Hyperthyroidism
A common medical condition we see in both dogs and cats is one that affects their thyroid. But did you know that while thyroid disorders are common we almost never see a dog with a high thyroid or a cat with a low thyroid? In this article we'll take a look at hyperthyroidism, which mostly affects cats.
Many hormones in the body control weight, and the thyroid (located in the neck) produces one of these hormones. In the case of cats, the thyroid produces too much hormone which speeds up metabolism and causes weight loss. This may sound like not such a bad deal at first, especially if you have a kitty struggling to lose weight, but it is a condition that must be treated. The body doesn't know when it is skinny again and continues to produce too much hormone until the body wastes away.
Hyperthyroidism is usually on a list of rule outs when we see cats losing weight and it's important to run blood tests to determine what the cause actually is (if a cause can be found). After an examination your veterinarian will decide if one or both tests are necessary to determine what's going on. In addition to “full blood work” which takes a look at various body functions including kidneys, we can also run a T4 test in house that tests the amount of T4 hormone circulating in the blood. Based off the results of the blood work the veterinarian will be able to come up with a plan for your cat.
In most cases, your cat will be on medication for hyperthyroidism the rest of his or her life. The levels of T4 circulating in their system can change however, and it is important to check your cat's T4 on a regular basis. When your cat is first diagnosed, you will need to bring him or her back in one month. It is important your cat receives their medication every day and we will need to check your cat's T4 4-5 hours after having their medication. Any time your cat's dosage changes we will need to retest the T4 in one month until we have the medication regulated. After that your veterinarian will tell you if you need to return in 6 months or 12 months for your cat's next recheck.
We can prescribe pills at the office, but if you are unable to pill your cat please talk with our staff about having a different form of the medication compounded for you. This is specially ordered and can take a few days to come in, so give us a week or two warning so we can try to have the medication here before you run out. For cats that will not take medication, please schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to discuss other forms of treatment as there are options available.
Many hormones in the body control weight, and the thyroid (located in the neck) produces one of these hormones. In the case of cats, the thyroid produces too much hormone which speeds up metabolism and causes weight loss. This may sound like not such a bad deal at first, especially if you have a kitty struggling to lose weight, but it is a condition that must be treated. The body doesn't know when it is skinny again and continues to produce too much hormone until the body wastes away.
Hyperthyroidism is usually on a list of rule outs when we see cats losing weight and it's important to run blood tests to determine what the cause actually is (if a cause can be found). After an examination your veterinarian will decide if one or both tests are necessary to determine what's going on. In addition to “full blood work” which takes a look at various body functions including kidneys, we can also run a T4 test in house that tests the amount of T4 hormone circulating in the blood. Based off the results of the blood work the veterinarian will be able to come up with a plan for your cat.
In most cases, your cat will be on medication for hyperthyroidism the rest of his or her life. The levels of T4 circulating in their system can change however, and it is important to check your cat's T4 on a regular basis. When your cat is first diagnosed, you will need to bring him or her back in one month. It is important your cat receives their medication every day and we will need to check your cat's T4 4-5 hours after having their medication. Any time your cat's dosage changes we will need to retest the T4 in one month until we have the medication regulated. After that your veterinarian will tell you if you need to return in 6 months or 12 months for your cat's next recheck.
We can prescribe pills at the office, but if you are unable to pill your cat please talk with our staff about having a different form of the medication compounded for you. This is specially ordered and can take a few days to come in, so give us a week or two warning so we can try to have the medication here before you run out. For cats that will not take medication, please schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to discuss other forms of treatment as there are options available.