My 15 year old Maine Coon was due for her annual visit. She went from 9.3 lbs. to 7.3 lbs. so the vet ran some labs to confirm hyperthyroidism. She also has a UTI with a high white blood cell count, so he gave her 14 days of antibiotics at twice a day.
There are three treatment "options" for hyperthyroidism:
1) Twice daily pills for life
2) A one time (about 97% effective) injection of radioactive iodine
3) A transdermal medicine delivered to the ear
The pills are possible (although since I'm giving her 4 pills a day now, we'll see how long she allows this) but there are side effects that can interfere with treatment. The pills also require frequent monitoring of labwork to adjust the dosage. It is not a cure, but it treats the symptoms. In some cats, the medicine stops working after 18 months.
The injection is possible, although it will require a five day stay in a special hospital. There are precautions to take after she is released as well. The radioactive dose "cures" the hypothyroid.
The transdermal medicine is not the most effective way, because the dosage is not well regulated. It requires gloves to prevent the caregiver from getting the medicine through the skin.
I reviewed previous Q threads on this, but I wanted to check in for updates. I am opting between 1 and 2, but after 28 doses of the antibiotic, I'm not sure how she will do with pills. I am going to get Feline Greenies (her preferred treat) Pill Pockets to see if she will eat those.
She is one of two cats that I adopted from the same litter. Her sister only lived until age 12. She was diagnosed with a heart murmur at age 7, and by 12 she was diabetic. She had twice daily injections of insulin for about 6 months, until she had difficulty breathing. They found a mass on her heart that was pushing into her lungs, so I had to let her go.
So, on Saturday my surviving cat was also diagnosed with a murmur for the first time. Hyperthyroidism raises blood pressure in cats. She is healthy, but for this and the new UTI. The vet said that hyperthyroidism can also mask kidney disease, as it requires that the cats drink and void excessively.
I have read about Radiocat, which I'm guessing is where she would go. The cost online looks to be about $1,500. I would rather cure the problem than treat it, but I have heard that the cats aren't really looked after because of the radiation. She is a delicat, and aside from surgery has not been out of the house overnight. I am concerned what a long term stay away would do for her (she is known to go on hunger strikes if I am away), but the pills can cause nausea, vomiting, lethargy, etc.
If you have done radiation, what are your results? I'm looking for updates from the posts I saw in 2010. Thanks in advance!
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