What are the signs of hormonal imbalance in dogs?

Skin problems are common indicators of hormonal problems in pets. You may notice changes in your pet’s skin color or the consistency, thickness, or distribution of his or her coat. You may begin to find clumps of fur around the home. Your pet may lick, scratch, or chew their coat more often because of the irritation. Hormonal imbalances can cause changes in your pet’s appetite, weight, and activity level.

Signs can develop because of a problem in the tissues that are the source of the hormone, or because of a problem in another part of the body that is affecting the secretion or action of a particular hormone. Diseases caused by overproduction or excess of a hormone often begin with the prefix hyper. Diseases caused by a lack or deficiency of a hormone often begin with the prefix hypo. Disorders resulting in signs of reduced endocrine activity may also develop because tissues distant from the hormone source are disrupted. This can occur when the function of one hormone is to stimulate the production of a second hormone. An important example is type 2 diabetes mellitus, in which the body produces insulin but the cells no longer respond to it.

There are many signs observable in pets with endocrine disease. These signs include abnormal energy levels, abnormal behavior, abnormal drinking, urinating and eating behavior, excessive panting, skin disorders, and weight gain or loss. Hypothyroidism is often diagnosed in dogs, which indicates that the animal has low levels of circulating thyroid hormone. Additional endocrine problems include Diabetes, Cushing’s Disease and Addison’s Disease. Whenever you are suspicious of your pet drinking too much and urinating more than normal, make an appointment to have them examined and lab workup done to determine the underlying cause. Risk factors for diabetes include obesity, diseases, and medications like steroids. Advanced cases might require treatment for complications, such as cataracts in dogs and weakened hind legs due to nerve damage in cats.

Cortisol — Stress hormone; regulates distribution of fats, carbohydrates, protein, blood sugar, inflammation, and blood pressure. Insulin — Regulates levels of glucose in the blood. Thyroxine — Promotes optimal heart and muscle function, bone strength and repair, digestion, metabolism, weight maintenance, and neurological development. Adrenaline — Regulates stress response, heightens senses and distributes blood to key muscles. Aldosterone — Regulates salt and water levels in the blood, aiding in blood pressure maintenance. Melatonin — Regulates circadian rhythm, promotes immunity, boosts mood. Dopamine — Neurotransmitter; regulates feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. Calcitonin — Regulates calcium and phosphate levels in the blood. Triiodothyronine — Manages neurological development, heart rate, metabolic rate, digestion, bone development and skeletal functioning. Testosterone — Regulates fertility and breast tissue (females); regulates body fat distribution, muscle mass, bone density, sperm, red blood cells, and sex drive (males). Oestrogen — Stimulates egg production within the ovaries. Progesterone — Maintains pregnancy and prepares uterus lining for egg attachment. Renin — Regulates blood pressure, sodium, and potassium levels. Calcitriol — Regulates calcium levels in blood plasma.

A common cause of skin disease is a failure of an endocrine organ to secrete the proper amount of its hormone. This usually results in some degree of hair loss and abnormal skin quality. Depending on the hormone involved, there may be other subtle changes noted in the pet’s history or found on the physical exam. Signs of hormonal disorders can include hair loss, dark skin, dandruff, overweight, lethargy, poor hair coat, recurrent infections, thin skin, muscle wasting, weakness, excessive water intake, panting, pot-belly, and change in coat color. Hair loss especially in the flank and lateral trunk area, and darkening of the skin, and scaling are also possible signs. Some specific signs are associated with particular disorders, such as hypothyroidism, which can cause hair loss, dark skin, dandruff, overweight, lethargy, poor hair coat, and recurrent infections. Cushing’s disease can cause hair loss, thin skin, muscle wasting, weakness, excessive water intake, panting, pot-belly, recurrent infections, and poor hair coat. Sex hormone imbalance may cause hair loss, poor hair coat, and change in coat color. Please note that all the signs may not be present, and these disorders can mimic one another.

They may seem overly thirsty or may urinate more frequently. They may even experience recurring vomiting or diarrhea. Sometimes, they may have periods of weakness and even depression. These symptoms are commonly associated with a hormone imbalance. Insufficient adrenal hormones can upset the body’s conservation of sodium, reduce circulating blood volume, impair heart and kidney function, damage the heart muscle, and cause faulty sugar and fat metabolism. The resulting symptoms include weight gain without an increase in appetite, lethargy, excessive shedding, high blood cholesterol, cold intolerance, and an increased susceptibility to skin and ear infections. An increased metabolic rate and a decrease in your cat’s weight, even with an increased appetite, are common signs of hyperthyroidism. Excessive water intake and urination are also indicators.