Is your cat losing weight despite a good appetite? It might be suffering from hyperthyrosis. Our guide will tell you what you need to know about hyperthyroidism in cats.
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Cats with hyperthyroidism often need lifelong medication to manage their thyroid levels and maintain overall health
The thyroid hormones affect important cell functions, so hyperthyroidism in cats impacts a variety of organs, leading to a variable clinical picture.
Hyperthyroidism in cats often manifests in the following symptoms:
Sometimes you may also observe behavioural changes in your cat, such as sudden aggression or fear. If the illness affects the gastrointestinal tract, symptoms like diarrhoea or vomiting may occur.
Without treatment, a cat with thyroid disease will gradually reach the end-stage of the illness. The hormones negatively affect the heart, causing blood pressure to rise. This elevated blood pressure then damages other organs such as the kidneys or eyes.
After an initial clinical examination, your vet can use various diagnostic tools to detect hyperthyroidism in cats:
Veterinary medicine distinguishes between reversible and non-reversible treatments.
This treatment includes medicinal treatment with thyreostatics. Drugs like carbimazole, methimazole, or thiamazole inhibit the production of T4 and T3 hormones. If you stop methimazole medication, the thyroid begins to over-produce again.
Therefore, it’s a lifelong therapy. It’s also important to regularly check your cat’s thyroid levels (about every three months). Only then can your vet adjust the dosage individually and reduce side effects if possible.
Additionally, or as an alternative to other treatments, you can change your cat’s diet. The exclusive feeding of iodine-reduced cat food regulates the concentration of elevated serum-T4. Your vet will inform you about which dietetic feeds are suitable for your cat.
Note: Choosing an appropriate dietetic feed can support your cat’s natural bodily functions. Please note, however, that dietetic feed cannot cure or prevent diseases. You should always discuss your cat’s diet with your vet. You can find special dietetic feeds in the zooplus online shop.
Non-reversible measures are considered when reversible steps no longer work. The gold standard is radioiodine therapy. Here, radioactive labelled iodine injected into the veins or under the skin destroys the abnormally changed gland tissue. In most cases, one application is enough.
A second possibility is thyroidectomy, which is the surgical removal of the entire thyroid gland.
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The permanent medicinal therapy incurs ongoing costs. You can expect to spend about £35 on the necessary tablets. Additional costs for veterinary examinations will occur. The cost of surgical removal of the thyroid or radioiodine treatment varies between £3,000 and £4,000. However, factors such as the weight of your cat (for calculating the dose of necessary drugs) can individually influence the costs.
Hyperthyroidism (hyperthyrosis) occurs when your cat’s thyroid gland releases too many thyroid hormones. This important gland is located left and right of the trachea in your cat’s neck. The best-known thyroid hormones include thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).
Most commonly, pathological changes in the thyroid tissue are responsible for hyperthyroidism in cats. These include, for example, hormone-producing tumours of one or both thyroid lobes. The majority of cats with cancer have a benign adenoma. Less frequently, cats suffer from an aggressive T4-producing carcinoma.
Some affected cats suffer from adenomatous hyperplasia. Here, the tissue of the thyroid gland multiplies, causing the gland to produce more hormones. Scientists have not yet fully clarified what leads to the development of hyperthyrosis in cats. The following factors, however, are suspected of potentially increasing the risk of disease:
The prognosis for hyperthyroidism in cats is generally good. However, if your cat suffers from severe accompanying diseases (e.g. chronic kidney disease)), these can limit the life expectancy. If you do not treat your cat, it must be assumed that it will gradually reach the end-stage and lose life force.
Since most cats with hyperthyroidism have a benign thyroid tumour, these animals can look forward to a normal cat life without further restrictions after successful treatment.
Unfortunately, you cannot prevent the hormonal disease. However, by following these tips, you can support your cat’s overall health:
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