How to Treat Hyperthyroidism in Cats

Hyperthyroidism, a common disease of older and middle-aged cats, requires immediate treatment. If hyperthyroidism is not treated, it can lead to serious complications including death. Here's several standard treatments recommended by veterinarians for cats with hyperthyroidism. Your vet will help you decide how to treat your cat from these options.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

Tips & Warnings

• The information in this article is not meant to serve as a substitute for regular medical advice and care. Always talk to your cat's veterinarian if you have any concerns about its health.

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[betsy6]

on 8/26/2009 I opted to use methimazole for my cat's hyperthyroidism. Now he's dying of liver failure, possibly brought on by the methimazole. I wish I'd just bitten the (monetary) bullet and given him the radioactive iodine treatment at the start. It would have been cheaper in the long run, and maybe I'd still have a healthy kitty.