An Exciting New Treatment for Feline Hyperthyroidism

Is your older cat losing weight and still eating well? If so he or she may be suffering from a condition called feline hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is the most common hormonal condition in cats1.

As they age many cats develop noncancerous growths in their thyroid glands that cause them to enlarge and over produce thyroid hormone (T4). The increased T4 causes a marked amplification in their metabolic rate which leads to the most common clinical sign, weight loss with a voracious appetite. Another common clinical sign of this condition is a change in vocalization. Your cat that once may have seemed relatively quite may now be meowing incessantly.

If you see any of these changes in your cat you should make an appointment to see your veterinarian right way. He or she will need to do a physical exam and blood testing in order to determine whether your cat is suffering from this common ailment.

If your feline friend is hyperthyroid there are a number of treatment options available to you.

One of the most common treatments is with a drug borrowed from human medicine called methimazole. Methimazole is usually given orally and acts by blocking the production of T4. Methimazole has been highly effective, and I have controlled many hyperthyroid cats on this medication for years.

Surgery to remove a thyroid gland can be preformed to cure this disease. Surgery is very effective, but there are possible complications, so discuss these with your veterinarian before choosing this treatment alternative.

Radioactive iodine has become popular because this management option can also cure your pet. The goal of radioactive iodine therapy is to administer sufficient levels of the isotope to destroy enough tissue to bring T4 production into the normal range. This treatment isn’t offered by most veterinary clinics and your cat will need to be referred to a clinic that has the special facilities needed.

A new and exciting choice for hyperthyroid cats is therapy with a newly developed food called Y/D, developed by the Hills pet food company. Y/D is restricted in Iodine which is one of the building blocks of T4. Studies document that eight to twelve weeks after feeding Y/D as the only diet, T4 levels in the tested cats were within normal limits. Y/D is so new that I have not had the opportunity to try it on my patients, but I am very excited about the possibilities. It would be a drug free and in the long run much less expensive way to manage these patients.

Thankfully, there are many treatment choices for hyperthyroid cats. Make sure you discuss all of them with your veterinarian to determine which is right for your cat.

1. http://www.avmi.net/newfiles/hyperthyroidism/hyperthyroidism.html


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