My 20-year-old yowling cat reminded me of my dad when his hearing aid batteries died. Cats have two thyroid glands, and in most cases (more than 70%) both are involved in the disease, and become enlarged (a change called ‘nodular hyperplasia’, which resembles a very benign tumour). What is hyperthyroidism? Elevated thyroid hormones stimulate an increased heart rate and a stronger contraction of the heart muscle, and can cause thickening of the left ventricle of the heart over time. Anti-thyroid drugs act by reducing the production and release of thyroid hormone from the thyroid gland. Hyperthyroidism can cause weight loss despite a good appetite, increased water consumption and urination, vomiting, diarrhea, cardiomyopathy, and hypertension. Hyperthyroidism can actually improve kidney function by increasing blood flow to the kidneys. Hyperthyroidism is a common condition in older cats because of an excess of circulating thyroid hormone, called “thyroxine.” The thyroid gland, located in the neck, is … Companion Animal Hospital in Ithaca, NY for cats, dogs, exotics, and wildlife, Equine and Nemo Farm Animal Hospitals in Ithaca, NY for horses and farm animals, Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists, on Long Island for every horse, Ambulatory and Production Medicine for service on farms within 30 miles of Ithaca, NY, Animal Health Diagnostic Center New York State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine Ithaca, New York 14853-6401. Always follow the instructions provided by your veterinarian. These signs usually resolve without stopping the medication. Thyroid hormone levels can vary over time so it may be necessary to check blood levels several times or perform a different test called a T3 suppression test. The advantages of radioactive iodine therapy are that the procedure most often cures hyperthyroidism, has no serious side effects, and does not require anesthesia. Even though night howling is not exclusively linked with older cats, yowling at night can be a sign of some serious illness in geriatric cats. Hyperthyroidism, a medical condition affecting mostly senior cats, occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much of the hormones responsible for the cat’s metabolism. Or she could be bored, eagerly seeking any kind of attention. Antithyroid medications are also available in a gel that can be applied to the skin. Cats afflicted with hyperthyroidism usually develop a variety of signs that may be subtle at first but that become more severe as the disease progresses. 2. Your cat may get louder and more vocal as she gets older just to hear herself properly. Unfortunately, this means that many pet owners leave the condition untreated.Doing so can cause pain and anguish for the cat – and may even be fatal. Both thyroid glands are abnormal in this cat and take up the radioactive compound. The average age of cats with hyperthyroidism is 13 years of age; only about 5 % of hyperthyroid cats are younger than 10 years of age. Diagnosis Parathyroid gland damage causes low blood calcium that may cause seizures. Old Age. If this is accompanied by clinical signs such as lethargy, obesity, and poor hair coat, then thyroid hormone supplementation may be required. Discuss these issues with your veterinarian when considering dietary iodine restriction as a treatment for hyperthyroidism in cats. If thyroid disease is a possibility, your veterinarian will likely order a blood chemistry panel and an analysis of thyroid hormone levels. This disease is caused by tumor development in or on — or both — the thyroid glands. This list of feline hyperthyroidism symptoms is not exhaustive, but …
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