OK

[firecat]

So who knows about hyperthyroidism in cats?

Comments

[femmediva.livejournal.com]

*raises hand*

I do. What's going on?

[mittelbar.livejournal.com]

Oh, dear.

[firecat]

Our new cat has it. Our vet is very thorough about explaining the treatment options and costs, but I just would like to hear from some other folks who know things.

[femmediva.livejournal.com]

Well, I've taken care of many cats who have it, and my own cat had it in 2000. We went the radioactive iodine route, because of it's effectiveness, low cost (in the long run compared to twice-daily meds), and as it turned out he was allergic to Tapazole anyhow.

Most of my clients go the Tapazole route, though. I'm really happy with the iodine treatment, and everyone that I know who has done that has been happy with it too. You probably already know the downsides: high upfront cost being one of them, the fact that the cat has to remain isolated for several days being another. Getting past the idea of radiation might be another thing. Other than that, though, the place I took him to guarantees a 100% cure rate, and will do it again if the treatment isn't successful.
The aftercare was pretty easy... you need to use flushable litter for several days afterwards, but that's it. I would certainly choose it over surgery.

If you have any other questions... feel free to send me an email :-)

[firecat]

Many thanks! Email sent...

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Uh-oh. Wishing a healthy kitty.

[lcohen]

not me but i'm learning about hypothyroidism in dogs here.

many wishes for a healthy isis.

oh dear

[kyubi.livejournal.com]

...and here I'd just been saying her coat seemed too healthy for her to have thyroid problems. Guess it's not an invariable indicator. *grimace*

From the browsing (http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/health/hyperthyroidism.html) I've been doing, kidney function seems to be a pretty important consideration in weighing treatment options.

Hugs to you, OH, and Isis...

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

We went the iodine route also (firecat, I highly recommend the oncology center in Pacifica) and were very pleased with it. Princess had a few other major complications, so she didn't get to go home immediately after treatment. Still, it all worked out immensely well.

[firecat]

Thanks! What complications were there, if I may ask?

Re: oh dear

[firecat]

Thanks for the very helpful link. Her kidney lab values are OK, but I guess treating the thyroid can unmask kidney damage.

I can see where the coat might likely indicate low thyroid, but I guess it doesn't necessarily indicate high thyroid.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Sorry I'm so late getting back to you with this!

Princess also had, at that same time, a massive kidney infection AND some other kind of cancer which had grown a tumor that expanded so dramatically that it choked off its own blood supply and died. So that was necrotic, in there. Her weight had dropped frighteningly by the time she was fully diagnosed; she went in for treatment at four and a quarter pounds. The other factor not weighing in her favor was age: nineteen and a half.

All this had happened pretty quickly (the tumor especially), and my vet seemed to throw up her hands. She gently reminded me that euthanasia was a possibility. But I wangled a recommendation out of her, and took Princess to the place in Pacifica.

There she got a course of studly antibiotics, then the iodine treatment, then surgery to remove the half-golf-ball-sized lump. She came through like a champ. Of course, she didn't look like a blue ribbon winner when I picked her up -- still way too skinny, shaved from her chin to her fore-ankles, full of stitches, and with some of the rest of her hair falling out. But she went on to live two more years, which is pretty good considering her already advanced age!

[firecat]

Thanks for letting me know what happened! Wow. I didn't realize they did treatments other than the radioactive iodine. Sounds like they did a great job. I'm definitely going to call them. (Especially since my vet also recommends them specifically.)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

They specialize in cancer, so I suspect they do a fair amount of surgery as well as radiation treatment. The kidney infection was a bonus, I guess! Yes, they did a TERRIFIC job. I'd recommend them any day.

Good luck to your kitty and to you!