Hyperthyroidism in cats - Symptoms and treatments

Feline hyperthyroidism is one of those diseases that , in most cases, manages to go unnoticed, manifesting only when the cat's health is severely compromised.

This is a very common pathology, especially in cats that have exceeded 7 years of age In itself it is not fatal, but it involves complications that put the life of the cat at risk, by attacking several of its vital organs.That is why Animals and Pets Online presents this article on feline hyperthyroidism, symptoms and treatment .Keep reading!

What is feline hyperthyroidism?

It is a disease that has documentation only since 1970.It is common in elderly cats , especially in those over 10 years, being more frequent in the Siamese race.

It consists of an alteration of the organism due to the overproduction of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4).Detected in time, there are high probabilities of control and improvement, but otherwise, the complications that accompany this excessive secretion of the hormone are deadly for the cat.

Causes of feline hyperthyroidism

The main cause of hyperthyroidism is the increase in thyroid hormone production , both T3 and T4.This increase is due, in most cases, to a disorder caused by a disease related to the thyroid lobes .

The cause is because, as the size of the lobes grows, as a result of the disease, the hormone begins to secrete larger amounts , affecting the balance of the whole organism.

Approximately 10% of the felines affected the disease is caused by the presence of a carcinoma (carcinogenic mass), in which case the prognosis for improvement is reduced.

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism in cats

One of the problems of hyperthyroidism is that, in most cases, there are no clear signs of disease , these begin to occur when the pathology has already advanced.that it is necessary to remain attentive to any abnormality in the behavior and the habits of your feline, to detect this or any other ailment in time.

Usually , the cat's owner realizes that something is wrong when he notices that his partner eats the same or greater amounts of food, but shows an obvious weight loss .

This It is accompanied by other alarming signs , such as:

Chronic diarrhea
Depression
Hyperactivity
Nervous or arch behavior
Frequent vomiting
Inability to jump
Loss of strength
Neglected and knotted mantle
Arrhythmia
Dyspnea
Disorientation
A gresividad
Unusual nocturnal vocalizations

These symptoms do not appear suddenly or appear all together, rather they are shown in a progressive way, so if it is neglected, they may be overlooked.

By increasing the secretion of the thyroid, renal function is directly affected, so a renal failure is the greatest danger, putting the cat's life at risk.

How is the diagnosis made?

In principle, the size transformation suffered by thyroid lobes is usually noticeable with just palpating the cat's neck .This, of course, will not be enough to give a definitive diagnosis.of hyperthyroidism, nor the absence of this sign will mean that the feline does not suffer from the disease.

To be sure, various medical tests are necessary.The most important of all is a full blood test , in which you can appreciate not only the condition of the white blood cells and the health of the feline in general, but also the levels of liver enzymes (essential for detecting a kidney problem).

In addition to this, a electrocardiogram is recommended to assess the possibility of a heart problem, such as arrhythmia and tachycardia.

Treatment of hyperthyroidism in cats

When the results of the studies show a positive for feline hyperthyroidism, there are 3 types of treatments recommended.The choice of each depends not only on your country of residence, as one of them is not available worldwide, but also of the age, weight and health status of the cat, as well as the possibility of hepatic or cardiac complications:

The first option is administer antiroid drugs , a treatment that should be applied for life.The option is not curative, since it does not eliminate the origin of the problem, but it keeps the levels of thyroid hormone stable.It is possible that there are side effects, so They recommend veterinary check-ups every 3 months to review the dose and adjust it if necessary.The second option is a thyroidectomy , which is nothing more than the removal of the thyroid.This measure usually eradicates a large part of the problem, although you exist The risk of mortality is quite high.A therapy with active ingredients is usually applied and then surgery is used, because that way the lethality of the treatment is reduced.This solution should not be chosen if the cat suffers from liver disease or diabetes.The last possibility is the application of a treatment using radioactive iodine , which is considered the best option.However, it is not available in all countries, as there are no nuclear medicine centers to pets.

Radioactive iodine removes abnormally grown tissue, leaving the thyroid gland intact, and reducing hormone secretion levels.Treatment is given subcutaneously and does not represent any risk ; In addition, less than 10% of patients require a second dose, so it is highly effective.

