What happens to dog sugar and hormones when their thyroid is slow?
Effect of hypothyroidism on insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in dogs.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Dogs with a slow thyroid gland don’t use insulin as well, so their bodies make more insulin to keep sugar levels normal. They also have more belly fat and higher levels of growth hormones, but their stress hormone levels stay the same.
Surprising Findings
Overall glucose tolerance stayed the same despite insulin resistance.
Normally, poor insulin sensitivity leads to high blood sugar, but here the body fully compensated by releasing more insulin—keeping glucose control stable.
Practical Takeaways
Monitor insulin-related health in hypothyroid dogs, especially if they have increased belly fat or other metabolic risks.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Dogs with a slow thyroid gland don’t use insulin as well, so their bodies make more insulin to keep sugar levels normal. They also have more belly fat and higher levels of growth hormones, but their stress hormone levels stay the same.
Surprising Findings
Overall glucose tolerance stayed the same despite insulin resistance.
Normally, poor insulin sensitivity leads to high blood sugar, but here the body fully compensated by releasing more insulin—keeping glucose control stable.
Practical Takeaways
Monitor insulin-related health in hypothyroid dogs, especially if they have increased belly fat or other metabolic risks.
Publication
Journal
American journal of veterinary research
Year
2012
Authors
N. Hofer-Inteeworn, D. Panciera, W. E. Monroe, K. Saker, R. H. Davies, K. Refsal, J. Kemnitz
Related Content
Claims (5)
Dogs with an underactive thyroid tend to have more belly fat, which might make their bodies less responsive to insulin, but their stress hormone levels don’t seem to go up.
Dogs with artificially lowered thyroid function become less responsive to insulin, so their bodies make more insulin to keep blood sugar under control.
Dogs with artificially lowered thyroid levels still process sugar normally, and their insulin system works just as well as healthy dogs.
Dogs with an underactive thyroid might have higher levels of certain growth hormones, which could make their bodies less responsive to insulin.
When your thyroid slows down, your body might boost another hormone called cortisol to help keep your energy, blood sugar, and body temperature stable.