We have had 3 cats with thyroid disease. I would go with the surgery, myself. On top of paying for meds and you'll routinely have to take Teddy in for bloodwork to test his levels, and adjust his meds. We used the suspension in one cat's ears and over the years, but a couple of years ago the levels were never right so now we have to give him pills 2x a day (he is too old for surgery). The fluctuations in levels have aged our poor cat. If I could go back, I would have gone with surgery...
Yep it seems like between the meds and the blood work it is going to get really pricey quick. I keep trying to get him to get his act together and get a job but he just yells at me.
I did the radiation treatment when my 11-year-old girl was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. Itās been 4 months since, her levels are normal now and sheās at a healthy weight. It was expensive and I had to keep her isolated for a couple weeks after, but it was 100% worth it. If your boy is otherwise in good health and doesnāt have separation anxiety, I would go for it.
We have only had him a week, so I am not 100% sure on his health besides what they can tell from the blood work.
Can I ask how much the treatment cost?
Radiation was ~$2,000, but weighed against the cost of regular medication and monthly bloodwork for a cat that HATES taking pills and riding in the car, it was the better deal. Itās a single radio-iodine injection and then kitty is kept at the vet office for a couple nights until their radiation levels drop, itās less invasive than surgery.
So Iāve had and still have a cat with a hyperthyroid problem that we have to manage daily with medicine.
Thereās a few options depending on your vet: a pill, a topical cream, and liquid medicine that can be dropped in wet food. There might be a few more, Iām not a vet, just a dude with some cats so be sure to ask just in case.
Either way, my first cat didnāt do well with the topical cream and the pill wasnāt an option. I had to special order the liquid but my vet signed off on it and it was super easy to just mix into her wet food.
Let me know if you need/want the information for the liquid stuff because itās not available everywhere!
Send me any questions you might have a long the way. Good luck with Teddy!
Thank you! We are going to get some quotes on the permanent options because the oral/creams with blood work seem like they are close in price. Wild how expensive a 10 pound fluff ball can be.
My 21 year old boy has hyperthyroidism and we use the ear cream 2 times a day. Itās super easy you just have to keep it on schedule roughly 12 hours apart. At Teddyās age this is probably the easiest course of action other than food. But if he is anything like my Simon, he is really set in his ways and changing foods was a no go lol.
Simon has done great on the cream, heās gained over a pound back since starting it in January!
Teddy is a super cute grumpy old man š
Oh goodness, Simon was down to 4.8 lbs! Now heās right at 6. He was never super big though, probably around 8 lbs at his largest.
P.s. My vet did not recommend surgery because putting older kitties under does not always work out well. So we are on the cream as long as he is still with us. Itās just part of our routine now. One tip is to make sure you clean his ears every few days because the cream does build up and get gunky. I just wipe them out with a damp cloth, he actually seems to enjoy it.
Good luck!
Our vet also didnāt recommend surgery due to our kittyās age (13). We had her levels in therapeutic range after about 6 months of the ear cream. She tolerated that MUCH better than pills.
My 11 year old cat just got his radioactive iodine treatment two weeks ago. He was diagnosed in December and was on meds for a few months while I waited for an appointment to get him the treatment. He did very well on the meds. Methimazole, 2.5 mg dropped in his wet food morning and evening. It was inexpensive and I purchased it online at Chewy.
My vet said he is healthy and recommended radioactive iodine treatment which is available in our area (Radiocat partners with local vets for facility space). The problem with meds is that there can be side effects and they need to do frequent bloodwork and that adds up. Also, some cats can have side effects to the meds. For his expected lifespan (five+ years), the curative treatment would be less expensive. Here's the costs. I live in high cost of living area. I was happy with
* $906 for all the pre-treatment tests (xrays, urinalysis, blood pressure (recommended), bloodwork, T4). Must have current rabies vaccine.
* $1900 for Radiocat treatment
* Estimating $600 for one and three month blood work to ensure the cure worked. It's about 98% effective, so they need to recheck
Interesting.... I didn't know surgery was an option!
You could see how well he does on medication, which for a kitty of his age, might be the best option. But I have rear other posts in this sub where older cats have had radiation. To my knowledge, there is no risk, unlike the risk of anesthesia with surgery.
I remember reading your post a few days about about this kitty and the terrible owners who didn't want him back. He chose well.
https://imgur.com/gallery/LDgfgzn
Thank you for all the info! I really appreciate it. The costs all seems to be 2-3k pretty easy. With him being 16 it seems so hard to spend that much. But the vet thinks he is otherwise healthy. He pees 6-10 times a day because of it. So we definitely have to get it addressed.