There are pros and cons of applying each of these treatments, consulting with your veterinarian can find the most suitable option for the cat.

This article is purely informative, at ExpertAnimal.com we do not have the power to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis.We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian in the event that he presents any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Hyperthyroidism in cats-Symptoms and treatments , we recommend that you enter our section on Other health problems.

Comments

The smartest rodents

There are more than 2800 different rodent species that populate all parts of the planet, except in both poles.Son species that are not in danger of extinction, quite the opposite, and on many occasions some species are considered a pest. If survival is considered a parametroutile to measure animal intelligence, no doubt Among the rodents are some species of remarkable intelligence. In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will show you some rodents possessing a very considerable intelligence.Continue reading the most intelligent rodents : The common rat The common rat, or brown rat, is perhaps the representative of mammals whose survival is more plausible in any circumstance.It is much stronger, larger and more aggressive than its congenre the black rat, or country rat. The common rat is native to China, and from there it has managed to expand throughout the world, especially in the sewerage of all cities and towns.Various tests have been carried out with them, including m...

Malt for cats - Different uses and how often to offer it

Cats are especially clean animals that spend hours grooming.lick ingest a lot of hair.If you live with a cat, you've sure seen it seen coughing and even vomiting hairballs. That's when some people turn to cat malt , a very useful product of natural origin that improves digestion and intestinal transit of our cat. Discover in Animals and Pets Online everything related to malt for cats, including the necessary doses, at what age It should be offered or information about vomiting.All the benefits of this product below: What is malt? Cat malt is a paste of color similar to honey and denser texture .It consists of vegetable oils and fats, malt extract, fiber, dairy products and yeast mainly.It also often contains dyes, preservatives and vitamins. There are numerous brands in the market with different formats.The most frequent is in the form of a tube of toothpaste.The composition varies slightly according to the brand but the basis is malt extract.Some cats show a prefe...

Differences between a Persian cat and an angora

Although both breeds are known and popular, for some lovers of cats the differences between a Persian cat and an angora are not entirely clear, perhaps because they both have a spectacular long coat, but the differences between both races are remarkable and, if we want to adopt any of these cats, it is important that we have them in order for our new cat to adapt as well as possible to our home. This is why in this article of Animals and Pets Online we will expose the differences between a Persian cat and an angora .If you intend to adopt any of these cats, this article of Persian cat vs Angora is essential! Physical differences between Persian and Angora cats We begin this review of the differences between a Persian cat and an angora for the most obvious, that is, those that refer to physical aspects.These are going to be the following: The nose: it is, perhaps, the most important and significant, in addition, at first glance it will allow us to differentiate a Persian cat a...

ALL ABOUT THE FEVER IN DOGS

The fever in dogs or fever Canine is an increase in body temperature above normal values, which are between 38 and 39ºC , due, for example, to an infection or inflammation.There are different causes that cause the fever and we can easily measure it with the use of a digital thermometer. Next, in this article of Animals and Pets Online we will explain everything you need to know about fever in dogs, causes, symptoms and treatment to be applied to lower it.That is, if you suspect that your dog may suffer from fever, we recommend you go to your trusted veterinarian to discover the cause that is causing it and the treatment indicated according to your specific case. What temperature is considered fever in dogs? Fever is an excellent defense mechanism of the body .By increasing body temperature, the immune system seeks to destroy the pathogen.Therefore, it is a immune system reaction very beneficial for the dog in the face of an illness. The normal temperature of a dog Th...

Prague mouse dog: features

The Prague mouse is also known as buzzard from Prague or Pražský krysařik and is originally from the Czech Republic.It is a toy dog or mini dog and it is that in its adult stage it does not usually exceed 3.5 kilograms in weight.It is really small.In this tab Race of Animal Expert we will share with you all the information related to the Prague mouse either about its origin, the characteristics, the character it has or the care it needs. We will also talk about their education, something very important if there are children at home, but also essential to prevent them from barking a lot or behaving in a negative way inside the home.If you are thinking of adopting a Prague mouse do not hesitate to continue reading to discover the history that precedes it and curiosities about it. Origin of the Prague mouse The Prague mouse begins its history in the Middle Ages, in the royal palaces of central Europe, more specifically in Bohemia (Czech Republic) where it was a highly prized ...

