Extreme Hyperthyroidism; Iodine therapy?

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hoppersmom

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Help, my poor 15 yr old cat Hopper used to be diabetic, he has been OTJ for 5 yrs now, but now has hyperthyriodism, and now his T-4 #'s are off the charts, and the vet suggests Radio-Iodine therapy. He is not responding any more to the pills...He is 12lbs! He used to be 21 lbs two yrs ago.
Any other suggestions?
 
Hi Hoppersmom,

My own two girls (jazz and Alli) were diagnosed hyper-t three years ago and one (Alli) had a t-4 off the chart. I started them on the ear ointment only to see how they would respond and to get an idea of how their kidney and liver was functioning. Once I saw they were good and I did a fair amount of research I opted to get them Radio Cat treatment. I did it because the ointment was giving them a rash because their ears were constantly moist and pilling was not an option AT ALL for my two girls. They even hid from the ear ointment. They were 13 when diagnosed so the surgery was too scary to me. I am EXTREMELY happy I got them radio cat. They are happy and healthy. Now Alli still has a high number but within normal range but other than missing them like crazy for those 4 days they had to stay I had not noticed anything wrong with them. I also foster cats and have had several that were hyper-t... We believe in the radio cat so much that our rescue with even try to pay for them to have it and have them cured. It really is all up to you and what is best for your Hopper but I think I made a great choice and have NEVER regretted. There are risks obviously but then so is there with any meds or treatment. In the long run I know I saved a lot of money since I no longer had to pay for medication every month. Its a large cost up front but I figure my kitties were going to be with me for a lot longer and I wanted them to have a nice happy life. I also didn't want to risk them needing different meds for something else in the future and then worry about one med conflicting with the other.

Hope my response helped a little
 
I t is rather expensive - in can be in the $1500 to $2000 range, what with hospitalization, tests, and the treatment.

It does work.
Possible outcomes:
The cat could become HYPOthyroid, needing treatmentfor that.
The cat could still be a bit HYPERthyroid, needing continued treatment for that.
The cat could wind up with normal thyroid function - which is what you want.

Adverse effects are possible:
Reducing the hyperthyroidism may uncover renal disease. Be prepared for this and watch like a hawk for excessive dilute urination.
Long term effects from the hyperthyroidism such as heart problems may be unmasked, too.
Stress from being at the vet for the quarantine period may cause problems with appetite, and may trigger some relapse on the diabetes.
 
I have had two cats treated by RadioCat, they did fine. I had my Bailey treatted by first transdermal Methimazole then oral Methimazole. He was not in good enough condition for RadioCat. My Lightning is also on oral Methimazole and is doing fine. Surgery is a poor option since it is hard to get the tumor out without damaging the thyroid. If the entire tumor is not removed it can grow back.
 
Thank you for the replies. There does not seem to be any other choice but to do it. Vet said he will need chest x-ray first.
So..I guess I'll go from there. Does hyper-t stem from diabetes?
 
There is some literature in humans which suggests a possibility of immune reactions contributing to endocrine problems and other, such that if a family member has 1 of them, you might develop that, or another endocrine disorder. I do not know if this is true for cats.

These conditions indclude diabetes, hypothyroidism, Cushings/Adisons disease, allergies, and rheumatoid arthritis.
 
Laura went through the radio treatment. She was 13 and did just fine with it. I did not see where you are from. Here in Mpls, there is a place to take the kitties that it like a kittie spa. It is a great place with music, techs and the vet calls every night to update owner on progress.

Pattie
 
I work at a vet clinic that offers I-131 treatment for feline hyperthyroidism, and if either of my cats ever develops hyperthyroidism I'll do the treatment in a heartbeat. Vets usually want to treat with methimazole, either pills or transdermal ointment, for a few months first to try to minimize the chance of unmasking renal failure or heart problems. It's awful to pay for the expensive treatment, then find out that your cat is actually in stage 3 renal failure as well. I would recommend ensuring that the vet who does the treatment knows that Hopper is in remission for DM (since I-131 is not performed in many places I'm assuming that you'll be referred to someone who isn't your regular vet) so that they know to be hyper-vigilant monitoring him for symptoms during his hospitalization. It's hard to admit your cat to hospital for a while knowing that you won't be able to even visit, but I sincerely recommend the treatment. The success rate (meaning the cat becomes euthyroid and requires no medication) is high.
 
Maui had hyper t, years before the diabetes diagnosis. She had the 131 treatment and while yes it was expensive (I'm in NY metro area - everything is more $$ here), it was well worth it.

The hardest part was having to leave her there for 72 hours and not being allowed to visit. I brought her food, and old t shirt that I wore so it had the "scent of home" and it was a 24/7 place, so she was constantly monitored.

If you get it done and bring any personal items, be sure you are willing to part with them - as they will not return it to you.

The treatment takes minutes, but the wait takes days.

Aside from that and having to collect and hold onto litter for 2 weeks, before putting in trash, it was the best thing I could have done for Maui.
 
Thanks for the info. I am in Orange county (So)..So I was referred to a vet about 13 miles no. of me. I have to call and get appt. Can I visit him while he's there? or is he isolated? And are the effects immediate?

Lisa
 
Hi Lisa!

Zoe had the I-131 treatment just a year ago....and is doing fantastic! No, you will not be able to visit. The kitties are kept isolated (other than the techs that check on them, feed them etc) . I dropped Zoe off at Radiocat on a Weds morning and picked her up Sat morning. A VERY long 3 days for me! Her tech called me twice a day with updates on how she was doing...which was very helpful.

Once they are home, there is no picking them up and holding or letting them sit on your lap or sleep with you for long periods of time for the first couple of days. We had to switch her litter to Worlds Best and then flush it each time she used the littler box for the first 10 days. The radiation has to disipate....

Here is a link to FAQs from RadioCat:

RadioCat

Best of luck!
 
I recommend you do NOT flush radioactive litter, unless you want the city to go to a red alert mode when the water treatment plant detects radioactivity! (That will depend on sensitivity of test and concentration being tested.) Just find a good solid waste can to store it for 2 weeks before disposing.

If it is outside the house, be sure to anchor the lid lest wildlife go exploring it!
 
We were told to flush the litter as waste water treatment plans expect low levels of radioactivity from human waste ......people can have many different medical procedures or tests that involve radioactive drugs or dyes....the radioactivity is then excreted in urine. So it was no issue to flush the litter as directed by RadioCat....we were also told that to dispose of it in the trash would set off radioactivity detectors at the trash collection facility. Whichever facility you use for your kitty, will give you exact instructions as what to do with the litter.....what your community requires. Don't worry.......
 
Thanks so much for this info. I really appreciate it. Waiting for the vet to call me back with the specialists' name & address.
 
Hopper went in for radio Iodine therapy last nite at Advanced Medical Imaging, Tustin CA care of Dr. Broome. I feel totally confident and will be watching him tonite on webcam. Keeping all paws and fingers crossed.
 
Lucky you, to have the web cam! I didn't get to see my cat until I brought her home.

And the note about not flushing litter was actually from a Chemistry professor in Columbus, OH; so do whatever your municipal water & waste disposal want you to do.
 
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