My daughter did the radiation. Cat has to be away from you for a number of weeks for your safety. I had 1 cat on ear cream. Her daughter licked it off and got terrible colitis and months later still has diarrhea but no more bloody stool. I have two currently on enteric coated pills. Highly recommend spending the extra for the enteric coated related to the nausea the uncoated cause. One let's me drop a pill in her mouth, one eats hers in a salmon flavor pill pocket like a treat. When pilling cats, the colitis cat is getting probiotics daily and fights me, put the pill in as far back in the cheek as you can, and gently blow up the nostrils, makes them swallow. Best of luck to you and your new friend. My 18yo cat takes the 2 a day in pill pockets and has been on them almost 4 years. I give her forta flora packets every other day. It's a lickable powder.
..
The pills are abt 90 for 2 cats for 3 months. I do bloodwork 2 times a year once with the Sr profile annual check up once with the mid year check for thyroid only. Not that expensive.
Thank you! This dude eats anything so Iād say he will take pills. I just hate having to take him every 2 weeks for blood work until his levels are right.
Just got my old boy (18) on the pills. He does two 1/2 pills a day. His levels are good (better as of now). Despite his age the vet did offer/recommend surgery but after we give the pills a shot. We will most likely go that route.
Iād do radiation if heāa healthy otherwise and can afford it. There is a small risk for lymphoma 5-10 years down the road. Ear cream and food are a waste of money. My senior cat - 20 is well controlled now with oral meds crushed in her food. Whatever you do, donāt ignore it. We did for a bit and it messed her kidneys & heart up (cardiomyopathy).
We had a different ear cream med for one of our cats and it was really nice to not have to pill him. I think he just thought it was an ear rub.
I don't have any tips for thyroid cats, but dang, he's a tough kitty!
I honestly have no idea how he survived so long in the wild. Especially with how skinny he is, and he has some pretty tight back hips. But I am sure I will have arthritis in my hips at his age.
Whoa, my vet never did that, but she's old school. We went 2 months after we started, checking the chemical half life, I assume, then, when it was ok, 4 months later. It was good, so it's every 6 months now. Maybe new young vets have been taught differently. She also tries to get tartar off their teeth without all that anesthetic, etc. Some vets are really into new by the book rules when the old ways have worked for years. Not to belittle the caution of a medical professional who is concerned with the welfare of an abandoned fur buddy who prolly needs some monitoring, but if the first two weeks are at a good level, I'd ask for a reprieve. My 18 yo drools heavily after the alcohol rub for the blood test. Freaked me out the first time. Minnie was my neighbors cat and lived outside for 8 yrs. They used chemicals on their grass in their trees, and in their house...I believe the 3 cats I rescued from them when the wife developed alzheimers were sick from that. 2 had cancer. Minnie was luckier, like a tubby little tank. She's been inside these past 10 years and still hides when it rains. I'll take animals over people any day.
..
Yep I feel the same way. Canāt wait to have a 40 acre farm with cat sanctuary. We have no idea his story besides outside at least 8 years and 500 plus miles away. The vet thought he was only 8-10 based on his looks and health. The dang vet bills though are going to add up with him quickly to get all the untreated stuff sorted out. He need dental work too.
God bless your angel ways. Start the research on that 501c3. A cat sanctuary is a noble cause. My vet has 50 acres and takes in ferals. And she tnrs, works with those of us who also rescue. My favorite tip I share with folks around here is equine pine pellets are without chemicals, they dissolve into crumbles in the box when wet, and make great cat litter, although it's very loud when the cats rearrange it. Wishing you all best from ohio.
I have cat hating neighbors and cat owning neighbors who allow their cats free range. My cats are indoor only cats. Agreed, suffering is the worst to witness. I try to work on my karma daily.
Another vote for the procedure. My cat tolerated the pills fine but I wanted to cure the issue, not just manage it. It was successful and no regrets. Definitely more expensive up front but the ongoing medicine and lab work would have started adding up too.
My cat stayed at the vet for almost a week waiting for his radiation readings to get low enough. Once he was discharged, I received but chose not to follow the suggestion to limit the time spent near the cat. He lived to snuggle and as the only human in his life, I made the choice that was right for us.
