Stopping Thyroid Medication After a High T4 Result
by John
(Mercer, Pa.)
A high T4 on treatment usually means the dose needs adjusting, not that he no longer needs it. Most dogs need lifelong treatment, so ask your vet whether they meant to stop temporarily and restart at a lower dose.
The timing of the blood test after a pill matters; monitoring tests are usually taken about 4 to 6 hours after a pill, and a slightly high result at that time can be acceptable if he has no signs of overdose. Stopping thyroid medication suddenly isn't dangerous the way stopping steroids can be, but if he's truly hypothyroid his levels will fall again within days to weeks, which is why a lower dose rather than none is usually the goal. Watch for restlessness, panting, weight loss or heavy drinking, which suggest too much, or returning lethargy and weight gain, which suggest too little.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.
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