Hyperthyroidism

[Freddieandchip]

My 15 year old cat was just diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, my vet is sending over options for treatment but I was just wondering if anyone has any tips as far as food and things go. I noticed that he was extremely hungry, he was trying to steal food while I was cooking and hissing and growling when I stopped him and that wasn’t something he’s ever done before so I took him to the vet. Since I noticed the increased hunger I’ve doubled his portions of food.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. The food option (iodine restricted diet) does work for some, but a lot of cats won't eat it, and those who do tend to reject it after a while. Your best bet for now is to consider medicine - generally known as Methimazole, it also comes in a transdermal form to place on the inside of a cat's ear if you don't want to administer pills. What is his T-4 level?

You also have to be careful when the vet prescribes the medicine as they tend to go overboard with a too high dosage - it is better to start out low and have your cat's levels checked 3-4 weeks into giving the meds, adjust the dosage if needed, and recheck again in another 4 weeks. The rechecks could take a few times to find the right balance of medicine. The standard rule of thumb is to give your cat no more than 1.25 mg of methimazole (or Felimazole - specifically manufactured for cats) twice a day.

If your cat is in otherwise good health, and his T-4 is stabilized with the meds, you can look into radio-iodine treatment which is an actual cure to the ailment. The food or meds are not cures but can maintain good thyroid levels for the rest of your cat's life.

If you haven't read up on this condition, this might be a good place to start.
Hyperthyroidism in Cats: Symptoms and Treatment | PetMD

 

[tyleete]

I've got one that was diagnosed the same back in January. We're still trying to get his numbers better and used been on meds since then.
Did yours lose weight? Cause mine went from about 11lbs down to 7. I've only just gotten him up to 8lbs. No matter how much I feed him, it's so slow going. I was told it's because his body can't process the nutrients correctly. So essentially it's all just going right through him. It seems slow going for the medicine too. He has to be on the new dosage for a month before being able to get a blood test to see the numbers. Again.
Since under weight, his doc says to feed him as often/much as he wants. He literally eats for two.
Mine can still act semi feral (he was a feral we took in from outside), so for his medicine, I either drop it in his wet food or hide it in soft cat treats. He's always starving and inhaled them without noticing.

 

[Freddieandchip]

I've got one that was diagnosed the same back in January. We're still trying to get his numbers better and used been on meds since then.
Did yours lose weight? Cause mine went from about 11lbs down to 7. I've only just gotten him up to 8lbs. No matter how much I feed him, it's so slow going. I was told it's because his body can't process the nutrients correctly. So essentially it's all just going right through him. It seems slow going for the medicine too. He has to be on the new dosage for a month before being able to get a blood test to see the numbers. Again.
Since under weight, his doc says to feed him as often/much as he wants. He literally eats for two.
Mine can still act semi feral (he was a feral we took in from outside), so for his medicine, I either drop it in his wet food or hide it in soft cat treats. He's always starving and inhaled them without noticing.

Yeah, he had been slowly losing weight for a while and I didn’t think a anything because he was still acting normal and looked healthy, I just thought he was starting to look his age. But the last few weeks his hunger significantly increased and he seemed like he was in a bad mood and I started thinking it was hyperthyroidism. His vet said he’s still a healthy weight for his age but up until this year he was just a lot more filled out. I did increase his food intake just because I don’t want him to lose too much weight.

 

[Freddieandchip]

Hi. The food option (iodine restricted diet) does work for some, but a lot of cats won't eat it, and those who do tend to reject it after a while. Your best bet for now is to consider medicine - generally known as Methimazole, it also comes in a transdermal form to place on the inside of a cat's ear if you don't want to administer pills. What is his T-4 level?

You also have to be careful when the vet prescribes the medicine as they tend to go overboard with a too high dosage - it is better to start out low and have your cat's levels checked 3-4 weeks into giving the meds, adjust the dosage if needed, and recheck again in another 4 weeks. The rechecks could take a few times to find the right balance of medicine. The standard rule of thumb is to give your cat no more than 1.25 mg of methimazole (or Felimazole - specifically manufactured for cats) twice a day.

If your cat is in otherwise good health, and his T-4 is stabilized with the meds, you can look into radio-iodine treatment which is an actual cure to the ailment. The food or meds are not cures but can maintain good thyroid levels for the rest of your cat's life.

