It requires two round-trips for you. If this is the case with your cat, paying special attention to specific nutrients such as dietary phosphorus (a key player in chronic kidney disease) may be required. . Also, you might get some good ideas about what to feed him on Dr. Lisa Pierson's web site. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. And, if you destroy your thyroid gland, it turns out that that may have consequences on your metabolism. Reduce the time near a source, increase the distance from the source, or use some sort of radiation absorbing shielding between you and the source of radiation and you will reduce your radiation dose. Mean baseline age was 12.7 3.0 years and mean baseline BMI SDS was 0.003 1.18 kg/m 2. Some cats develop side effects from methimazole, such as vomiting, lethargy, anorexia, fever, liver damage, anemia, and a decrease in white blood cells. To the best of our knowledge, answers are correct at the time they are posted. The advantages of radioactive iodine therapy are that the procedure most often cures hyperthyroidism, has no serious side effects, and does not require anesthesia. Remember that theNRC regulationsrequire that release criteria and discharge instructions provided to owners of hyperthyroid cats prevent exposures of more than 1 mSv. Rarely, a permanent reduction in thyroid-hormone levels called hypothyroidism occurs after radioactive iodine treatment. It is acceptable to feed your feline products containing at least 30% protein and less than 15% carbohydrates. DNA can also be damaged directly by radiation. Risks from hyperthyroidism. The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field: What testing equipment and protective clothing do you recommend for a nontechnical person who will be giving home care to an 18-year-old blind cat after he has spent four days recovering in the animal hospital from 131I treatment? Your veterinarian's instructions regarding separation for the two weeks are simply doing the same thing we do with people. Over ten years of clinical nutrition research revealed that by controlling dietary levels of iodine, the hyperthyroid cat's body would resume normal thyroid hormone production. This is why one of the first signs of thyroid disease may be a change in weight weight gain if the thyroid is underactive and weight loss if the thyroid is overactive. The radioactive iodine damages these cells and causes your thyroid to shrink and thyroid hormone levels to go down over a few weeks. The typical cat with hyperthyroidism is middle-aged or older; the average age of affected cats is approximately 12 years. Why isn't there a study directly linking medical imaging and cancer? They may have increased water consumption and urination. At 1 and 3 months after the treatment, a blood test for thyroid and kidney function should be done by your veterinarian. Many times the only symptoms these other conditions cause are weight loss. If the nearest facility is far away, there's the stress or travel for both you and Fluffy, as well as possible hotel and other travel expenses. Try mixing baby food chicken or turkey in with some Fancy Feast. They will then need to take a thyroid supplement. Treatment usually includes an adjustment to your cat's diet, medication, radioactive iodine therapy, or surgery. 2 The goal of RAI treatment is to restore euthyroidism while avoiding the development of hypothyroidism. In more serious cases, surgical removal of the thyroid glands may be required. No individual breed is known to have a greater risk, although Siamese, Burmese, Persian, Abyssinian, Tonkinese, and British shorthair breeds appear to have a somewhat decreased incidence of hyperthyroidism compared to other breeds. There are fundamental differences between a continuous dose over a year (background radiation) and a dose that occurs over a few seconds like in CT, but these are helpful comparisons. When it comes to survival, the studies that have been done show that cats cured of their thyroid disease by radioactive iodine live much longer (up to twice as long) when compared to hyperthyroid cats treated by methimazole. The good news is that virtually every client will already take steps to avoid this, even when radioactive iodine in their cat's urine is not the motivation. Radioactive iodine may also affect a woman's ovaries, and some women may have irregular periods for up to a year after treatment. The good news is that there are many treatment options available to our hyperthyroid cats. The routine stay in our radioactive iodine unit is currently 12 days. When an injection of radioactive iodine is given, it destroys the abnormal thyroid tissue without endangering other organs. Prior to the onset of symptoms he was eating a high quality dry cat food but when he started losing weight and begging for food we were told we could give him some baby food and wet cat food. Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations However, there are a number of reasons for the precautions that your veterinarian has provided you that I will discuss below. Cats can receive a second treatment, if necessary. Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Hyperthyroidism & Liver Function in Cats, Intervals of Depo-Medrol Injections for Cats. All middle-aged and senior cats should receive a complete physical examination by a veterinarian every six months. One way to treat a cat with hyperthyroidism is with an oral medication that contains methimazole. If left untreated, a hyperthyroid cat can exhibit many, if not all, of the following signs: extreme weight loss, excessive appetite in most cases, but decreased appetite in some, muscle weakness, heart disease (increase in the size of the heart, increased rate, changes in heart rhythm, cardiac arrest), intolerance to stress, and eventually death. Radioactive Iodine Therapy Research into this potential treatment option is ongoing. Although many cats diagnosed with hyperthyroid disease already have kidney disease, untreated hyperthyroidism can also cause kidney disease due to the damaging effects of hypertension on the kidneys. Radioactive iodine (RAI) is a treatment method for hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer. Thyrotoxic cardiomyopathy may develop because the heart enlarges and thickens to meet the increased metabolic demands. The radioactive iodine is useful in treating the condition that your veterinarian has diagnosed in your cat. Surgery will be performed if your cat successfully undergoes the initial treatment without complication. Their hyperthyroidism won't come back, and they don't need ongoing medication. Currently, there's only one FDA approved medication to treat feline hyperthyroidism called methimazole. The brand name of methimazole is called Felimazole. The dosage may vary but typically a cat is given this oral medication twice a day, every 12 hours. . Until then, the radiation safety guidelines of Michigan and the NCR are followed. The AVMI radioactive materials license utilizes release criteria and precautionary instructions specifically based on the evaluation of the relative exposure levels to clients following radioiodine therapy for hyperthyroid cats treated with I-131. Clients frequently have the following 2 questions when considering radioiodine therapy for their cat's hyperthyroidism. A special diet for cats with hyperthyroidism. If you suspect your cat might be experiencing some of these symptoms, the next step is visiting your veterinarian for a blood test to check your cats thyroid hormone levels. However once the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism has been made, and no other illnesses are identified, the motivation to perform further diagnostics, especially those that require the need for anesthetics or are invasive may be lost. However, unless the retinal detachment is treated immediately, permanent blindness can occur. While my facility does not treat cats with radioactive 131I, I have consulted with a veterinary medicine program at a nearby university that does perform these types of procedures to get myself in the "cat-patient" mode of thought. Laura Porter / Verywell 35(3): p. 204-209. The treatment options for hyperthyroidism are: Oral medication. If these tests are not diagnostic, athyroid scan (thyroid scintigraphy)can be performed at a veterinary referral center, or the TT4 can be measured again in a few weeks. I-131 therapy does not require anesthesia and eliminates the need for daily medication. of the radioactive iodine into your body because, just like the cat, any 131I intake you have will result in an uptake by your thyroid and in larger quantities could result in significant thyroid dose. . Supporting Cat Health with Information and Health Studies. It will take about a month for thyroid levels to return to normal in most cats. Weight gain was similar for patients who received antithyroid drugs or radioiodine treatment but was significantly greater for patients who had been treated with thyroidectomy (5 kg vs 10 kg; P = 0.007). Set up your myVCA account today. 2004. Subscribe to always know when we add new material! While the treatment is fairly expensive, over the long term it could be cheaper than medication and is on a par with surgical treatment. Medication and radioactive iodine therapy are just as effective at treating hyperthyroidism in cats as surgery and are less invasive, so surgical treatment is rarely chosen for treating this condition. Until then, the radiation safety guidelines of Michigan and the NCR are followed. Hypocalcemia can be life-threatening and may require either short-term or long-term medication postoperatively should it occur. Whats the difference between type 1 and 2 diabetes NHS. Since hyperthyroidism can predispose a cat to other conditions, it is important to evaluate general health, with particular focus on the heart and kidneys. Older cats are at greater risk for developing hyperthyroidism. We love them, too! In some of these cats, blood pressure can become so high that retinal bleeding or retinal detachment will occur, resulting in sudden blindness. I-131 therapy does not require anesthesia and eliminates the need for daily medication. Ideally, the total GFR should be above 2.25 mL/min/kg. In some cases, a decrease in blood platelets (thrombocytopenia) may also occur. Does radioactive iodine treatment cause weight gain? The cell dies (only occurs with very high doses). If this is accompanied by clinical signs such as lethargy, obesity, and poor hair coat, then thyroid hormone supplementation may be required. Cats are homed in our spacious, purpose-built radioactive iodine unit and cared for by our dedicated team of radioiodine nurses. In a study of 524 hyperthyroid cats treated with I-131, only 11/524 (2.1%) developed Hyperthyroidismis characterized by the overproduction of thyroid hormone and a subsequent increase in metabolic rate. The inaccurate repair of DNA is rare, but can cause a cell to act wildly or grow into a cancer. Standards for Protection against Radiation. Surgery There are three common forms of treatment for hyperthyroidism in cats: medication, radioactive iodine therapy and surgery. By At the time of discharge, exposure levels measured at 6 feet from the patient are virtually indistinguishable from background levels. He rejected the Fancy Feast stuff and gobbled the baby food along with eating a little variety of the many dry foods we tried in an effort to find one that he really liked. It is also common for hyperthyroid cats to exhibit increased vocalizing, particularly at night. . 