Treatment of Feline Hyperthyroidism

As you may have noticed, the symptoms of hyperthyroidism are the same or similar to those of other serious diseases that affect older cats, namely, kidney failure and diabetes. Since it is very important that you know what you are dealing with, the first order of business is to take your cat to your holistic veterinarian for a thorough checkup. It will be expensive, since blood work will be needed to diagnose the problem, but it is a necessary step. The information you discover from this initial visit will help you to decide which course of treatment to pursue.

Standard veterinary protocol offers several treatments for hyperthyroidism (it should be noted that these are essentially the same as those offered to human sufferers by their doctors). A drug that inhibits the production of thyroxin by the thyroid gland is often prescribed first. The most commonly prescribed, Tapazol (generic: methmazole) can cause side effects such as vomiting and loss of appetite, however, which could prove lethal to a cat already in a weakened state. Surgery to remove the gland will mean that the animal must take synthetic thyroxin for the rest of its life, which entails constant monitoring and adjustment of the dose. The third option is the nastiest: The animal receives a dose of radioactive iodine to destroy the thyroid gland. This results in a radioactive animal (for a period of time, at least) that is a threat to everyone around it, and whose waste materials must be disposed of according to federal guidelines. This treatment, amazingly, is recommended more often than one would think!

As Dr. Pitcairn points out, however, destroying the thyroid gland only takes care of part of the problem. The underlying issue, a malfunctioning immune system, has not been addressed. Most likely, too, it will not be. Owners want to relieve their pet's suffering, so they accept one of these treatments and hope for the best. It is possible, of course, that an immune system so debilitated by years of unnecessary vaccinations may be permanently weakened. In the case of food allergies, however, nutritional therapy could very well save the day. As a matter of fact, it will serve to support the entire animal's being, including an immune system once thought to be beyond help.

Therefore, it won't surprise you to know that tomorrow's post will address alternative therapies for this disease, as well as prevention. Can you guess what the primary treatment will consist of? Tune in tomorrow to see if you are correct!
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Causes and Symptoms of Feline Hyperthyroidism

As I mentioned in the previous post on this subject, hyperthyroidism in cats has been associated with the feeding of a canned commercial diet. Although no one knows why the two are correlated, some postulate that allergies to additives may be to blame. Another theory is that multiple vaccinations over the course of a cat's lifetime may cause the immune system to either shut down or turn against the body itself. The one common thread here, of course, is the role of the immune system in this disease.

Thyroid hormones, mainly thyroxin, have a direct impact on body metabolism. When something causes the thyroid gland to overproduce this hormone, metabolism speeds up and does not modulate. Why does this happen? Often, a tumor growing on the gland will cause this, possibly as a result of suppressed immune function. Too little iodine in the diet can cause enlargement of the gland, hence hyperthyroidism. Richard Pitcairn, DVM, believes that the gland becomes hyperactive due to attack by the immune system brought about by over-vaccination.

The effects of this disease on a cat's health will be noticeable as the body reacts to the increased metabolic rate. The animal will lose weight despite a voracious appetite. Diarrhea, sometimes bloody, is almost always present, and vomiting is common. The fur will look dirty since over-active oil glands make the coat greasy. Increased thirst and urine output will also be present. Personality changes occur as well, such as nervousness, hyperactivity and constant crying for attention (and food). A higher body temperature may cause the animal to pant and/or look for cool places to stay.

As you can see, this disease causes a whole palette of other health problems. Since food is passing through the digestive tract too quickly to allow for adequate absorption of nutrients, the animal will eventually become nutritionally deficient. Another side effect of hyperthyroidism is high blood pressure, which in itself can cause many problems, not the least of which is heart disease.

Left unchecked, this disease will be fatal, possibly in a matter of weeks or months. What should you do if your cat starts exhibiting the above symptoms? Treatment options do exist, and I'll discuss some of them tomorrow.
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