Feline hyperthyroidism is one of those diseases that, in most cases, manages to go unnoticed, manifesting itself only when the he alth of the cat is seriously compromised.
This is a very common pathology, especially in cats over 7 years of age. It is not fatal in itself, but it entails complications that put the feline's life at risk, by attacking several of its vital organs. That is why our site presents you with this article on feline hyperthyroidism, symptoms and treatment Keep reading!
What is feline hyperthyroidism?
This is a disease for which there is documentation only from 1970. It is common in elderly cats, especially all in those over 10 years old, being more frequent in the Siamese breed.
Consists of an alteration of the body due to the overproduction of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4). If detected early, there is a high probability of control and improvement, but otherwise, the complications that accompany this excessive secretion of the hormone are deadly for the cat.
Causes of feline hyperthyroidism
The main cause of hyperthyroidism is the increased production of thyroid hormone, both T3 and T4. This increase is due, in most cases, to a disorder caused by a disease related to the thyroid lobes
The cause is due to the fact that, as the size of the lobes grows, as a result of the disease, the hormone begins to secrete greater quantities, affecting the balance of the whole organism.
In approximately 10% of affected felines, the disease is caused by the presence of a carcinoma (carcinogenic mass), in which case the prognosis of improvement is reduced.
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism in cats
One of the problems with hyperthyroidism is that, in most cases, there are no clear signs of disease, they begin to appear when the pathology has already advanced. This makes it necessary to remain vigilant for any abnormalities in the behavior and the habits of your feline, to detect this or any other ailment in time.
Usually, the cat owner realizes that something is wrong when he notices that his companion eats the same or greater amounts of food, but shows an evident loss of weight.
This is accompanied by other warning signs, such as:
- Chronic diarrhea
- Depression
- Hyperactivity
- Nervous or surly behavior
- Frequent vomiting
- Inability to jump
- Loss of strength
- Knotty and careless mantle
- Arrhythmia
- Dyspnoea
- Disorientation
- Aggressiveness
- Unusual nocturnal vocalizations
These symptoms do not appear all at once, nor do they occur all at once, rather they appear progressively , so if neglected they may be overlooked.
By increasing thyroid secretion, kidney function is directly affected, so akidney failure is the greatest danger, putting the cat's life at risk.
How is the diagnosis made?
In principle, the transformation in size that the thyroid lobes undergo is usually perceptible just by palpating the cat's neckThis, of course, will not be enough to give a definitive diagnosis of hyperthyroidism, nor will the absence of this sign mean that the feline does not suffer from the disease.
To be sure, various medical tests are needed. The most important of all is a complete blood test, in which not only the state of the white blood cells and the he alth of the feline in general can be appreciated, but also the levels of liver enzymes (indispensable to detect a kidney problem).
In addition to this, an electrocardiogram is recommended to evaluate the possibility of a heart problem, such as arrhythmia and tachycardia.
Treatment of hyperthyroidism in cats
When the results of the studies show a positive result for feline hyperthyroidism, there are 3 types of treatments recommended. The choice of each one depends not only on your country of residence, as one of them is not available worldwide, but also on the cat's age, weight and he alth status, as well as the possibility of liver complications or cardiac:
- The first option is administer antiroid drugs, a treatment that must be applied for life. The option is not curative, since it does not eliminate the origin of the problem, but rather keeps the levels of thyroid hormone stable. Side effects may occur, so veterinary check-ups are recommended every 3 months to review the dose and adjust it if necessary.
- The second option is a thyroidectomy, which is simply the removal of the thyroid. This measure usually eradicates a large part of the problem, although there is a fairly high mortality risk. Therapy with active ingredients is usually applied and then surgery is used, since in this way the lethality of the treatment is reduced. This solution should not be chosen if the cat suffers from liver disease or diabetes.
- The last possibility is the application of a treatment using radioactive iodine, which is considered the best option. However, it is not available in all countries, as there are no nuclear medicine centers for pets.
Radioactive iodine removes tissue that has grown abnormally, leaving the thyroid gland intact and reducing levels of hormone secretion. The treatment is administered subcutaneously and does not represent any risk; furthermore, less than 10% of patients require a second dose, making it highly effective.
There are pros and cons to applying each of these treatments, consulting with your veterinarian you will be able to find the most suitable option for the feline.
