Cat Hyperthyroidism & Thyroid Health

Does your kitty have any of the following symptoms: increased appetite but losing weight, high blood pressure, frequent vomiting, increased body temperature, heart and respiration rates, and/or hyperactivity?

It may be difficult for the average person to notice some of the above symptoms but if you are noticing increased appetite, loss of weight and hyperactivity, your kitty might have Feline Hyperthyroidism (FH). At this point it would be very important for you to take your kitty to your vet where they can determine with a simple blood test if in fact your kitty has FH.

Feline Hyperthyroidism Treatment

1. Conventional medical treatment with drugs.

2. Surgery.

3. Radioactive Iodine treatment.

4. Alternative therapies.

With conventional treatment there are three ways to treat Hyperthyroidism. An antithyroid drug, Methimazole (often called Tapizole) is often used. This inhibits the production of thyroid hormone. Possible side effects to using this medication are; gastrointestinal upset, decreased platelets and increased liver enzymes. With some cats an allergic reaction causing facial itching indicates that the medication need to be stopped. A disadvantage to this form of treatment is that the cat will have to be on this medication for the rest of his life. Using this medication necessitates the regular checking of blood levels to keep your cat stable.

Choosing the surgical route offers a complete cure. Make sure you choose a soft tissue surgeon who has performed this type of surgery many times. The surgeon will remove the benign tumor from the thyroid gland. 

Using radio active iodine is very effective, however there are some side effects that I would not put my cat through. Your cat has to go to a certified radioactive facility and stay there for up to ten days until the radioactivity in the body drops enough to be safe to taken home. This separation can be very stressful on the cat, plus you have subjected the cat to radioactivity. This treatment is also very expensive.

Alternative therapies such as homeopathic, eastern, western and ayurvedic remedies as well as acupuncture are very good methods of treating. These would be my first choices if the hyperthyroidism is caught early enough as they tend to be the least invasive. Vets recommend that cats over the age of ten should have their thyroid levels checked yearly.

If your cat has Feline Hyperthyroidism I would recommend that you thoroughly review all the options with your vet. Remember, you know your cat better than anyone including your vet. Choose the method of treatment that you and your cat will be comfortable with.

Reference: 

www.healthypets.mercola.com