Cat - hyperthyroidism

fluffnutter

Stupid Cat's just been diagnosed with an overactive thyroid (he's 10).

Anyone had any experience of this? Tips on how to get them to take the tablets (he eats round it if I try to put in it his food). What treatment options (surgery, radiation etc.) were you offered and what did you go for?

TIA.

Mrs_Z

Yes, we have one cat with a hyperactive thyroid, she was about 14 when diagnosed (3 years ago). Vet did not offer surgery but tablets (Felimazole) 2 x day. It's been a bit of a trial and error. We have been through several foods (to hide the tablet), with varying success - but fresh pieces of tuna steak (expensive!) work the best, also pieces of prawn and cream cheese have worked in the past. Piece of cheddar might also do the trick if you cat is partial to cheese, ours is not.

Then if everything fails (and it sometimes does), then we have a pill popper as the plan b. Not very pleasant but it gets the job done (1 person holding the cat, 1 person popping the pill).

The vet of course showed how to 'just pop the pill down the cat's mouth' - no gimmicks, cat sat there like a model patient, no fuss - but of course it's a completely different story at home!

Luckily the food method works 95% of the time.

Good luck!

doodle-bug_2

I have just lost our 23 year old cat who had this problem.

He took the tablets (just one a day) - he was a bruiser (on steroids for many years because of other issues) and so forcing a pill down his throat was not an option.

His love was fresh chicken. From a supermarket, not one roasted in my oven - although this would do at a push.

I used to give him a pill each morning - by then, his food bowl would be empty and he would be hungry. I wouldn't hide his pill in a pile of food, but would just put a small piece of squishy chicken in my palm (with the pill rolled in). He would then eat the chicken (and the pill). Sometimes he would spit the pill out, in which case I would repeat the small chicken piece drill until it was taken. Then I would feed him.

Hopefully there will be some food that your cat would desire above all else that you can use with the pill?

Let us know how you get on.

fluffnutter

Mrs_Z wrote: »

Yes, we have one cat with a hyperactive thyroid, she was about 14 when diagnosed (3 years ago). Vet did not offer surgery but tablets (Felimazole) 2 x day. It's been a bit of a trial and error. We have been through several foods (to hide the tablet), with varying success - but fresh pieces of tuna steak (expensive!) work the best, also pieces of prawn and cream cheese have worked in the past. Piece of cheddar might also do the trick if you cat is partial to cheese, ours is not.

Then if everything fails (and it sometimes does), then we have a pill popper as the plan b. Not very pleasant but it gets the job done (1 person holding the cat, 1 person popping the pill).

The vet of course showed how to 'just pop the pill down the cat's mouth' - no gimmicks, cat sat there like a model patient, no fuss - but of course it's a completely different story at home!

Luckily the food method works 95% of the time.

Good luck!

The cheese idea is great, thanks. He loves cheese. We've had to do the pill popper thing tonight but you're right; it's a two person job. It took a while and felt quite traumatic. Don't fancy that every day

fluffnutter

doodle-bug wrote: »

I have just lost our 23 year old cat who had this problem.

He took the tablets (just one a day) - he was a bruiser (on steroids for many years because of other issues) and so forcing a pill down his throat was not an option.

His love was fresh chicken. From a supermarket, not one roasted in my oven - although this would do at a push.

I used to give him a pill each morning - by then, his food bowl would be empty and he would be hungry. I wouldn't hide his pill in a pile of food, but would just put a small piece of squishy chicken in my palm (with the pill rolled in). He would then eat the chicken (and the pill). Sometimes he would spit the pill out, in which case I would repeat the small chicken piece drill until it was taken. Then I would feed him.

Hopefully there will be some food that your cat would desire above all else that you can use with the pill?

Let us know how you get on.

I'm going to try Mrs Z's cheese idea, but I also like your idea of palm feeding him.

Brilliant ideas so far, thanks guys. We're considering surgery as a longer term solution. Anyone have experience of this?

Tiddlywinks

We've had two cats with hyperthyroidism.