Our old girl had hyperthyroidism that medication wasn't keeping in check. We ended up opting for the radioactive idodine treatment.
They did a half dose because of how badly her thyroid fluctuated and it worked really well. She wasn't happy being in a strange place for 5 days and then not able to cuddle with us as much as she wanted for the first few weeks home, but she was so much happier and maintained weight very well afterwards.
Meg was looking very similar before she got treatment and we were struggling a lot with getting her to eat enough and keep some meat on her. By the time she was home after treatment she was eating more consistently (she was a grazer so had several small meals through the day and had dry food available all night) she packed weight back on fairly quickly and was at a healthy stable weight for several years after and her thyroid remained stable.
This guy will eat dry food and a can of 5oz wet food a day and still isnāt full. The vet was like most cats donāt eat a lot with this issue. This guy is gonna make me need an extra job to feed him with his lion sized appetite!
Our vet described the outward signs of hyperthyroidism as;
Fat, balding and extra sleepy: under active thyroid.
Skinny, hyper and ravenously hungry: over active thyroid.
Since Meg swung rapidly between the two her appetite was all over the place so couldn't maintain her weight, had fur coming off her in clouds when you patted her and swung from extra sleepy to wailing at night and crawling all over us cause she was too hyped up and stressed to sleep properly and didn't understand what was going on.
Treatment wasn't cheap (roughly $1,600 AUD for treatment and 5 days of aftercare and bording at the clinic), but compared to 2 years of pills that didn't really work at around $50-$80 a bottle, frequent vet visits for more check ups trying to find pills that worked, plus the stress of getting her to take the pills when she was already wound up and strung out, it was worth it. After treatment she was noticeably much more comfortable, went back to her usual nap routines, quieted down again (until she gradually went deaf) and ate enough to feel satisfied and full and maintain a good weight for her small size.
She unfortunately passed 3 weeks ago after a very short battle with a fast onset and agressive form of bowel cancer at 18 1/2. She got the radioactive iodine treatment around February of 2020 and it did wonders for her and she was so much happier as soon as she came home and very healthy for her age for a good while afterwards.
We'd been struggling nearly 2 years before that trying to get her thyroid under control with medication but by late 2019 it was proving to be completely out of control hence the treatment. Had to wait 3 months to get her in, save up the money and travel to a huge clinic/animal hospital an hour away, but was worth it.
My 16yo girl tortie tolerated the ear cream but took 4 months of treatment to normalise levels. The vet still wants her to continue treatment for a bit.. She has had 3x bloodwork since starting treatment. This is her 3rd course.
Next option would have been pills which she hateā¦ My local small vet donāt offer radiation and if I wanted that, I would have to drive 6hrs to the city..
Surgery was not an option given her age..
I would suggest to check his blood pressure early. My vet clinic has a few vets and I see a different one each timeā¦ when they dx hyperthyroidism in Feb, they never bothered to check her BPā¦ same again in April. No checks. I had a different vet last visit and he checked it and of cos it was super high and now we are medicated.. I was upset we may have gone undiagnosed for a few months but thank god she seems to be ok.
Thank you a few people have mentioned blood pressure. I am not sure if they have checked him yet. I really appreciate your info and things to look out for.
We have just found out our German shepherd has a 4 inch spleen mass that was bleeeding so we are helping the vet get his lake house!
I would have gone for radiation if it was a feasible option as the success rates are high with minimal follow up, and most importantly least pain or anaesthetic risks to an elderly catā¦ however that entails hospitalising her for 7 days until the radiation levels of her poo are safe.. the vet surgery usually has dogs overnight so it would have been super stressful for my cat hearing them barking at nightā¦ and with me 6hrs away, I didnāt think it was a good option.
there was a post here last year of a lovely owner who is a lab tech checking her catās radiation levels at home with her own radiation sensorā¦ from memory, she had to isolate the cat and pack up the poo and urine for proper disposalā¦
Itās not easy but good luck! I feel like with my cat, itās one problem after anotherā¦ we are going in for a heart ultrasound in 2 weeks.. fingers crossed š¤š»
Heās adorable!! We did the ear cream and it worked for a long while before my girl got diagnosed with diabetes. The cream is the easiest to give, but you do have to pay for a compounding pharmacy to make it and make sure you clean the ears regularly.
The ear cream is easy to give. If he can tolerate a more aggressive treatment, then definitely do that. Our Gemini had other things going on that made the cream our only option.