Common blackbird feeding - Care of pigeons and rescued adults

The Blackbirds ( Turdus merula ) are intelligent and affectionate animals that must always live in freedom, in their natural habitat.But, sometimes, we must keep them in captivity.It would be the case of the offspring that we can find outside their nest and that They do not know how to assert themselves because they cannot yet feed themselves, but they may also need help from adults who have an injury or illness. In this Animals and Pets Online article we are going to focus on The common blackbird feeding as a fundamental part of its recovery before releasing it.Do you have a blackbird in captivity rescued? Don't you know which food is most suitable for blackbirds? Then this article interests you, keep reading! Characteristics of the common blackbird The blackbird is a common bird in Europe.It presents sexual dimorphism , which means that the female and the male are different with the naked eye.Yes, the male is totally black and yellow-orange beak and eye ring, while t...

My lovebird has diarrhea - Causes and treatment

Lovebird has become one of the most frequently birds they find in our homes.Their color, their beauty, and that nickname of "inseparable" that we like so much, makes them as appreciated as the canaries were once. But the arrival of any bird, exotic or not , puts us in front of new situations that sometimes we are not accustomed to face.Animals and Pets Online will try to help distinguish pathological situations from those that are not, and to handle us in the event that our lovebird has diarrhea , In the following article we explain the possible causes that cause it . It is not always diarrhea, even if it seems We may notice that there are more liquid stools than usual in our lovebird on the floor of the cage and identify it as diarrhea, even if it is not. Evacuations Sewers in birds are made up of a greenish part (they can vary in color if they take feed, they are real feces), a white part (urates, mineral salts), and a liquid part (urine).Everything goes out...

My mandarin diamond plucks the feathers

If this is the first time you have a Mandarin diamond you will probably be very surprised at observe that the feathers are torn off.This type of behavior may be due to several factors that we will detail below. Also, something that you should keep in mind is that if your Mandarin diamond plucks the feathers it will need an extra specific care and feeding. Read on and discover in this article of Animals and Pets Online why my mandarin diamond plucks the feathers and solves this problem that, in the long run, It can be harmful to your health. During laying If we have a male and a female in the same room (especially if it is small) we can easily solve why the Mandarin diamond plucks the feathers: it is because you want to form a nest , that is when the mandarin diamond breeding begins. The mandarin diamond reminds us of a small hen as it is capable of several nests during the year, having a pair of diamonds alone (or several couples) they begin the courtship and the p...

12 invasive species in Argentina and its consequences

According to the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development e , through the National Information System on Invasive Exotic Species, more than 650 invasive species were detected in Argentina .Many of these species were introduced by man, with the intention of obtaining economic benefits, "increase" the local level of sport hunting, or combat pests that were damaging agriculture or livestock. Although the idea of greater diversity in nature may seem interesting, the introduction of exotic animals and plants, Without a previous study of its environmental impact, it usually threatens the survival of the native fauna and flora of the country .In this new article of Animals and Pets Online, we present the main 12 invasive alien species in Argentina and its consequence s for the country's ecosystem. 1.Pinto starling (Sturnus vulgaris) The introduction of these birds is very recent in Argentina, but it already generates great concern for its impact on fauna...

Animals with exoskeleton - Names and examples

The body of the largest vertebrate animals is not a mystery to most of people: it is known that it has a skeleton, internal vital organs (heart, brain, etc.), a dermis of variable and organ characteristics through which the five senses are manifested, among other characteristics. However, have you wondered what the invertebrate morphology is like? Then you need to know all about the animals with exoskeleton, names and examples. Don't miss this Animals and Pets Online article! What is the exoskeleton? The exoskeleton is an external structure that covers the body of various animals, including arthropods.It is characterized by being resistant but flexible .This structure It consists of different substances depending on the subfile to which the animal belongs: chitin for insects and fungi, calcium in mollusks and corals or silica in diatoms among other components. In turn, the exoskeleton is formed by three structures : Cuticle : non-cellular layer secreted by the hyp...

Animals and Pets Online

Search This Blog