Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Step1
Administer an anti-thyroid drug daily. Veterinarians may recommend the drug Methimazole (Tapazole.) This drug makes the overactive thyroid gland decrease production of thyroid hormone, thereby lessening the symptoms of hyperthyroidism in cats. Your cat will have to take this drug for life. Your veterinarian will determine the dosage necessary. Blood tests to check thyroid hormone levels and liver function are required every 3 to 6 months.
Step2
Choose surgery to remove the overactive parts of your cat's thyroid. For some cats, a thyroidectomy is the best line of defense against hyperthyroidism. Performed under general anesthesia by a veterinarian, this surgery requires a short hospital stay. If successful, the cat's thyroid hormone levels will return to normal shortly after the surgery, and no further treatment will be required.
Step3
Use radioactive iodine (I-131) as a treatment for hyperthyroidism in cats. In this particular treatment, a hyperthyroid cat receives radioactive iodine via injection. This radioactive iodine concentrates itself in your cat's thyroid and then kills the overactive thyroid cells. Because of the radioactive nature of this treatment, the cat must remain in isolation until the levels of radioactivity have returned to normal. This can take up to a week. The treatment, while effective as a cure for hyperthyroidism, is expensive, and not all veterinarians can perform this procedure.
