Hyperthyroid cat - Problems with Methimazole
carmenwi
15 years ago
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annzgw
15 years agoRelated Discussions
Cat Hyperthyroidism
Comments (14)My 16 year old Barney was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism last spring. I had switched vets as I didn't feel confident in the one they were going to (the last physical exam she gave him was cursory at best) and they now go to a cat's only vet clinic that is just up the street from our province's veterinary college. As soon as the new vet saw Barney and felt him, she noted that he had the obvious signs of weight loss (in 2001 he was 16lbs and when she weighed him he was 12 lbs) but she also noted that he'd lost muscle tone, which apparently is a huge red flag for hyperthyroidism. He would eat his crunchy food like a pig but wasn't gaining weight, he was throwing up too, he was also very hyper - he'd tear around then stop to wash himself, tear around some more then stop to wash...see the pattern? He also has a heart murmer, but he's had the murmer for years (I think I first found out about it 10 years ago). Murmer apparently is a classic sign of hyperthyroidism. We elected for medication as well as opposed to the radioactive iodine - Barney is a very social cat and the way the vet described it, he'd go to the lab at the vet college where he'd have his treatment, be segregated for 1 to 2 weeks, then come home but would have to continue to be segregated until his radioactivity dissipated - that's just not something we could put him through. So he's on Tapazole 1/2 pill in the am and 1/4 pill in the pm. He's gotten very good about taking them, I think he knows he feels better. He's not the hyper crazy thing he once was, he's much quieter, though that could be age related. He eats and his weight is stable. He has his T4 numbers tested often - I think they are doing it again at the end of the month. He's also on a medical diet, vet only food (our other cat is in the early stages of kidney disease so they are both on vet food). Definitely a T4 test will tell you if Clancy has this condition. And at his age, if I were you I would opt for the radioactive treatment. It will be costly, I think we were looking at $1500 or something like that, but in the long run it would be better. Good luck finding a new vet. If you haven't settled on a clinic already, maybe seek out a cat's only vet. It's so nice being able to go to a vet that does nothing but cats - it's less stressfel for them for appointments and the vets are specialists in feline medicine as opposed to having to know everything about all animals. tess Here is a link that might be useful:...See MoreRAdiation for Hyperthyroid Cat
Comments (11)My cat's also a lover girl. Very love-dovey. I boarded her for the first time over Thanksgiving for 4 days. When I got her home, she clung to me like Saran Wrap for days. I felt awful. I know she thought she was abandonned. Both when she was boarded and when she had been isolated for the Radioiodine treatment, she was very quiet and scared. They told me that she was a tough cookie because she was so quiet and stoic, but, I know that she was scared and confused. Usually, she's a real blabbermouth. With that said, you have to do what's best for your cat in the long-run. He'll be confused and sad for the time he's isolated, but, after being home for a few hours, he'll forget about it. He'll be okay. Call the treatment center each day to ask about him. Also, give them a blanket or tee-shirt that smells like you (used, not washed) to put in his cage (you won't get it back, so, don't use a good one). Bring your own food (if they don't have your brand). If you give him wheatgrass at home, bring a pot of it for his cage-- a toy, too....See MoreMethimazole for hyperthyroid - my cat has had a bad reaction!
Comments (48)My vet told me that hyperthyroidism can mask kidney disease. The increased blood flow when thyroid levels are high helps the kidneys. When levels come down with medication the kidney disease shows more. Loss of appetite is also a side effect of methimazole. My 21-year-old has days where he won't eat anything but Fancy Feast. In addition to the methimazole, I'm giving him Thyroid Support Gold and Kidney Support Gold from Pet Wellbeing. Both with vet approval and he is doing pretty well given his age. It took a few month to get things on even keel....See MoreHyperthyroid in cats
Comments (15)The amount of hospitalization required depends upon the radiation regulations of each individual state. In NC it used to be 10 days, but when we got a new radiation safety officer for the state it was reduced to 3 days (and we considered that a major triumph). Downsides to methimazole/tapazol: some cats do not respond. The drugs do not cure the disease, only control the symptoms. At the prices we charge where I work, it takes about 2 years of monitoring and drug costs to equal the cost of I131. So in an older cat, if you expected him or her to live less than 2 years, monitarily it would be less expensive to go the oral route. Then again, we've treated 20 year old cats who have lived for several more years. There is the whole issue of pilling a cat twice a day for the rest of its life. If doing that would mess with a good pet-owner bond, I do not think it is worth it. Why make a cat miserable twice a day for the rest of its life? Some cats develop a bad facial puritus, causing them to literally scratch the skin off their face. There is a transdermal formula of methimazole for cats who do not like to be pilled, and it has much less of the puritus side effect, but costs much more than the pills. Getting the right dose of methimazole is an art in and of itself. The cat has to be monitored with routine thyroid panels until stabilized (usually at least one T4 about 3-4 weeks after starting methimazole) and then several times a year. If your cat is not so good for blood draws, that can be a major downside. Downsides to I131: it takes about 30 days to see a result in the T4 level. If the cat has any kidney disease at the time of treatment, it will get worse once the hyperthyroid state is removed. With methimazole, you can play with the dose to keep the cat slightly hyperthyroid and remove most of the negative effects of that disease (diarrhea, weight loss, hypertension, heart murmurs, etc) while still benefitting the kidneys. However once you nuke the thryroid, there is no going back. Some people say it's better to manage a mild form of 2 diseases; others think it's better to cure the hyperthyroidism and just manage the kidney disease like every other cat. Some vets will start a cat on methimazole and retest the kidneys a few weeks later. If nothing changes as far as kidney values, then they say it's OK to do the I131. Others jump right in with I131. You do have to discontinue the methamizole for at least 3 days before doing the I131, or the cat will be temporarily hypothyroid which as I understand it makes them feel like crap. If the cat is not medically stable at the treatment time, sometimes the stress of being in isolation even for just a couple of days can send them over the edge. Cats that do well boarding tend to be fine with the isolation. Cats that never leave home, have never boarded, tend to not do as well. It's OK for a couple of days if there isn't anything else going on- most recover just fine. But for the cat on the edge of decline already, putting them in a boarding situation for even a day can literally kill them. Make sure you use a vet that is experienced at dosing I131. While The Animal Hospital has been doing I131 for many years, there are a couple of places in the area that are not as experienced. We treat probably 200 cats/year; one clinic in the area treats maybe 10 a year. There are problems associated with both underdosing and overdosing I131 that more experienced vets can avoid. I know where I work, we end up retreating only 1-2 cats/year (0.5-1.0%). Some places have much higher retreatment rates. You get a discount for retreatment, but it ain't free because the I131 is so expensive. Spiritual gardner- I am surprised that you have a hyperthyroid dog. It is extremely rare in dogs and almost 100% due to a very malignant thyroid tumor. Most dogs do not live longer than a few months past diagnosis, even with surgery and chemotherapy. Are you sure your dog is not hypothyroid, which is very common?...See Moreritamay91710
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