Meet Justy R. and Digby J., two cats that were diagnosed with hyperthyroidism by Dr. Garnett of Care Animal Hospital in the last 3 months and started on a NEW FOOD, Y/D, being used to control this relatively common but life threatening disease of older cats.
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| Digby |
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| Justy |
What is hyperthyroidism? Hyperthyroidism is a disease of cats over 8 years old that is caused most of the time by a benign (non-cancerous) tumor on the thyroid gland, a bi-lobed gland that is found in the neck. Human beings can get hyperthyroidism as well (known as Grave’s disease). Dogs do not get hyperthyroidism (they actually can commonly get hypothyroidism, a low thyroid problem).
What happens to cats with hyperthyroidism? Hyperthyroid cats will usually come in to the hospital having lost a great deal of weight in the last few months. Often, they look almost like skeletons covered in fur, but are behaving quite normally. The owners will usually report that they have been eating a lot, sometimes drinking a lot, and sometimes having problems with loose stool, but the most striking sign is the amazing amount of weight they have lost.
What does a veterinarian find in examining a cat that has hyperthyroidism? Usually, on the physical exam, the veterinarian will note the extreme degree of weight loss as well as a very fast heart rate (the extra thyroid hormone is causing the heart to beat faster). Sometimes there is a heart murmur heard. Since the heart has been beating so fast for so long, it can grow thicker and the valves can have trouble closing (causing a heart murmur). Hyperthyroidism leads to heart failure in untreated cats.
What test (s) are used to diagnose hyperthyroidism? Since older cats can have other diseases that look a lot like hyperthyroidism (kidney failure, diabetes mellitus, cancer), doctors of Care Animal Hospital will recommend a full blood panel that includes a thyroid level (total T4) , a full blood panel, and a urinalysis (examination of the urine) to see how the other organs are functioning. It is important to see how the kidneys are doing, because sometimes they have been benefiting from the excess blood flow coming to them from the fast heart rate, and it’s important to know how they look (from a blood work and urinalysis point of view) before slowing the heart rate down by normalizing the thyroid hormone level.
What happens next? Once hyperthyroidism is confirmed, there are generally two options: either the cat is started on a drug called methimazole, which is given orally or through the skin on the ear flaps (transdermally) two times a day to interfere with thyroid hormone production, OR they can be started on a NEW FOOD, Y/D, that was formulated by a company known as Hills to treat hyperthyroid cats.
What is so special about this food? This food was formulated over a 10 year period in an effort to minimize the amount of iodine in the food, an important component of thyroid hormone. Most cats on this food will not receive enough iodine for the body to make excessive amounts of thyroid hormone.
Now what? Can the cat eat this food for a lifetime? Blood tests are performed on the cat after 1 and 2 months no matter which program is followed to see how the level of thyroid hormone is responding to the treatment drug or food, and to BE SURE the kidneys are still functioning well. If the kidneys show problems, the doctor will advise the next step. If the food or drug is working well for the cat, and the kidneys are doing OK with less blood flow, the cat can theoretically stay on the food or drug for the rest of his life. If the cat is one of the younger ones diagnosed, or the owners want to “cure” the problem, the cat is referred to a specialty facility (often the CSU veterinary teaching hospital) for a radioactive iodide treatment in an attempt to destroy the tumor and cure the cat. This therapy is usually quite successful and the cat won’t need drug therapy or special food anymore.
What if I need more information? The doctors of Care Animal Hospital would be happy to discuss this disease further with you, and provide handouts that go into more detail the facts about hyperthyroidism in cats.
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