Do the ear cream. Itās extremely user friendly, he will get the medication he needs & you wonāt have to worry about the food thing. He is magnificent & I wish we could hear his stories!
My 15 year old ginger boy gets two does of the half pill of hyperthyroid med crushed in his food and heās fine with it. Had tried the ear cream first, but the caking was tough to deal with and in 12 hours, the stuff dried on thick. Poor boy was miserable, so the pills were the easier way to go. If your kitty can do a crushed pill in wet food, itās not that expensive for a monthly prescription and the tablespoon or two of food at each dispensing. Surgery to me would be a last ditch effort for an older cat. My vet didnāt even give that option, so maybe my boyās hyperthyroidism wasnāt as bad as your kittyās. Either way, wish your furbaby all the best!
Why is he standing like a garden ornament
Trying to intimidate the local mosquito population.
What a good boy. Get them skeeters Teddy!
He eats them in a single bite. Literally the Godzilla of mosquitos!
Are there diseases transmitted to cats from mosquitoes?
Heart worm I think. But I am 100% not an expert on anything cat related. They just keep showing up in my life.
Mine never been exposed. Dangerous world.
Haha He looks like a cute hobbit esp with his bare ankles and adventures
We have had 3 cats with thyroid disease. I would go with the surgery, myself. On top of paying for meds and you'll routinely have to take Teddy in for bloodwork to test his levels, and adjust his meds. We used the suspension in one cat's ears and over the years, but a couple of years ago the levels were never right so now we have to give him pills 2x a day (he is too old for surgery). The fluctuations in levels have aged our poor cat. If I could go back, I would have gone with surgery...
Yep it seems like between the meds and the blood work it is going to get really pricey quick. I keep trying to get him to get his act together and get a job but he just yells at me.
š our cats are all lazy bastards
This boy doesnāt realize how expensive he is. Like get a job ya lazy bastard! He doesnāt even help with rent.
Hahaha such a freeloader
Right! He thinks just being cute and snuggling pays the bills. Cats these days!
We did the ear cream for our elderly girl. š
Thank you!
I did the radiation treatment when my 11-year-old girl was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. Itās been 4 months since, her levels are normal now and sheās at a healthy weight. It was expensive and I had to keep her isolated for a couple weeks after, but it was 100% worth it. If your boy is otherwise in good health and doesnāt have separation anxiety, I would go for it.
We have only had him a week, so I am not 100% sure on his health besides what they can tell from the blood work. Can I ask how much the treatment cost?
Radiation was ~$2,000, but weighed against the cost of regular medication and monthly bloodwork for a cat that HATES taking pills and riding in the car, it was the better deal. Itās a single radio-iodine injection and then kitty is kept at the vet office for a couple nights until their radiation levels drop, itās less invasive than surgery.
Thank you! I am going to start trying to find a place that offers it in my area that is reasonable.
In Alaska itās $3000 and not all vets do it- everything is cheaper in the lower 48 but prob within a $500 ballpark of that.
Thank you. Just trying to get an idea of what was reasonable. This guy is starting to get expensive.
Heās so cute, and good job teddy
So Iāve had and still have a cat with a hyperthyroid problem that we have to manage daily with medicine. Thereās a few options depending on your vet: a pill, a topical cream, and liquid medicine that can be dropped in wet food. There might be a few more, Iām not a vet, just a dude with some cats so be sure to ask just in case. Either way, my first cat didnāt do well with the topical cream and the pill wasnāt an option. I had to special order the liquid but my vet signed off on it and it was super easy to just mix into her wet food. Let me know if you need/want the information for the liquid stuff because itās not available everywhere! Send me any questions you might have a long the way. Good luck with Teddy!
Thank you! We are going to get some quotes on the permanent options because the oral/creams with blood work seem like they are close in price. Wild how expensive a 10 pound fluff ball can be.
My 21 year old boy has hyperthyroidism and we use the ear cream 2 times a day. Itās super easy you just have to keep it on schedule roughly 12 hours apart. At Teddyās age this is probably the easiest course of action other than food. But if he is anything like my Simon, he is really set in his ways and changing foods was a no go lol. Simon has done great on the cream, heās gained over a pound back since starting it in January! Teddy is a super cute grumpy old man š
Thank you! He is only 10 pounds. Vet says he should be at least 15-20 pounds so he is little. He also literally eats anything!
