If you have already made up your mind, I am not sure why you are inquiring here from other QVC pet owners, unless you are second guessing your own decision.
I have been a cat owner for many decades, since a small child. Now I have six cats, one with cancer being treated biweeekly with chemotherapy. I have done the radioactive iodine treatment for a cat, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I also had a cat who need daily insulin injections for over five years!
By the way, I also have two dogs and a bunch of parakeets, and bird vet care is the worst.
I read veterinary journal research articles when I have a question about an illness or a treatment, AND I get a second opinion from a specialist vet as needed. Veterinary medicine has continually advanced, and I live near some of the best vet treatment centers in the country (and the world). I ask a lot of questions, and I ensure that my decisions are the best possible based on research and in consultation with the expertise of vets (which can vary widely, depending on their specialty training).
Yes, hyperthyroidism can be treated with pills, but pills (or ear cream) are NOT a cure, only a temporary stopgap. The disease will worsen and can affect other organs in the body, and cause a painful death.
Radioactive iodine is the gold standard, as you say, because in 95% of cases it is a total cure. (However, the cost is not cheap.)
If your priority is quality of life, the cat should recover fully and live a normal life again.
The procedure is NOT invasive and not stressful. The only reason for isolation/limited contact is to avoid having the radioactive elements pass to you, members of your family and other pets.
Have you never boarded a pet? What if it has a more serious condition? Would you decline a hospital stay for medical care because you do not want the cat to be separated from you? (I also think allowing a cat or dog to develop separation anxiety symptoms from its owners is NOT a good thing, which is why I have multiple pets, so my pet children always have companions.)
You need to have your vet check to make sure she is in good health overall before the procedure.
When the pet receives the injection, it will stay there for four days or so for monitoring and to allow most of the iodine to leave the body. The vets constantly monitor the pet and tempt it with lots of treats.
Upon return, you can keep her in a separate room and wear gloves to go in and change the litter box and feed her for the next week. Yes, you can visit her and talk to her. You must store the used litter for a few months to ensure all the radioactivity has dissipated before putting it in the trash.
Does she sleep on you bed with you right now? If so, that would be a change, but only a temporary one which should not affect her much after the treatment. I must have about ten different cat beds, and my cats also stake out the furniture for sleeping, so they are adaptable animals.
Cats want to survive and enjoy life, and RIT offers them a great benefit.
Best wishes to you and Gracie.
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