Feline Hyperthyroidism.

Feline Hyperthyroidism.

 

This occurs in cats from about 9 years on. The commonest complaint that owners notice sign is weight loss with an excellent appetite. Frequently it is mistakenly felt by owners to just be old age and they do not feel any need to get their veterinarian to check this out. This is obviously a mistake and is an example of why all cats need annual examinations by your veterinarian.

            There are other signs that we see with these cats but not every cat will show them. Usually we can feel an enlarged thyroid gland in the neck area and this sign combined with owner’s observations will make diagnosis easier. A simple blood test will show elevation in Thyroid levels. If left untreated then the high thyroid levels will especially damage the heart, liver  and kidneys while causing continued weight loss and hyperactivity with an unkempt look to your cat.  Medication is then used to control the progression of this disease. Some cats will not tolerate the drug, or it may be too hard to orally administer the drug. If that is the case then other forms of treatment are surgery (a good option) or radioactive Iodine (a very good option). Whichever way you choose it is always better than allowing the problem to progress. Follow up blood tests are recommended whichever treatment is chosen.

            The cause of the enlargement is a proliferation of the thyroid tissue and this is not a cancer (only 2% of are cancers). The cause is unknown as yet. Siamese and Himalayan cats seem to have a very low incidence of this problem as do outside cats. It will be fascinating to eventually learn what has caused this problem.

            Remember this is why we recommend annual visits for your younger pets and biannual visits  for the older ones.