If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Boo's Hyperactive Thyroid--Update
Those of you who have read the group for a while may remember that I have a
tuxedo girl named Boo who we adopted from a relative when she was five years old and obese--18 lbs when she is a petite girl who the vet says should weigh 8 lbs. She presented with an overactive thyroid a few years back--one of the rare cats who can have this condition and stay obese, most lose weight--and also fainting spells, or episodes of arhythmia, in which she kind of listed to one side and was unresponsive. We had an ultrasound done and it showed that her heart was sound. The vet thought she had simply developed arythmia from the very fast heartbeat an overactive thyroid produces. So she went on the generic form of Tapazole (thyroid medicine) and a beta blocker to keep her heart rate stable, and she has been fine. I take her in periodically for blood tests, probably three times a year. Well the last time, her thyroid levels were very high. Up to a 9 or 10, I forget which part of the hormones they tested, T3 or T4? The vet was very concerned and said we could try to give her 3/4 of a 10 mg. Methiamazole tablet twice a day, instead of 1/2 of a tablet twice a day, "but that's a LOT of methiamazole." (Generic Tapazole.) Point: we got a good report yesteday. She is within normal range, a 5, so in the high part of normal, but the vet says that is fine. On the "fat front": using a canned-food only, controlled feeding diet (every 12 hours, amount reduced by 1/4 every time she plateaued) we got Boo down to 9 lbs. It was amazing and wonderful. Her coat, once dull and flaky, became shiny and healthy, she played more, could actually run up the steps instead of trudging. But it was very hard, as she LOVES food (the old guy who had her first expressed love this way: "Want a goody?") and is very assertive. (She slapped my feet as I walked by the kitchen, any time I walked by the kitchen, if she thought it was feeding time and she ALWAYS thought it was feeding time!) Point: after the bad thyroid diagnosis, I began feeding her canned in the morning and controlled portions of her favorite dry at night--just because she LOVES the dry food. She put on a single pound, which the vet says is not bad, and is so much happier. |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Boo's Hyperactive Thyroid--Update
On Feb 20, 6:09*am, "cybercat" wrote:
Those of you who have read the group for a while may remember that I have a tuxedo girl named Boo who we adopted from a relative when she was five years old and obese--18 lbs when she is a petite girl who the vet says should weigh 8 lbs. She presented with an overactive thyroid a few years back--one of the rare cats who can have this condition and stay obese, most lose weight--and also fainting spells, or episodes of arhythmia, in which she kind of listed to one side and was unresponsive. We had an ultrasound done and it showed that her heart was sound. The vet thought she had simply developed arythmia from the very fast heartbeat an overactive thyroid produces. So she went on the generic form of Tapazole (thyroid medicine) and a beta blocker to keep her heart rate stable, and she has been fine. I take her in periodically for blood tests, probably three times a year. Well the last time, her thyroid levels were very high. Up to a 9 or 10, I forget which part of the hormones they tested, T3 or T4? The vet was very concerned and said we could try to give her 3/4 of a 10 mg. Methiamazole tablet twice a day, instead of 1/2 of a tablet twice a day, "but that's a LOT of methiamazole." (Generic Tapazole.) Point: we got a good report yesteday. She is within normal range, a 5, so in the high part of normal, but the vet says that is fine. On the "fat front": using a canned-food only, controlled feeding diet (every 12 hours, amount reduced by 1/4 every time she plateaued) we got Boo down to 9 lbs. It was amazing and wonderful. Her coat, once dull and flaky, became shiny and healthy, she played more, could actually run up the steps instead of trudging. But it was very hard, as she LOVES food (the old guy who had her first expressed love this way: "Want a goody?") and is very assertive. (She slapped my feet as I walked by the kitchen, any time I walked by the kitchen, if she thought it was feeding time and she ALWAYS thought it was feeding time!) Point: after the bad thyroid diagnosis, I began feeding her canned in the morning and controlled portions of her favorite dry at night--just because she LOVES the dry food. She put on a single pound, which the vet says is not bad, and is so much happier. Wow, great news! Candace |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Boo's Hyperactive Thyroid--Update