One of our previous cats developed it at about 18 and she responded well to Felimazole and lived to be 22 (she also had kidney and heart problems and arthritis).

One girl that we have now was finally diagnosed in November after being misdiagnosed for ages as having a gastric problem (because the blood tests were normal and so that was the only explanation they could find for the weight loss).

She didn't respond to the tablets and continued to lose weight, shed hair and generally look pretty sorry for herself... so we went for surgery.

She has now recovered well and I was surprised that she was so with-it only hours after the op. There are risks with the operation but, when it is the only choice, sometimes it's a risk you have to take.

As to how to get a cat to take tablets? If you could solve that then you'd be a millionaire.

I use the 'creeping up from behind after putting a small plate with tuna on the floor' method. Armed with a towel, I creep up on them, wrap them quickly in the towel (so that they can't use their front paws), prize open their jaws, pop in the pill (again and again until it stays), hold their mouth closed and then stroke their throat.

Some cats just don't like taking their medicine.

ETA... beware the old 'popping it into the cheek / under the tongue and then spitting it out when no-one is looking' trick - I had another old girl that used to do that... I used to find them all hidden behind furniture!

podperson

Sorry, don't have any experience with the illness but regarding getting him to take the tablets, I put a dob of cream cheese (dairylea/philly etc) on a spoon, squish the tablet into the middle of it and then let mine lick it off. She loves the cheese and then I can see she's definately taken it before I feed her properly. Tried putting it in her dish but easier for her to work the tablet out or lick round it.

Tiglath

Are they the kind of tablets you could crush between 2 teaspoons and stir into their food, or do they have to be swallowed whole? Pretty sure that's what my friend used to do with her hyperthyroid cat.

paddypaws101

For a ten year old cat I would strongly recommend the Radio active Iodine treatment. Sometimes tissue from the thyroid has migrated into the chest area and in this case the issue will re-occur. They also only usually remove one of the two lobes at a time so she would maybe need a second round of surgery,,,thus more time and expense.

Miss_Havisham

I crush the tablet down into a fine-ish powder with the back of a teaspoon, mix it with half a teaspoon of mayonnaise/dairylea/butter and then spread this mixture on top of his front paws (the furry part not the pads). He feels compelled to lick his paws clean and at the same time, unbeknown to him, he's doing himself some good !

The vet gave me a gadget like a syringe with a claw at the end - push the pill into the claw then "shove" the syringe into his mouth, push the end of the syringe and hey presto the pill is down his throat. Within a nano-second he brings the pill back up and spits it far across the room. Little devil.

Miss H

LavenderBees

My old Boy, Charlie (15) has had hyperthyroidism twice - the first time was two years ago, and we tried medication but it started to destroy his white blood cells and he became almost comatose. I then ok'd the op to remove the gland in his throat that was causing him problems.

He's been a happy healthy cat for 2 years, and I don't regret the op one bit. Far better than trying to medicate him every day, imho.

Roll on 2 years, and he's hyperthyroid again, but this time, there's no swollen gland in his throat so the suspicion is that it is in his chest somewhere. As he can't take the medication, I've felt that he's on the slippery slope out of here, as the op will be very risky, and unlikely to be successful.

The radioactive solution has been offered but sounds like it costs thousands and just isn't an option.

However, my lovely vet has been investigating, and there is a prescription food produced by Hills that is showing good results in lowering thyoid readings - Y/D. I'm expecting samples to arrive on Monday so I can see if Charlie will eat it. Please eat it, Charlie! It really is Charlie's only hope...

The downside of the food, is that the cat must not eat any other food at all or the Y/D food won't work, so best to keep him in (Charlie is mostly indoors these days, so that won't be so much a problem for me).

The food is also quite expensive, certainly in comparison to normal cat food, but frankly, if Charlie eats it, and it makes him feel well, it's a small price to pay.

If you do keep medicating, wrapping the tablet in butter, wrapping the puss in an old towel, and quickly/firmly popping the tablet into the back of the throat is the best way I've found.

Good luck!

LB xx