hyperthyroidism in cats

"22brix" wrote

Yeah, if the parathyroid is nicked during surgery you can have some major
problems with calcium levels and the parathyroid glands are really tiny
and hard to find sometimes. I did have one cat that we opted to have the
surgery--she didn't tolerate the Tapizole very well--nauseated, vomitting
etc. She did okay during the surgery but I was a nervous wreck!

My vet, who had done the surgery successfully to his own cat, admitted
that it was really easy to damage the parathyroid.


I have another cat that has been taking thyroid medication for two or
three years now and is doing well. He was about 8 or 9 when he was
diagnosed. He's still on 5 mgs once a day and has been very stable so I've
been happy about that. He takes his pill in a bite of wet cat food--he
thinks it's a treat!

Lucky you. My Boo walked away from everything I put it in including
pill pockets. But she is learning that it is easier on everyone if she just
swallows it--particularly since, if she does not, the taste is so bitter. It
really helps that she is a chow hound, so that she will do whatever it takes
to get back to that dish of canned food, lol




--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Thank you for all the information. I'm taking Willie in for a second blood
test on Monday afternoon just to make sure.... I'm pretty sure the tests is
right but I need to know for sure.
Great idea about the gel caps! I didn't know that I should give him
something to drink afterward either. I checked ebay but didn't find #4's
I'll keep looking around a bit and if I can't find them, I'll take you up on
the generous offer.
I was told that he would have to stay isolated for 5 to 7 days with the
I-131 and that will be hard! I'm glad to know that your kitty is doing well
after the procedure.
Thank you! I will try and relax. I'm sure I will have more questions
eventually but the information is very helpful and not too much.
Jean
ps Spot gave me 20 nose kisses for you.......he's just too cute!

wrote in message
...
Thank you for all the information. I'm taking Willie in for a second
blood
test on Monday afternoon just to make sure.... I'm pretty sure the tests
is
right but I need to know for sure.

Hi Jean,

T4 levels can fluctuate throughout the day- but not that much. A
confirmatory test is a good idea. This way you won't have any doubts.


Great idea about the gel caps! I didn't know that I should give him
something to drink afterward either.


Pills can become entrapped in the esophagus for as long as 5 minutes- or
even longer and can cause medication-induced esophagitis . Some drugs,
especially doxycycline, can even cause esophageal strictures. So following
the pills with water or canned food is always a good idea.


I checked ebay but didn't find #4's
I'll keep looking around a bit and if I can't find them, I'll take you up
on
the generous offer.

Its not that generous- I buy 'em in large bulk, so, the gelcaps don't
cost me very much-- lest than 1 cent apeice.



I was told that he would have to stay isolated for 5 to 7 days with the
I-131 and that will be hard!


Check directly with the facility about the required isolation time to make
sure. I think a lot of States have reduced the isolation period because
long stays were too hard on many cats. My cat stopped eating after 3 days-
so I was allowed to bring her home a day early. As soon as she got home she
immediately proceeded gorge herself!



I'm glad to know that your kitty is doing well
after the procedure.


Thanks. She's a former feral I trapped in the Bronx 13 years ago. She's
such a mush that no one believes she was a feral. Here's a picture of her on
the scale waiting for a treat: http://maxshouse.com/album/Titi-on-scale.jpg
She only weighs about 5.9 lbs- that's her normal weight- not her
hyperthyroid weight.


Thank you! I will try and relax. I'm sure I will have more questions
eventually but the information is very helpful and not too much.
Jean
ps Spot gave me 20 nose kisses for you.......he's just too cute!

Send me a picture of him (topcatATmaxshouseDOTcom), I'll add him to our
Gallery of Sponsors http://maxshouse.com./Gallery%20of%20Sponsors.htm Send
a picture of Willie, too.

Best of luck, Jean

Phil

I had Willie's blood work done again and just got the results back. Guess
what? It came back normal. So, now the Dr. says she doesn't know if this
is a fluke or what. He's going back on Nov. 2nd. to have it done again. If
the 2nd. in house thyroid blood test is normal, then it will be sent out for
2nd lab blood profile. I wonder if the lab switched his blood work with
another cat and nothing is right. Well, guess I'll just wait and see.
Needless to say, I am confused and afraid to be relieved.
In the mean time, he is still chewing and licking holes in his belly. It is
worse than it was. The vet wants me to change his diet to a canned food
that she sells, of course it's expensive. I don't want to that because I
don't think that's the problem. Humm, maybe I should have posted this on
the belly licking thread.
Phil, I tried sending you an email but it bounced.
Jean
jean at cis-broadband dot com

This message may be a repeat but I'm not sure. I posted a message and
shortly after, the news reader said it was no longer available.
I got Willie's thryoid blood test results back last night. It was normal
with no signs of hyperthyroidism. I'm not sure what is going on. The
doctor wants to do another test in her office on Nov 2nd. If it is normal,
she's going to have the blood profile done again by the same lab as before.
We are both concerned that this first blood profile might belong to another
cat but who knows.
Jean

wrote in message
...
This message may be a repeat but I'm not sure. I posted a message and
shortly after, the news reader said it was no longer available.
I got Willie's thryoid blood test results back last night. It was normal
with no signs of hyperthyroidism. I'm not sure what is going on. The
doctor wants to do another test in her office on Nov 2nd. If it is
normal,
she's going to have the blood profile done again by the same lab as
before.
We are both concerned that this first blood profile might belong to
another
cat but who knows.
Jean

Sorry for not getting back to you soon, Jean, I've been really busy with a
dog cruelty case.

When you go back to your vet for Willie's T4 retest, tell your vet to send
an additional blood sample to the lab for a Free T4 by equilibrium dialysis
(fT4ED) assay. Its the most accurate way to measure fT4 in cats- especially
when T4 might be falsely depressed by something else. The fT4ED isn't
affected very much by other conditions or processes in the body or by
altered protein levels because the blood sample is dialyzed before it
assayed. Cornell only charges about $25 for the test, so a private lab
shouldn't charge much more or maybe even less.

Don't be alarmed by the word "dialysis"! It only refers to the blood sample-
The cat isn't even there for the test. ;-)

Phil