Prior Lake American - Hyperthyroidism in cats? - Comments

Thank you for sharing your

Lori Carlson — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:41:50 -0600

Thank you for sharing your story about your cat (he had a great name, too!).

That's interesting that both cats lived to about the same age. I'd be interested to hear how the cats' health was during those last few years. What I've heard about the medication route is that cats often have a hard time with the meds and that the vets sometimes have a hard time getting the right dosage to keep the disease at bay.

I chose the radioactive treatment because A) it's a total cure for hyperthyroidism and therefore there's no need for a lifetime of medication; B) When calculating medication/testing costs over a period of two or three years, those costs were actually higher than the $1,200 radioactive treatment; and C) I didn't want to give my cat a pill twice a day for the rest of his life!

It's hard to see our pets decline in health. It's inevitable. They don't live forever. But I believe that we should do what we can to ensure our pets live out their lives in the healthiest way possible. That does not mean I think we should try to extend our animals' lives and allow them to suffer in the process just for our own selfish reasons! But it was hard to pass up a total cure in this case, knowing that Bailey has no other health problems at this time and is only about middle-aged for a cat!

KRaM My dear,sweet sable

frogsong — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:20:21 -0600

KRaM

My dear,sweet sable Burmese feline friend developed hyperthyroid disease at the same time my friend's cat did. Both cats were 12 when it was diagnosed. My friend went the radiation treatment route and I chose the twice a day pill route. Her cat died at 14 1/2 and my Dr. Who left this world at 15. He had lost half of his normal 10 weight and could not digest anything.

I didn't regret not having the radiation treatment because I didn't have the money, and as it turned out both of our kitties had about the same quality and quantity of time.

I guess we must just accept that our pets grow old with us but at a faster rate and that old age maladies and death are a part of life.

I still miss Dr. Who but now I have my 13 pound wire-haired Dachshund/terrier who gives me lots of joy and helps keep me feeling less old.

The "nuclear" vet has

Lori Carlson — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:01:59 -0600

The "nuclear" vet has assured me my cat will not glow in the dark after this treatment, which is nice to know.

I think we're going to go this route. I've researched it quite a bit, including talking to three different vets and other cat owners who've done it, and I honestly cannot find a single negative comment about the treatment. It appears to be a miracle cure that has no short- or long-term side effects.

Hard to believe, I know!

They bring them in, have them swallow a capsule, keep an eye on them, feed them, give them water, put on some music for them, and keep them in "lockdown" with other hyperthyroid cats for about 10 days (mostly to appease the federal requirements). Sounds kind of like a sci-fi movie to me.

The reason they have to be "irradiated" for some time in the hospital, apparently, has more to do with federal regulations than with any serious concern about radiation exposure. It's a pretty small dose the cat is given, and the thyroid tumor (benign) is the only thing that absorbs the radiation. And the vet who does this procedure here in the Twin Cities told me that even if you "wore your cat like a hat" constantly, your exposure still would only be similar to that of dental X-rays. Despite that, I won't be able to go and visit while he's in the hospital because of the regulations.

So Bailey is going to pay a visit to the sci-fi nuclear vet tonight. I'll probably freak out when I see the "danger: radiation" signs, but I feel confident he will be in good hands, and hopefully within a month we'll have a happier, healthier cat.

Maybe when you get done

Ruth Anne Maddox — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 16:08:15 -0600

Maybe when you get done with treatment, you'll have one of those glow-in-the-dark cats that are being cloned in South Korea.

My dad had hyperthyroidism or some such thryoid disorder many years ago (before I was born) and, from what I'm told, he spent nearly two years in and out of the hospital before getting it under control. He now has a scar across the base of his neck, which he'll tell anyone who asks how he got it that my mom tried to cut his head off.

But back to the cat -- my sister took her cat for acupuncture treatments to help cure a variety of ailments over the years. At least then you won't have to worry about forcing pills down his throat or donning a lead vest to clean the litterbox.

Hyperthyroidism in cats?

Lori Carlson — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 10:43:45 -0600

My 11-year-old cat, Bailey, has been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. He's been my best little fur buddy for all 11 of his years, so I want to do what I can to ensure he remains healthy.

This apparently is the most common feline disease, even more common than diabetes. Do you have a cat with hyperthyroidism? If so, what did you do to treat the cat?