"Candace" wrote Wow, great news! Thanks! Nice to see you. I had a feeling of dread about Boo before I took her in, goes to show you how intuitive I am~~NOT! How is your gang? |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Boo's Hyperactive Thyroid--Update
"cybercat" wrote in message ... Those of you who have read the group for a while may remember that I have a tuxedo girl named Boo who we adopted from a relative when she was five years old and obese--18 lbs when she is a petite girl who the vet says should weigh 8 lbs. She presented with an overactive thyroid a few years back--one of the rare cats who can have this condition and stay obese, most lose weight--and also fainting spells, or episodes of arhythmia, in which she kind of listed to one side and was unresponsive. We had an ultrasound done and it showed that her heart was sound. The vet thought she had simply developed arythmia from the very fast heartbeat an overactive thyroid produces. So she went on the generic form of Tapazole (thyroid medicine) and a beta blocker to keep her heart rate stable, and she has been fine. I take her in periodically for blood tests, probably three times a year. Well the last time, her thyroid levels were very high. Up to a 9 or 10, I forget which part of the hormones they tested, T3 or T4? The vet was very concerned and said we could try to give her 3/4 of a 10 mg. Methiamazole tablet twice a day, instead of 1/2 of a tablet twice a day, "but that's a LOT of methiamazole." (Generic Tapazole.) Point: we got a good report yesteday. She is within normal range, a 5, so in the high part of normal, but the vet says that is fine. On the "fat front": using a canned-food only, controlled feeding diet (every 12 hours, amount reduced by 1/4 every time she plateaued) we got Boo down to 9 lbs. It was amazing and wonderful. Her coat, once dull and flaky, became shiny and healthy, she played more, could actually run up the steps instead of trudging. But it was very hard, as she LOVES food (the old guy who had her first expressed love this way: "Want a goody?") and is very assertive. (She slapped my feet as I walked by the kitchen, any time I walked by the kitchen, if she thought it was feeding time and she ALWAYS thought it was feeding time!) Point: after the bad thyroid diagnosis, I began feeding her canned in the morning and controlled portions of her favorite dry at night--just because she LOVES the dry food. She put on a single pound, which the vet says is not bad, and is so much happier. If you have a copy of her latest blood test results, could you post her BUN and creatinine values? You did a fantastic job with her weight!! Phil |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Boo's Hyperactive Thyroid--Update
"cybercat" wrote in message
... Those of you who have read the group for a while may remember that I have a tuxedo girl named Boo who we adopted from a relative when she was five years old and obese--18 lbs when she is a petite girl who the vet says should weigh 8 lbs. She presented with an overactive thyroid a few years back--one of the rare cats who can have this condition and stay obese, most lose weight--and also fainting spells, or episodes of arhythmia, in which she kind of listed to one side and was unresponsive. We had an ultrasound done and it showed that her heart was sound. The vet thought she had simply developed arythmia from the very fast heartbeat an overactive thyroid produces. So she went on the generic form of Tapazole (thyroid medicine) and a beta blocker to keep her heart rate stable, and she has been fine. I take her in periodically for blood tests, probably three times a year. Well the last time, her thyroid levels were very high. Up to a 9 or 10, I forget which part of the hormones they tested, T3 or T4? The vet was very concerned and said we could try to give her 3/4 of a 10 mg. Methiamazole tablet twice a day, instead of 1/2 of a tablet twice a day, "but that's a LOT of methiamazole." (Generic Tapazole.) Point: we got a good report yesteday. She is within normal range, a 5, so in the high part of normal, but the vet says that is fine. On the "fat front": using a canned-food only, controlled feeding diet (every 12 hours, amount reduced by 1/4 every time she plateaued) we got Boo down to 9 lbs. It was amazing and wonderful. Her