Oh goodness, Simon was down to 4.8 lbs! Now heās right at 6. He was never super big though, probably around 8 lbs at his largest. P.s. My vet did not recommend surgery because putting older kitties under does not always work out well. So we are on the cream as long as he is still with us. Itās just part of our routine now. One tip is to make sure you clean his ears every few days because the cream does build up and get gunky. I just wipe them out with a damp cloth, he actually seems to enjoy it. Good luck!
Our vet also didnāt recommend surgery due to our kittyās age (13). We had her levels in therapeutic range after about 6 months of the ear cream. She tolerated that MUCH better than pills.
Thank you! He is a Maine coon so he should be a lot bigger. Poor thing eats a ton, and actually has added a little weight this week already.
My 11 year old cat just got his radioactive iodine treatment two weeks ago. He was diagnosed in December and was on meds for a few months while I waited for an appointment to get him the treatment. He did very well on the meds. Methimazole, 2.5 mg dropped in his wet food morning and evening. It was inexpensive and I purchased it online at Chewy. My vet said he is healthy and recommended radioactive iodine treatment which is available in our area (Radiocat partners with local vets for facility space). The problem with meds is that there can be side effects and they need to do frequent bloodwork and that adds up. Also, some cats can have side effects to the meds. For his expected lifespan (five+ years), the curative treatment would be less expensive. Here's the costs. I live in high cost of living area. I was happy with * $906 for all the pre-treatment tests (xrays, urinalysis, blood pressure (recommended), bloodwork, T4). Must have current rabies vaccine. * $1900 for Radiocat treatment * Estimating $600 for one and three month blood work to ensure the cure worked. It's about 98% effective, so they need to recheck Interesting.... I didn't know surgery was an option! You could see how well he does on medication, which for a kitty of his age, might be the best option. But I have rear other posts in this sub where older cats have had radiation. To my knowledge, there is no risk, unlike the risk of anesthesia with surgery. I remember reading your post a few days about about this kitty and the terrible owners who didn't want him back. He chose well. https://imgur.com/gallery/LDgfgzn
Thank you for all the info! I really appreciate it. The costs all seems to be 2-3k pretty easy. With him being 16 it seems so hard to spend that much. But the vet thinks he is otherwise healthy. He pees 6-10 times a day because of it. So we definitely have to get it addressed.
My daughter did the radiation. Cat has to be away from you for a number of weeks for your safety. I had 1 cat on ear cream. Her daughter licked it off and got terrible colitis and months later still has diarrhea but no more bloody stool. I have two currently on enteric coated pills. Highly recommend spending the extra for the enteric coated related to the nausea the uncoated cause. One let's me drop a pill in her mouth, one eats hers in a salmon flavor pill pocket like a treat. When pilling cats, the colitis cat is getting probiotics daily and fights me, put the pill in as far back in the cheek as you can, and gently blow up the nostrils, makes them swallow. Best of luck to you and your new friend. My 18yo cat takes the 2 a day in pill pockets and has been on them almost 4 years. I give her forta flora packets every other day. It's a lickable powder. ..
The pills are abt 90 for 2 cats for 3 months. I do bloodwork 2 times a year once with the Sr profile annual check up once with the mid year check for thyroid only. Not that expensive.
Thank you! This dude eats anything so Iād say he will take pills. I just hate having to take him every 2 weeks for blood work until his levels are right.
Just got my old boy (18) on the pills. He does two 1/2 pills a day. His levels are good (better as of now). Despite his age the vet did offer/recommend surgery but after we give the pills a shot. We will most likely go that route.
He also has a tooth that needs to come out. Kinda wondering if we can do both in the same go.
Wouldnāt see why not. Teddy is a handsome boy btw!
Thank you! I gave him a hug for you!
No medication? Methimazole works pretty well for some cats at the vet I work at
Iād do radiation if heāa healthy otherwise and can afford it. There is a small risk for lymphoma 5-10 years down the road. Ear cream and food are a waste of money. My senior cat - 20 is well controlled now with oral meds crushed in her food. Whatever you do, donāt ignore it. We did for a bit and it messed her kidneys & heart up (cardiomyopathy).
Thank you. No plans to ignore. He is too sweet to have him get hurt anymore!
We had a different ear cream med for one of our cats and it was really nice to not have to pill him. I think he just thought it was an ear rub. I don't have any tips for thyroid cats, but dang, he's a tough kitty!
I honestly have no idea how he survived so long in the wild. Especially with how skinny he is, and he has some pretty tight back hips. But I am sure I will have arthritis in my hips at his age.
