Leventa vet.
Active substance
ATC code
Species
Dogs.
Indications
Treatment of hypothyroidism in dogs.
Dose to be administered and administration route
For oral use only.
In thyroid hormone replacement therapy with L-thyroxine, the dose rate and regime have to be tailored individually to each dog. A starting dose rate of 20 microgram L-thyroxine sodium/kg once daily is recommended; this corresponds to 0.2 ml of the product per 10 kg bodyweight.
At re-examination four weeks later, dose adjustments should be performed based on the clinical response to treatment and thyroid hormone concentration evaluated 4-6 hours after administration of the product. Further assessment of hormonal responses and dose adjustment may be repeated at 4 week intervals if required.
A maintenance dose rate between 10 and 40 microgram/kg body weight once daily is generally sufficient to control the clinical signs of hypothyroidism and to restore thyroid hormone concentrations to within the reference range. Depending on the dose rate determined as suitable for the dog and on its body weight, the volume (in ml) of the product to be administered once daily can be estimated using the following table:
Body weight (kg) |
Dosage (microgram/kg) |
|||
10 |
20 |
30 |
40 |
|
Volume of the product (ml) |
||||
5 |
0.05 |
0.10 |
0.15 |
0.20 |
10 |
0.10 |
0.20 |
0.30 |
0.40 |
15 |
0.15 |
0.30 |
0.45 |
0.60 |
20 |
0.20 |
0.40 |
0.60 |
0.80 |
25 |
0.25 |
0.50 |
0.75 |
1.00 |
30 |
0.30 |
0.60 |
0.90 |
1.20 |
35 |
0.35 |
0.70 |
1.05 |
1.40 |
40 |
0.40 |
0.80 |
1.20 |
1.60 |
45 |
0.45 |
0.90 |
1.35 |
1.80 |
50 |
0.50 |
1.00 |
1.50 |
2.00 |
Once a suitable dose rate and regime have been established, it is recommended to recheck every 6 months that thyroid hormone concentrations are appropriate.
The improvement in clinical signs occurs differentially following the onset of treatment with L-thyroxine: whilst metabolic signs improve within two weeks after the onset of treatment, dermatological signs may require 6 weeks or more of treatment before improvement is seen.
The product should be administered at the same time every day. The absorption of L-thyroxine is influenced by food.
In order to achieve consistent absorption of L-thyroxine, it is recommended to administer L-thyroxine 2 – 3 hours prior to feeding, which will maximise the degree of absorption and minimize variation in absorption (see also section 5.2).
If L-thyroxine is administered less than 2 hours before feeding, at or after feeding, the feed given (type and amount) should be standardized.
Instruction for use of the oral syringe:
Open the bottle. Attach the dosing syringe to the bottle by gently pushing the end of the syringe onto the insert in the bottle. Turn the bottle/syringe upside down and draw the solution into the syringe by pulling the plunger out until the edge of the ring on the end of the plunger coincides with the expected volume or body weight in kilograms. Turn the bottle/syringe right way up and remove the syringe from the insert. After administering the product, clean the syringe by flushing with clean water and allow to dry naturally.
Adverse reactions
Adverse reactions associated with treatment with L-thyroxine sodium are primarily those of hyperthyroidism due to therapeutic overdose. They include body weight loss, hyperactivity, tachycardia, polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia, vomiting and diarrhoea. Transient, self-resolving skin reactions such as mild to moderate scale formation may occur.
See also section 4.10.