Hyperthyroid cat trouble breathing (heart issues)

[dbcatperson]

I posted a while back about my cat that appeared to have heart trouble (enlarged heart). She had the blood test and is hyperthyroid. I think it was 9.5 for the T4? She recently started the ear gel and the last couple days have been so bad. she's having a hard time breathing and today won't eat much. she seems to be sitting in a hunched position? I'm not sure what to do and if this was caught too late? she was getting too upset when i tried to do her ears this morning that i'm letting her rest for now. Has anyone else had this trouble with a hyperthyroid cat and is there hope for this to reverse?

 

[LTS3]

I would call the vet today and ask for advice.

 

[neely]

She had the blood test and is hyperthyroid. I think it was 9.5 for the T4? I'm not sure what to do and if this was caught too late? she was getting too upset when i tried to do her ears this morning that i'm letting her rest for now. Has anyone else had this trouble with a hyperthyroid cat and is there hope for this to reverse?

Our cat was diagnosed with H-T last year. Fortunately they caught it on his first "senior" exam. His T-4 was 4.3 which is the high end of normal so your cat's T-4 at 9.5 is definitely elevated. May I ask, how old is your cat? Since you mentioned she is getting ear gel medication are you alternating ears and cleaning them once a day or every other day? The reason I asked is because if there is any residue build up the medication won't be absorbed properly. I'm sorry you are having a difficult time giving her the ear gel med. and that she gets upset. The ear gel medication which I'm assuming is Methimazole or another derivative unfortunately is not a cure but is more of a maintenance drug. What is the dosage she's on? It's possible the dosage is too high or not high enough. The only cure for H-T is the I-131 Radioactive Iodine treatment which has a 96% success rate. However, due to any heart related problems she may not be a candidate for this treatment. You said she appears to have an enlarged heart but was that confirmed or diagnosed from her symptoms?

Once again, I'm terribly sorry you and your cat are going through this difficult time. Please keep us posted on her progress.

 

[dbcatperson]

She's about 11 years old. I wish we caught this sooner. she was in by the vet last may for a hoarse meow and trouble breathing and then in december. I asked the vet recently if this could be a thyroid issue since she started to lose weight and she did the blood test.
She's on 2.5 mg for the ear gel twice a day. Today i was not able to get her other ear so it's the same ear two times in a row but i've been alternating and cleaning them otherwise. but it's only been a few days on the medicine. I just know she can't handle going back in after seeing how her breathing was at the vet last week. I'm not sure if this will calm down on its own or not. I can try calling by the vet to see what they say but they'll probably tell me to bring her in and that will kill her for sure.
Ya, the vet had taken x-rays in may to look at her lungs and compared that to the next two x-rays and saw her heart looked bigger. at first she was treating for heart disease but that wasn't helping so i brought up the thyroid issue.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I went back and read your previous thread - were you ever able to follow up about having an echocardiogram done to ensure your cat has an enlarged heart - and whether or not they were any signs of asthma on the results? Is she still on the heart-related meds she was previously on before you started the hyper-T meds? Hypertension is also a symptom of hyperthyroidism - did the vet ever check her blood pressure? All that said, I would call the vet and tell them what you are seeing.

A lot of vets also start with a too high of a dose of the hyper-T meds which can cause issues of their own, including weakness/lethargy, and even agitation. So, make sure the vet has prescribed the lowest dose possible to start off with - that usually means 1.25 mg twice a day, for either pill or transdermal form. And the pills can be crushed and hidden in lickable treats or baby food meat (Gerber Stage 2 or Beechnut) if that would prove easier than the transdermal form. A lower dose to start off with also enables your cat's body to adapt to the new medicine.

Heart issues can be reversed with hyper-T medications, especially if they were caused by the condition as opposed to a separate issue. But it won't happen quickly. Once your cat has been on hyper-T meds, she should have her T4 rechecked in 3-4 weeks to see how she is progressing, and then every 4 weeks for the first few months she is on the meds. The meds can be adjusted as appropriate.

 

[dbcatperson]

I'll try and post more tomorrow but i had to bring her to the hospital. She was loaded with fluid and that's why she can't breathe. they are sending the fluid out to test it. so we don't know yet if it's heart and thyroid or more going on. Just so worried about her. I'm waiting for them to call with an update. They said they're not sure if she'll make it but she did get through the drainage.

 

[neely]

Just so worried about her. I'm waiting for them to call with an update.

I'm so sorry. Thank you for posting an update. We're all rooting for her and sending special thoughts.
Get some rest and we'll keep our fingers and paws crossed for her.

 

[neely]

I'm waiting for them to call with an update. They said they're not sure if she'll make it but she did get through the drainage.

Any update on the fluid they sent out to be tested? Thinking of you and sending healing vibes to your cat.