few days on the painkillers so we can eliminate things one at a time.

[PennyB]

Your gut instinct is something you should definitely go with - I ignored mine the other week nearly to my cost. Good luck and hope you get to the bottom of this.

I had a difference of opinion with my own vet last year but we both worked through it (helped by the vet nurse telling me to write down everything I wanted to say to my vet - I was so emotional I was in danger of saying wrong thing or just bursting into tears as I was upset/frustrated with what was happening - then he read it while I visited my cat then came down and he answered my comments/questions and we worked through a plan of action), which is how it should be and then we were both back on track and in agreement over a management plan (this is also how it should be - when things are serious some vets just launch from one diagnostic test/treatment to another without thinking of a plan of action, which may or may not end up with a referral.

You have effectively been dismissed at the 1st hurdle.

I would definitely consider getting a 2nd opinion as even though your vet may come round to your way of thinking or sort of I would find it difficult to trust someone who 1st suggests rage as a diagnosis.

[stuffster]

Thanks Penny.

My main hesitancy about changing vets is that a) he is a client of mine - I designed his website and he has been back for quite a few print jobs etc so I dont want to lose the work
and b) his kids go to school with mine, so I see his wife everyday.

While he mentioned rage in his diagnosis he wasnt saying thats definitely what it was - but the fact that he even considered it tells me he is already biased. He was totally convinced that it was a dominance issue, because Alfie was growling at him when he looked him straight in the eye (I recognised that as fear agression, not dominance!)

Alfie is blooming growly, but he doesnt try to dominate anyone in the house - he gets off the sofa when asked, doesnt guard food, and even the kids can send him to his bed with no fuss, and whenever Purdey challenges him for a bed or treat, he growls but gives up usually.  The Alfie we saw this week was a different dog entirely, and I dont believe a dog could develop such a different personality overnight without there being a medical reason for it (especially as he has been back to normal today!).