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.

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

"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?

"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

"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

"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.

"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.

"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

"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.

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.