Flaking skin after Levothyroxine in dogs

The FDA has received 30 reports of flaking skin in dogs after Levothyroxine. That is 1.0% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.1% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

30Reports

40%Marked serious

23%Recovered

0.0%Died or euthanised

19 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

0 0.0%

1–2 days

2 7.1%

3–7 days

4 14%

1–4 weeks

14 50%

Over a month

8 29%

How the animals did

Recovered

6 20%

Recovered with lasting effects

1 3.3%

Still unwell when reported

9 30%

Not known

14 47%

Problems reported at the same time

Itching

15 50%

Skin rash or irritation

7 23%

Hair loss

7 23%

Overdose

6 20%

Dry skin

5 17%

Hair shedding

4 13%

Reddening of the skin

4 13%

Skin redness

4 13%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Levothyroxine treats an underactive thyroid.

Questions owners ask

Can Levothyroxine cause flaking skin in dogs?: 30 reports link the two, but a report alone does not prove the medicine was the cause: other illnesses, other medicines or coincidence can be involved. Your vet can judge it for your animal.
How soon after a dose was it reported?: In half of the reports with dates, it started within 19 days of the first dose.
What should I do?: Don't give another dose until you've spoken to your vet, and keep the packaging so you can tell them the product and dose. Your vet can also report it to the FDA (or you can, through the manufacturer or FDA form 1932a).

Flaking skin with similar medicines

Flaking skin after Trilostane (Vetoryl) 52 reports · 0.4% of its reports

All reported side effects of Levothyroxine in dogs · Medicines most reported with flaking skin