GRAEDONS | The People's Pharmacy Chocolate and raisins are no-nos for dogs

Q. Is it really bad for dogs to eat chocolate? Some of my co-workers don't think giving chocolate cake or even candy to their dogs is a problem, but I've heard that it's dangerous. What does it do?
A. There is a caffeinelike compound in chocolate called theobromine. It can build up in dogs' bodies because they can't eliminate it efficiently. Even a modest dose can cause heart-rhythm disturbances in some dogs.
By the way, raisins and grapes are also dangerous. Too many can cause kidney damage in dogs.
Q. My 20-month-old granddaughter has started developing breasts. She has had a number of ear infections and was given antibiotics frequently by her pediatrician. Is this growth normal, or do antibiotics have such an effect?
A. Breast development in a very young child requires medical attention. A pediatric endocrinologist should be consulted to rule out any condition that might be contributing to your granddaughter's symptoms.
As far as we can tell, antibiotics are not associated with early breast development. Precocious puberty (before the age of 8) has sometimes been associated with exposure to estrogen hormones. These sometimes come from unexpected sources, such as cosmetics or body lotions.
Q. Last year, I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. I was lethargic and had a very fast heart rate. I was given high blood-pressure medicine to lower the heart rate and was treated with radioactive iodine.
About three months after the treatment, I developed extreme hypothyroidism. The endocrinologist immediately started me on Synthroid. My test results show that my blood levels are normal.
Despite this, I am still having problems. I am still very lethargic and don't have much energy. I feel depressed at least two weeks out of the month. Also, I have noticed that I am losing a lot of hair, including my eyebrows. They are disappearing from the outer edge.
I don't feel I know enough about this medicine. Could you please send me some information?
A. Your experience of developing low (hypo-) thyroid function after treatment for excess (hyper-) thyroid is not unusual. Because the treatment you received for your original condition destroys thyroid tissue, it can take some time for the endocrinologist to work with you on establishing the correct dose of replacement hormone (Synthroid).
Let your doctor know how you are feeling. Symptoms such as depression and fatigue should be considered along with the test results. Loss of the outer third of the eyebrow suggests too little thyroid hormone.
We are sending you our guide to thyroid hormones so you can read more about symptoms of hyper- and hypothyroid conditions and their treatments. It also tells how to interpret test results. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (60 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. T-4, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, N.C. 27717-2027.
Q. Does coated aspirin work as well as regular aspirin for daily therapy? We have read that it does not.
A. Enteric coating delays the absorption of aspirin a bit, so it might not be as effective for immediate headache relief. But for heart-attack prevention, enteric-coated aspirin is just as effective as ordinary aspirin.
XIn their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 888 Seventh Ave., New York, N.Y. 10019, or e-mail them at pharmacy@mindspring.com or via their Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.org.
& copy; 2004, King Features Syndicate Inc.