hyperthyroid

Tess, my 10 year old domestic shorthair, has been diagnosed with
hyperthyroid disease. According to the blood workup, levels are around
12%. Currently, she is taking 1/2 mil of Tapazole twice per day. I am
familiar with the three different treatments and have opted for the
liquid dose for now since she was just diagnosed three weeks ago during
her yearly vet visit. I am wondering what other owner's experience has
been in regard to this diagnosis and care.

Thanks.

Tom

I just had my kitty treated using Radioactive Iodine Therapy. Since
the procedure is costly, I made a website in an effort to raise money:
www.savemaiakitty.com. I think you may find some stuff on my site
informative re the treatment...if I can be of further help, please let
me know!

We wish kitty Tess wellness!


theothertom wrote in message news:GW5rd.13480$lv6.12998@trnddc03...
Tess, my 10 year old domestic shorthair, has been diagnosed with
hyperthyroid disease. According to the blood workup, levels are around
12%. Currently, she is taking 1/2 mil of Tapazole twice per day. I am
familiar with the three different treatments and have opted for the
liquid dose for now since she was just diagnosed three weeks ago during
her yearly vet visit. I am wondering what other owner's experience has
been in regard to this diagnosis and care.

Thanks.

Tom

"Save Maia Kitty" wrote in message
m...
I just had my kitty treated using Radioactive Iodine Therapy. Since
the procedure is costly, I made a website in an effort to raise money:
www.savemaiakitty.com. I think you may find some stuff on my site
informative re the treatment...if I can be of further help, please let
me know!


So you have already paid for the treatment and expect people to
reimburse you? Unbelievable.

My cat has had hyperthyroid for several years. She's on Tapazol and is
doing fine. She is 13 years old.

--
Barb
Of course I don't look busy,
I did it right the first time.

My fifteen year old was diagnosed with hyperthyroid. Had lost quite a
bit of weight, drank ferociously, and lost a lot of tone to his coat
before we got the dosage (Tapazole) all worked out. We gave him the
pill form and hid it in a little lump of canned cat food. He ate it
with no problems at all.

One thing you need to be careful is that the hyperthyroidism can mask
kidney problems. I can't remember how this works, but has something
to do with the increased blood volume or blood supply from the thyroid
problem putting the kidneys into overdrive. In any case, it's not
uncommon to discover that the cat has a kidney problem when you get
the thyroid levels corrected. You probably want to find out from the
vet what level of water consumption is normal for your cat and your
cat's condition, and then monitor its intake very carefully. My vet
told me to expect "increased" intake from the thyroid, etc. and I
therefore wound up missing the early, and presumably more treatable,
stage of kidney failure.

Tibby is now pushing up the daisies, or will be in the spring at
least. He was 17, though, so this was a more normal passing than it
would have been if he were 10.


On Tue, 30 Nov 2004 21:50:30 GMT, theothertom
wrote:

Tess, my 10 year old domestic shorthair, has been diagnosed with
hyperthyroid disease. According to the blood workup, levels are around
12%. Currently, she is taking 1/2 mil of Tapazole twice per day. I am
familiar with the three different treatments and have opted for the
liquid dose for now since she was just diagnosed three weeks ago during
her yearly vet visit. I am wondering what other owner's experience has
been in regard to this diagnosis and care.

Thanks.

Tom

Save Maia Kitty wrote:
I just had my kitty treated using Radioactive Iodine Therapy. Since
the procedure is costly, I made a website in an effort to raise money:
www.savemaiakitty.com. I think you may find some stuff on my site
informative re the treatment...if I can be of further help, please let
me know!

Gideon (17 yrs) had thyroid surgery a few months ago, and recovered
beautifully. His thyroid was hugely overgrown, so he wasn't a good
candidate for radiation treatment, as it could have been cancerous
growth (fortunately it wasn't). The vet said that the lobe of thyroid
removed was almost as big as her thumb. As I understood it, it was
supposed to be about the size of a peppercorn.

He came home with about a 3/4 inch vertical incision in his lower
throat, which she'd closed with dissolving stitches, so he didn't need
to go back to have them removed, and a bottle of Metacam drops for pain
(he'd also had a couple of teeth pulled), which I mixed with a spoonful
of chicken babyfood when he started to perk up after he'd been home
a little while. By the time the anesthesia completely wore off a
few hours later, he was alert, had a good appetite, and was purring
normally (rather than a hard-breathing pain-purr --I'm sure you all
know what I mean).

--
jamie )

"There's a seeker born every minute."

"jamie" wrote in message
...
Save Maia Kitty wrote:
I just had my kitty treated using Radioactive Iodine Therapy. Since
the procedure is costly, I made a website in an effort to raise money:
www.savemaiakitty.com. I think you may find some stuff on my site
informative re the treatment...if I can be of further help, please let
me know!

Gideon (17 yrs) had thyroid surgery a few months ago, and recovered
beautifully. His thyroid was hugely overgrown, so he wasn't a good
candidate for radiation treatment, as it could have been cancerous
growth (fortunately it wasn't). The vet said that the lobe of thyroid
removed was almost as big as her thumb. As I understood it, it was
supposed to be about the size of a peppercorn.

I guess your vet didn't tell you, I-131 destroys hyperplastic and
*neoplastic* thyroid cells even at ectopic sites. Normal thyroid tissue
tends to be protected from the effects of radioiodine, since the normal
thyroid tissue is suppressed.



He came home with about a 3/4 inch vertical incision in his lower
throat, which she'd closed with dissolving stitches, so he didn't need
to go back to have them removed, and a bottle of Metacam drops for pain
(he'd also had a couple of teeth pulled), which I mixed with a spoonful
of chicken babyfood when he started to perk up after he'd been home
a little while. By the time the anesthesia completely wore off a
few hours later, he was alert, had a good appetite, and was purring
normally (rather than a hard-breathing pain-purr --I'm sure you all
know what I mean).


There is always a chance that the cat might have hyperfunctioning thyroid
tissue at ectopic sites -- usually in the anterior mediastinal area -- which
may be very difficult to resect surgically. Also, there's always the chance
that the hyperthyroidism will not be cured with surgery -- or that it will
reoccur a few months to a few years after thyroidectomy. In addition,
there's about a 10% fatality rate associated with surgery.

I'm not crazy about radioiodine, either, but its a much, much better choice
than thyroidectomy.

I'm glad the surgery went well, but I would *never* recommend it.

Phil

Phil P. wrote:

"jamie" wrote in message
...
Save Maia Kitty wrote:
I just had my kitty treated using Radioactive Iodine Therapy. Since
the procedure is costly, I made a website in an effort to raise money:
www.savemaiakitty.com. I think you may find some stuff on my site
informative re the treatment...if I can be of further help, please let
me know!

Gideon (17 yrs) had thyroid surgery a few months ago, and recovered
beautifully. His thyroid was hugely overgrown, so he wasn't a good
candidate for radiation treatment, as it could have been cancerous
growth (fortunately it wasn't). The vet said that the lobe of thyroid
removed was almost as big as her thumb. As I understood it, it was
supposed to be about the size of a peppercorn.

I guess your vet didn't tell you, I-131 destroys hyperplastic and
*neoplastic* thyroid cells even at ectopic sites. Normal thyroid tissue
tends to be protected from the effects of radioiodine, since the normal
thyroid tissue is suppressed.

I assume that you mean that the radioactive iodine treatment would
have killed cancerous tissue -- but this growth was so large that
it was pushing into and interfering with his esophagus or trachea
(I don't remember which). I could not imagine why the previous vet
did not find it palpating his throat, when the new vet showed it to me.

--
jamie )

"There's a seeker born every minute."

"jamie" wrote in message
...
Phil P. wrote:

"jamie" wrote in message
...
Save Maia Kitty wrote:
I just had my kitty treated using Radioactive Iodine Therapy. Since
the procedure is costly, I made a website in an effort to raise
money:
www.savemaiakitty.com. I think you may find some stuff on my site
informative re the treatment...if I can be of further help, please
let
me know!

Gideon (17 yrs) had thyroid surgery a few months ago, and recovered
beautifully. His thyroid was hugely overgrown, so he wasn't a good
candidate for radiation treatment, as it could have been cancerous
growth (fortunately it wasn't). The vet said that the lobe of thyroid
removed was almost as big as her thumb. As I understood it, it was
supposed to be about the size of a peppercorn.

I guess your vet didn't tell you, I-131 destroys hyperplastic and
*neoplastic* thyroid cells even at ectopic sites. Normal thyroid
tissue
tends to be protected from the effects of radioiodine, since the normal
thyroid tissue is suppressed.

I assume that you mean that the radioactive iodine treatment would
have killed cancerous tissue -- but this growth was so large that
it was pushing into and interfering with his esophagus or trachea
(I don't remember which). I could not imagine why the previous vet
did not find it palpating his throat, when the new vet showed it to me.


I've read enough of your posts to think you're definitely not a person who
would allow a disease progress that far. So I kinda figured some
incompetent vet might have missed it - Really, an enlarged thyroid -
especially that size - is not that difficult to detect.

Again, I've very happy he pulled through ok.

Phil

I guess your vet didn't tell you, I-131 destroys hyperplastic and
*neoplastic* thyroid cells even at ectopic sites. Normal thyroid tissue
tends to be protected from the effects of radioiodine, since the normal
thyroid tissue is suppressed.

normal thyroid tissue takes up radioactive iodine, which is why when
you have cancer in one lobe, the other one is removed also. otherwize
the good lobe will take up the treatment and it won't do any good.

I assume that you mean that the radioactive iodine treatment would
have killed cancerous tissue -- but this growth was so large that
it was pushing into and interfering with his esophagus or trachea
(I don't remember which). I could not imagine why the previous vet
did not find it palpating his throat, when the new vet showed it to me.
hard to believe is right. it was probably displacing both the
esophagus and trachea. glad it was taken care of and he is doing so
well!
teri