coat, once dull and flaky, became shiny and healthy, she played more, could actually run up the steps instead of trudging. But it was very hard, as she LOVES food (the old guy who had her first expressed love this way: "Want a goody?") and is very assertive. (She slapped my feet as I walked by the kitchen, any time I walked by the kitchen, if she thought it was feeding time and she ALWAYS thought it was feeding time!) Point: after the bad thyroid diagnosis, I began feeding her canned in the morning and controlled portions of her favorite dry at night--just because she LOVES the dry food. She put on a single pound, which the vet says is not bad, and is so much happier. Boo's story is one of the reasons I reconsidered letting my clowder "snack" on dry food in between feedings. You did a great job getting your pretty girl slim and healthy, congratulations! Hugs, CatNipped |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Boo's Hyperactive Thyroid--Update
"Phil P." wrote If you have a copy of her latest blood test results, could you post her BUN and creatinine values? They did not give me these. I will call and see if they can tell me. You did a fantastic job with her weight!! Thanks, Phil! It was your recommendation regarding canned food and controlled feedings that did it. Also very helpful was my vet's suggestion to decreas the food by 1/4 until she began losing weight, and to continue if she reached a plateau for, say, a month. That kept it simple enough for a math/measurement idiot like me to deal with. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Boo's Hyperactive Thyroid--Update
"CatNipped" wrote Boo's story is one of the reasons I reconsidered letting my clowder "snack" on dry food in between feedings. You did a great job getting your pretty girl slim and healthy, congratulations! Thank you, CN. Letting her have dry food in the evening, but in controlled amounts, was a decision I put a lot of thought into. She loves it so, and is such a ... errr .... reactive, or expressive? cat, it has been a relief not to have those little beady rat ******* eyes burning into me all night, hahaha! (She has lovely, enchanting green eyes until she is mad at you, then I swear they are hateful and beady.) She will actually pace herself so she has a little bit in the bowl at all times, I guess it's a comfort to her. |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Boo's Hyperactive Thyroid--Update
"cybercat" wrote in message
... "CatNipped" wrote Boo's story is one of the reasons I reconsidered letting my clowder "snack" on dry food in between feedings. You did a great job getting your pretty girl slim and healthy, congratulations! Thank you, CN. Letting her have dry food in the evening, but in controlled amounts, was a decision I put a lot of thought into. She loves it so, and is such a ... errr .... reactive, or expressive? cat, it has been a relief not to have those little beady rat ******* eyes burning into me all night, hahaha! (She has lovely, enchanting green eyes until she is mad at you, then I swear they are hateful and beady.) She will actually pace herself so she has a little bit in the bowl at all times, I guess it's a comfort to her. I guess my boys are just typical teen-aged males - they eat everything in sight and don't leave even one piece of kibble! ; Hugs, CatNipped |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Boo's Hyperactive Thyroid--Update
"Phil P." wrote If you have a copy of her latest blood test results, could you post her BUN and creatinine values? Phil, I just got off the phone with my vet, and they did not test for these things. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Boo's Hyperactive Thyroid--Update
That is certainly a surprise with a hyperthyroid cat. I had one
(unfortunately was euthanized last December for other causes) and we tested on a regular basis. However, I'm not a vet Bliss On Feb 25, 11:12 am, "cybercat" wrote: "Phil P." wrote If you have a copy of her latest blood test results, could you post her BUN and creatinine values? Phil, I just got off the phone with my vet, and they did not test for these things. |
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Boo's EKG Postponed | cybercat | Cat health & behaviour | 2 | July 28th 07 02:34 PM |
Cat Thyroid | Jenta | Cat health & behaviour | 3 | February 6th 07 05:21 PM |
Hyperactive 6 month old cat | Andrei Maxim | Cat health & behaviour | 24 | April 30th 04 03:30 AM |
hyperactive thyroid | lulu | Cat health & behaviour | 9 | September 14th 03 04:36 AM |