Hyperthyroid Disease In Cats
Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM
Older cats that have been losing weight but have an increased appetite should be checked for hyperthyroidism.
Hyperthyroid disease exists when overproduction of thyroid hormone is made by the thyroid gland. It occurs mostly in older cats, with the average age of about 13. Approximately 5% of hyperthyroid cats are younger than 10.
With hyperthyroidism, at least one of the thyroid glands, located in the neck, enlarge and overproduce thyroid hormone. Usually both glands will overproduce the thyroid hormone than just one of the glands.
Because thyroid hormone affects the functioning of all of the organs, the signs for the disease can be quite variable. Some of the most common signs will include increased appetite with weight loss, increased restlessness, aggressive behavior, an elevated heart rate, increased water consumption and increased urination, vomiting, increased stool size, diarrhea, dull haircoat, difficulty breathing, and depression and weakness.
When diagnosing the disease, the first thing your Vet may do is to palpate the thyroid glands in the neck of your cat to see if the glands are enlarged. Actual diagnosis of the disease is made if thyroid hormone is found in increased levels in blood tests. Diagnosis is usually straightforward, as most cats with hyperthyroid disease will have very high levels of the hormone. But occasionally cats will have the signs of hyperthyroid disease but show normal or only slightly increased levels of thyroid hormone in the blood. When testing, thyroid hormone levels can vary over time, so it may be necessary to check blood levels several times.
One conventional treatment is with Radioactive Iodine Therapy. This may sound odd, but this is a very effective way to treat hyperthyroidism. It is given by injection and destroys all abnormal thyroid tissue without endangering other organs. Treatment requires one or two weeks of hospitalization at a veterinary hospital licensed to administer radiation therapy. This treatment is often limited to veterinary teaching institutions because of governmental regulations regarding radioactive materials. Sometimes, but not always, the expense can be greater than for the other options.
A second traditional treatment is with Oral Medication. Administration of an oral drug, methimazole, can control the effects of the overactive thyroid gland. Some cats have reactions to the drug (approximately 20%). However, the side-effects may begin as late as six months after the beginning of treatment and can include vomiting, lethargy, anorexia, fever, and anemia. Methimazole does not destroy the abnormal thyroid tissue but rather prevents the production of excess thyroid hormone. Therefore, the drug must be given for the remainder of the cat's life. Periodic blood tests must be done to keep the dosage regulated. This type of treatment is appropriate for the cat who is a poor surgical risk due to other health problems or is exceptionally old. It may also be used for a few weeks to stabilize the cat who is at increased surgical risk because of cardiac complications.
Thyroidectomy is another conventional treatment. This treatment is performing surgery to remove the affected tissue. The drawback of surgery is that recurrence of hyperthyroidism is a possibility. The disease will show up again if any abnormal thyroid cells remain in the cat. Remaining cells may grow causing recurrence of the disease. Recurrence is generally less than 5%, and usually this does not appear until 2-4 years after surgery. Additional recurrence possibility would be if at the time of treatment one lobe of the gland was normal and so was not removed; then months or years later it became abnormal.
One alternative treatment would be with Bugleweed (Lycopus Europeus) and Melissa (Melissa Officinalis). These are two herbs that have been used in combination to combat the effects of hyperthyroid disease. Bugleweed has been shown to decrease thyroid hormone levels in rats 24 hours after administration. The standard dose is 1 drop per lb of body weight of the tinctures given twice daily.
An additional alternative treatment is with Carnitine, an amino acid health supplement. Carnitine is normally synthesized within the body, primarily in the liver and kidneys, from the amino acids lysine or methionine. When given as a nutritional supplement, Carnitine has been found to be quite effective in reversing signs of hyperthyroidism in people. Starting cat dose of the supplement is 250 mg per day.
Hyperthyroid disease in cats is a very serious disease. It is a very common endocrine disorder. About 2% of all cats greater than the age of 10 will contract hyperthyroidism. However, the disease is relatively easy to diagnose and correctly administered treatment has a quite high success rate. Cats who have been treated for the disease are able to lead healthy, normal lives.
Looking for http://veterinarysecretsrevealed.com/ natural cat health solutions? Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM is a practicing Veterinarian who has a special interest in http://veterinarysecretsrevealed.com/ holistic, natural remedies for pets.
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