Bo is hyperthyroid :-(

[boscibo]

When it rains, it pours. My dog Bandit (13 y/o) was diagnosed with diabetes this spring, now Bo (13 y/o) has been diagnosed hyperthyroid. The downfalls of pets being older, I guess.

So my three options are - Oral meds twice a day, surgery, and radioactive treatment. I have done a bit of searching on the web and I'll probably give the pills a go. Surgery is risky at his age, and radioactive therapy requires a quarantine, and is very expensive.

Anyone have a hyperthyroid cat? How are you treating it?

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Cataholic's Tex has hyperthyroidism also. I believe she's been doing like you and giving the pills. She did look extensively into the radiation and decided against it at the time, but I don't remember the reasoning. Maybe you can PM her and ask more detailed questions. I know she'll be glad to help.

[catlady1945]

Our Patty was given pills. She passed on recently at nearly age 20. I think she lasted an extra couple of years. She was quite thin so we felt pills were best.

[boscibo]

Thanks! I got the pills, but haven't given him any yet. I'll probably start them tomorrow morning with his breakfast.

I'd love to get the radioiodine treatment, but for one thing it's $900 (for one shot!) that I don't have right now , but the really bad part is they make the cat stay for up to a week at the facility that does it (not my local vet's, they have to be sent to a special place that does this treatment) because the cat is actually radioactive after the treatment. It would be so hard for all of us (me, my SO, Bo) to be separated so long. I'd be a total worry wart.

[jenluckenbach]

Best of luck with Bo.

[Grace]

Originally posted by boscibo
ve.

Anyone have a hyperthyroid cat? How are you treating it?

We had two. NellyJane was about 14 when she was diagnosed - her age was the deciding factor in treatment. We simply would not send her away for two weeks. So she was on the medication until she died at 17 from a tumor on her lung. We gave her a liquid, though, not the pills.

Bernadette was 13 when she was diagnosed. Again, due to her age, we opted for the pills. Unfortunately, she only lasted about 7 months - she had a couple of other health problems.

If the cat was younger, say 8 or 9, I would do the radioactive treatment.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm sorry to hear that Bo has hyperthyroidism. I sure hope that the pills will help him. Good luck and please keep us updated.

[boscibo]

First day with the pill went well. I crushed it with my pill crusher and put it inhis canned food this AM - he ate it right up! Whew. I hope all the pills go this easy.

Thanks for all the well wishes. I know this can be managed, that is the good news.

[smokey the elder]

Cats with chronic conditions often learn to accept their medicine. We had a foster who had hyperthyroid, and all the volunteers were able to pill her no problem. I think the choice of treatment depends on the cat's age, and the purrent's pocketbook and willingness to have the cat in quarantine, etc.

I wonder why the cat needs to be isolated like that. I had I131 and only couldn't kiss, etc. my mate for a week. Maybe it's because cats lick each other.

[boscibo]

From what I read about radioiodine, it is successful even in older cats. Cats from 17-20 have been cured.

They keep the cats a longer time because even their eliminations are radioactive. I remember something about this from my Environmental science class this spring. We were studying landfill regulations and radioactive wastes need to be disposed of in a special (and expensive) way. Normal trash can be landfilled for $90 a ton, hazardous and radioactive wastes can cost over $5000 a ton. In one case we read of, a normal landfill had some high radiation readings and they traced it back to radioactive cat litter!

So the cat has to stay in quarantine until after the radioactive waste has passed through urine and feces, and even after that they urge caution. A special flushable litter is needed for a week after the cat returns from quarantine (I don't know why flushable radioactive poop is OK), pregnant women and children should have no contact with the cat for a week or two, and even normal contact should be limited to ten minutes out of each 24 hour period.

Bo sleeps on my pillow every night; I don't know if I could handle the quarantine or the ignoring him after he returned home. But that would completely cure his hyperthyroidism, and since he's only 14 it could even be less expensive in the long run, figuring he will live until age 20 or beyond. (I hope!)