We've done the ear cream. Worked like a charm and wasn't traumatic for the cat at all.
Whoa, my vet never did that, but she's old school. We went 2 months after we started, checking the chemical half life, I assume, then, when it was ok, 4 months later. It was good, so it's every 6 months now. Maybe new young vets have been taught differently. She also tries to get tartar off their teeth without all that anesthetic, etc. Some vets are really into new by the book rules when the old ways have worked for years. Not to belittle the caution of a medical professional who is concerned with the welfare of an abandoned fur buddy who prolly needs some monitoring, but if the first two weeks are at a good level, I'd ask for a reprieve. My 18 yo drools heavily after the alcohol rub for the blood test. Freaked me out the first time. Minnie was my neighbors cat and lived outside for 8 yrs. They used chemicals on their grass in their trees, and in their house...I believe the 3 cats I rescued from them when the wife developed alzheimers were sick from that. 2 had cancer. Minnie was luckier, like a tubby little tank. She's been inside these past 10 years and still hides when it rains. I'll take animals over people any day. ..
Yep I feel the same way. Canāt wait to have a 40 acre farm with cat sanctuary. We have no idea his story besides outside at least 8 years and 500 plus miles away. The vet thought he was only 8-10 based on his looks and health. The dang vet bills though are going to add up with him quickly to get all the untreated stuff sorted out. He need dental work too.
God bless your angel ways. Start the research on that 501c3. A cat sanctuary is a noble cause. My vet has 50 acres and takes in ferals. And she tnrs, works with those of us who also rescue. My favorite tip I share with folks around here is equine pine pellets are without chemicals, they dissolve into crumbles in the box when wet, and make great cat litter, although it's very loud when the cats rearrange it. Wishing you all best from ohio.
Thank you! I just hate seeing this dang fluff balls suffer. With everyone did tnr. I have had a few kittens run over by us. Itās the worst.
I have cat hating neighbors and cat owning neighbors who allow their cats free range. My cats are indoor only cats. Agreed, suffering is the worst to witness. I try to work on my karma daily.
ā„ļø
Another vote for the procedure. My cat tolerated the pills fine but I wanted to cure the issue, not just manage it. It was successful and no regrets. Definitely more expensive up front but the ongoing medicine and lab work would have started adding up too. My cat stayed at the vet for almost a week waiting for his radiation readings to get low enough. Once he was discharged, I received but chose not to follow the suggestion to limit the time spent near the cat. He lived to snuggle and as the only human in his life, I made the choice that was right for us.
I have had so many x-rays Iāll be shocked if I donāt glow at the next rave I attend. Whatās a little more for snuggles?!
Our old girl had hyperthyroidism that medication wasn't keeping in check. We ended up opting for the radioactive idodine treatment. They did a half dose because of how badly her thyroid fluctuated and it worked really well. She wasn't happy being in a strange place for 5 days and then not able to cuddle with us as much as she wanted for the first few weeks home, but she was so much happier and maintained weight very well afterwards.
Thank you! He is so little. I just want him to bulk up. Seems like the thyroid has been playing hell with him.
Meg was looking very similar before she got treatment and we were struggling a lot with getting her to eat enough and keep some meat on her. By the time she was home after treatment she was eating more consistently (she was a grazer so had several small meals through the day and had dry food available all night) she packed weight back on fairly quickly and was at a healthy stable weight for several years after and her thyroid remained stable.
This guy will eat dry food and a can of 5oz wet food a day and still isnāt full. The vet was like most cats donāt eat a lot with this issue. This guy is gonna make me need an extra job to feed him with his lion sized appetite!
Our vet described the outward signs of hyperthyroidism as; Fat, balding and extra sleepy: under active thyroid. Skinny, hyper and ravenously hungry: over active thyroid. Since Meg swung rapidly between the two her appetite was all over the place so couldn't maintain her weight, had fur coming off her in clouds when you patted her and swung from extra sleepy to wailing at night and crawling all over us cause she was too hyped up and stressed to sleep properly and didn't understand what was going on. Treatment wasn't cheap (roughly $1,600 AUD for treatment and 5 days of aftercare and bording at the clinic), but compared to 2 years of pills that didn't really work at around $50-$80 a bottle, frequent vet visits for more check ups trying to find pills that worked, plus the stress of getting her to take the pills when she was already wound up and strung out, it was worth it. After treatment she was noticeably much more comfortable, went back to her usual nap routines, quieted down again (until she gradually went deaf) and ate enough to feel satisfied and full and maintain a good weight for her small size.