7. Hyperthyroidism is a common condition in older cats because of an excess of circulating thyroid hormone, called thyroxine. The thyroid gland, located in the neck, is responsible for the bodys metabolism. (At my facility we treat people but many of the concepts are the same, it is just that patient compliance is easier to obtain with people.) 2. Symptoms include weight loss, muscle wasting, increased appetite, increased thirst and urination, vomiting, unkempt appearance, and sometimes hyperactivity. The American Thyroid Association notes that weight gain develops over a long time and may have many causes other than the underactive thyroid. Hence for a transient period following radioiodine therapy, the patient's urine contains excreted radioiodine which will emit beta particles as it continues to decay. Radioactive iodine. It is important to drink fluids after your treatment and for the next 2 days. Clinical Signs The study followed people for 26 years after two or more treatments. The recommended food for cats with thyroid problems is high in protein yet low in carbohydrates, iodine (around 0.32 ppm) and phosphate. In some cases, complications involving other organs may worsen this prognosis. If we restrict iodine, production of thyroxine decreases. Unfortunately, 131I has a rather high-energy gamma emission that is difficult to shield. The required dose of methimazole can change over time, so monitoring thyroid levels in treated animals is recommended every 3-6 months once their condition is stable. Be advised that over time, requirements could change, new data could be made available, and Internet links could change, affecting the correctness of the answers. This is more common if you still had a large part of your thyroid gland when you have radioactive iodine treatment. Within one year after discontinuation of MMI, hyperthyroidism recurred in 104 patients. Hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid, is a common disease of older cats. The delivery of iodine is targeted to the overactive thyroid gland(s), the cat does not experience any radiation side effects at the normal therapy doses used to treat hyperthyroidism. Of course, some people receive no radiation and others much, much more. What is not taken up by the thyroid will be present in the cat's bodily fluids and will primarily be voided in the cat's urine (in those first four days at the vet hospital). My pet has kidney disease what kind of diet should I feed. Looking for a convenient way to access your pets health records, refill prescriptions, view upcoming appointments and more? 228(4): p. 559-63. Therefore, by using the veterinary therapeutic diet that is currently available and restricted in iodine (the only source the body has of iodine) this will prevent the thyroid from making thyroid hormone. Prominent in the regulations established by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for radioactive materials users are guidelines that limit exposure to radiation workers, and members of the general public. Prescription nutrition. Treatment usually requires one or two weeks of hospitalization at a veterinary hospital licensed to administer radiation therapy. If methimazole dosing is discontinued, hyperthyroidism will return. Cats also sweat through their paws and the sweat will have trace amounts of radioactive iodine. Affected cats produce too much thyroid hormone. 6. For the first two weeks after I-131: Keep your cat indoors or supervised when outside to prevent contact with other people. This may take 8 to 12 weeks or longer. Purraise. In cats, an underactive thyroid is extremely rare. The prognosis for cats with hyperthyroidism is generally good with appropriate therapy. Many owners of cats with hyperthyroidism are hesitant to have radiation therapy or surgery because of their cat's advanced age. The most common clinical sign of hyperthyroidism is weight loss due to the increased rate of metabolism despite an increased appetite. I'll be honest, the last thing I (or my vet) worried about with Sara was gaining weight. This usually leads to permanent destruction of the thyroid, which will cure hyperthyroidism. If you know that your cat has hyperthyroidism, you probably have already seen your vet in order to have this disease properly treated. So, we must use distance and reduction of time near the source when dealing with patients and pets treated with 131I. The medication can be given life-long or to stabilize the cat before other treatment. Antithyroid medications are also available in a gel that can be applied to the skin. Tiki Cat Hanalei Luau Wild Salmon Wet Cat Food. Nera just had her 3 month checkup and her T4 level is down to 2.3! The treatment lowers or eliminates hormone production and may decrease the size of the goiter. Since you'll have to leave your cat at the facility for several days or more, it's not a question of dropping him off at a distant veterinary hospital and then picking him up the next day. Hyperthyroidism is a common condition in older cats. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is another potential complication of hyperthyroidism, and can cause additional damage to several organs, including the eyes, kidneys, heart, and brain. Some places realize that the stress of being away from home for so long is not good for older cats. Treatment Several complications of hyperthyroidism can be significant, includinghypertension(high blood pressure) and a heart disease called thyrotoxic cardiomyopathy. Hypertension develops due to the increased pumping pressure and elevated heart rate that occurs with hyperthyroidism. AAFCO Doesnt Approve Pet Foods, A broken heart: Risk of heart disease in boutique or grain-free diets and exotic ingredients, Its Not Just Grain-Free: An Update on Diet-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy.