Hyperthyroidism In Senior Cats

Feline hyperthyroidism, also called feline hyperthyroid disease, is a disease that commonly affects senior cats. Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid produces excess amounts of thyroid hormones. The thyroid gland of a cat with hyperthyroidism is enlarged. Feline hyperthyroidism is often caused by a benign tumor on the cat’s thyroid gland. Hyperthyroidism in cats may occur in conjunction with another medical condition such as kidney or heart diseases.

The symptoms of hyperthyroidism in cats are increased appetite and thirst with a subsequent increase in urination. The cat may become hyperactive or lethargic. Other symptoms of feline hyperthyroidism include irritability, nervousness, weakness, weight loss, vomiting, and diarrhea. The coat of a cat with hyperthyroidism may appear unkempt. Some cats have a decrease in appetite as one of the feline hyperthyroidism symptoms.

The diagnosis of hyperthyroidism is typically done with blood tests to measure the levels of hormones in the cat’s blood. Elevated levels of thyroid hormones may indicate hyperthyroidism. The veterinarian is likely to carefully feel the cat’s neck.

Treatments for hyperthyroidism in senior cats can be medication, radioactive iodine injections, or surgery. The medication for hyperthyroid disease in senior cats needs to be given to the cat once or twice a day for the rest of the cat’s life. Medication is the treatment of choice for cats with kidney disease or cardiomyopathy.

The radioactive iodine injections are often a preferred method of treatment for feline hyperthyroidism, but they can be expensive. The injection is administered to the skin and the radioactive iodine destroys diseased tissue of the thyroid. The healthy tissue is left unharmed. There are no serious side effects to the radioactive iodine injection.

Surgical treatment for hyperthyroidism in cats involves removing the effected lobe of the thyroid gland. The surgical removal of a lobe of the thyroid gland is called a thyroidectomy. Surgical treatment is not an option if the cat has kidney disease. The surgery is a more expensive than medication for the treatment of feline hyperthyroidism. If a cat owner notices the symptoms of hyperthyroidism in a cat of any age, the cat owner should take the cat to the veterinarian to screen for this senior cat disease.