If you haven't read up on this condition, this might be a good place to start.
Hyperthyroidism in Cats: Symptoms and Treatment | PetMD

Thank you! I’ll definitely read up on it. My vet recommended the iodine treatment which I can’t afford right now but I just started a new job so I’m hoping to do that for him in a few months if it’s still an option and treat it with medication for now. I’m just so nervous about the separation period but it seems like a really good option. I know older cats have a lot of kidney issues so I’d rather not speed up any potential issues with his kidneys by keeping him on meds

 

[neely]

What is his T-4 level?

I'm sorry if I missed it but what was his T-4 level? The reason I asked is because our cat was diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism last year. We started him on the transdermal form of Methimazole but eventually arranged for him to have the I-131 radioactive iodine treatment since our vet felt he was an excellent candidate. Like you, we had to save up for it but I'm so glad we did it. Should you decided to go that route please feel free to ask me any questions.

There are many threads about H-T in cats but I thought I'd mention just a few for your reference:
Hyperthyroid cat,methimazole and I131 treatment
My cat's hyperthyroidism is successfully treated with a low-iodine diet.
Please share your Methimazole experience..
New dx of hyperthyroid- can vomiting be the only symptom?

 

[dawn harvey]

I am currently going through big issues with my cat that was diagnosed about 3 weeks ago. The vet put her on .5 ml of the liquid or 2.5 of the pill 2x per day. She did good until about day 16 and she's been vomiting ( even water), hiding, not eating and I am worried sick. I called them today after doing research on that medication and finding out the they can exhibit side effects for up to 3 mos and she has most of them. I am thinking she's on too high a dose, but I know this vet will be difficult to deal with. He doesn't believe it's from the medication, but I've read enough about it that I do believe it is. I didn't give her tonight's dose hoping she'll be able to eat and drink without throwing up. I read in another thread on here that sometimes it's a good idea to stop the meds and sort of like reset them to start over with a new dose. Anyone hear of that? Well either way she definitely need a break from that medication. She was miserable. It has even changed her personality. Very hard to see her like this. She has always been such a loving, sweet girl.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I am thinking she's on too high a dose, but I know this vet will be difficult to deal with. He doesn't believe it's from the medication, but I've read enough about it that I do believe it is. I didn't give her tonight's dose hoping she'll be able to eat and drink without throwing up. I read in another thread on here that sometimes it's a good idea to stop the meds and sort of like reset them to start over with a new dose. Anyone hear of that? Well either way she definitely need a break from that medication. She was miserable. It has even changed her personality. Very hard to see her like this. She has always been such a loving, sweet girl.

What was her T-4 level when tested? Yes, there is a very good chance the dose is too high. And, also, yes stopping and restarting can sometimes be the answer. However, you need to find a way to get your vet on board.

The other thing to consider is giving her the transdermal form as that helps with avoiding gastrointestinal issues.

 

[SundaesPerson]

My 14-year-old girl was diagnosed HT in March. We first tried the compounded chewable treats andi it caused bad GI side effects for her. We switched to the transdermal formula a few days after her GI episode and haven't had any issues since.

She has gained back the weight she lost and is doing really well.

 

[Furballsmom]

It depends a whole lot on the condition of the rest of the cat. My Poppycat has liver issues and so the methimazole is out, and we're not doing the surgery.

Hyperthyroidism in Cats | VCA Animal Hospital.

He won't eat the canned prescription food on his own, although he does like the thyroid kibble food, so I'm handfeeding him several times daily.

I know this vet will be difficult to deal with.

Can you find a different vet? Get your cats records or have them sent over.

Find a Veterinarian and Practice | The Cat Community

 

[Kflowers]

Go in person to pick up your cat's records from the current won't listen vet. If you just have them sent, some vets only send a list of vaccinations NOTHING else. You have a legal right to every single word written in your cat's records, every single one. You may have to stand there and wait as the staff photocopies the charts, but it is worth the effort to get the information you own and your cat deserves and your next vet needs.

If you can't get the copies of the chart, that's all the more reason to change vets. Even without the chart, your new vet will be able to help your cat.

 

[fionasmom]

Information within veterinary medical records is considered privileged and confidential. It must not be released except by court order or consent of the owner of the patient. Veterinarians are obligated to provide copies or summaries of medical records when requested by the client.

From the AVMA website. The last sentence applies to the owner. In CA, xrays and other imaging might be the property of the facility, but still have to be forwarded if requested to another vet.