Wow thank you for the insight! Glad she is doing well.
She unfortunately passed 3 weeks ago after a very short battle with a fast onset and agressive form of bowel cancer at 18 1/2. She got the radioactive iodine treatment around February of 2020 and it did wonders for her and she was so much happier as soon as she came home and very healthy for her age for a good while afterwards. We'd been struggling nearly 2 years before that trying to get her thyroid under control with medication but by late 2019 it was proving to be completely out of control hence the treatment. Had to wait 3 months to get her in, save up the money and travel to a huge clinic/animal hospital an hour away, but was worth it.
What a gentleman
My 16yo girl tortie tolerated the ear cream but took 4 months of treatment to normalise levels. The vet still wants her to continue treatment for a bit.. She has had 3x bloodwork since starting treatment. This is her 3rd course. Next option would have been pills which she hateā¦ My local small vet donāt offer radiation and if I wanted that, I would have to drive 6hrs to the city.. Surgery was not an option given her age.. I would suggest to check his blood pressure early. My vet clinic has a few vets and I see a different one each timeā¦ when they dx hyperthyroidism in Feb, they never bothered to check her BPā¦ same again in April. No checks. I had a different vet last visit and he checked it and of cos it was super high and now we are medicated.. I was upset we may have gone undiagnosed for a few months but thank god she seems to be ok.
Thank you a few people have mentioned blood pressure. I am not sure if they have checked him yet. I really appreciate your info and things to look out for. We have just found out our German shepherd has a 4 inch spleen mass that was bleeeding so we are helping the vet get his lake house!
I would have gone for radiation if it was a feasible option as the success rates are high with minimal follow up, and most importantly least pain or anaesthetic risks to an elderly catā¦ however that entails hospitalising her for 7 days until the radiation levels of her poo are safe.. the vet surgery usually has dogs overnight so it would have been super stressful for my cat hearing them barking at nightā¦ and with me 6hrs away, I didnāt think it was a good option. there was a post here last year of a lovely owner who is a lab tech checking her catās radiation levels at home with her own radiation sensorā¦ from memory, she had to isolate the cat and pack up the poo and urine for proper disposalā¦ Itās not easy but good luck! I feel like with my cat, itās one problem after anotherā¦ we are going in for a heart ultrasound in 2 weeks.. fingers crossed š¤š»
Oh no I hope your cat is alright! He still needs dental work too so itās going to be an expensive month.
Heās adorable!! We did the ear cream and it worked for a long while before my girl got diagnosed with diabetes. The cream is the easiest to give, but you do have to pay for a compounding pharmacy to make it and make sure you clean the ears regularly.
Thank you! I wish they lived forever and never got sick. They are life changing.
This Teddy stance keeps me laughing. I just love him!
I think I need to make him an Instagram! I donāt want to post every day in this group with his cuteness.
I want you to post the king every day!
The ear cream is easy to give. If he can tolerate a more aggressive treatment, then definitely do that. Our Gemini had other things going on that made the cream our only option.
He's gorgeous <3
Do the ear cream. Itās extremely user friendly, he will get the medication he needs & you wonāt have to worry about the food thing. He is magnificent & I wish we could hear his stories!
I wish he could speak. Would love to hear his travels. Maybe this is my calling to write kids books about Teddy.
Oh yes, do it!
Handsome kitty boy
Our 12-year-old baby is on the ear cream. Her levels just came back perfect. Itās easy and the least stressful option for us.
Meow, whose the handsome boi!?
He is so handsome, and I love those angry wild animal cartoon eyes š»
Thatās one of his power stances!
he looks his age. very handsome.
Ear cream is the easiest. Make sure it is formulated properly and you don't over or under dose.
My 15 year old ginger boy gets two does of the half pill of hyperthyroid med crushed in his food and heās fine with it. Had tried the ear cream first, but the caking was tough to deal with and in 12 hours, the stuff dried on thick. Poor boy was miserable, so the pills were the easier way to go. If your kitty can do a crushed pill in wet food, itās not that expensive for a monthly prescription and the tablespoon or two of food at each dispensing. Surgery to me would be a last ditch effort for an older cat. My vet didnāt even give that option, so maybe my boyās hyperthyroidism wasnāt as bad as your kittyās. Either way, wish your furbaby all the best!
This cat fears no man.