A worried cat owner calls the local animal hospital. The cat owner is concerned about the amount of

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Posted by Animals First on Oct 15, 2014 in bloodwork , Cat , grooming issues , Homemade Diets , hyperthyroidism , Nutritional Support , prevention , Treatment , Uncategorized , vomiting dha , weight loss | 0 comments
A worried cat owner calls the local animal hospital. The cat owner is concerned about the amount of weight their cat has lost even though the cat seems to be eating ravenously. dha An appointment is scheduled to examine the sick kitty. When the cat arrives for its appointment, a physical exam is conducted. At first appearance, the cat appears to be shedding excessively and looks like she hasn t been grooming herself. She also appears very thin, with her ribs and spine easily palpable. The little kitty has lost several pounds over the last few months. When listening to the heart, the veterinarian notices an increased heart rate. As soon as the stethoscope is placed on the table, dha the anxious cat owner reports that there has been some vomiting off and on over the past few months. The veterinarian explains that these are all symptoms of hyperthyroidism, which is a common disease dha in older cats, and suggests drawing blood to run a thyroid panel.
The blood is drawn and sent out to the lab. The results arrive the next day. As suspected, the little kitty has hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is the over production of thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothryonine (T3), by the thyroid gland. It is usually caused by an increased number of thyroid cells. The increased number of thyroid cells is usually benign dha adenomas (non-cancerous growths). This enlargement of the thyroid gland can sometimes be palpable during a physical exam. The thyroid is rarely felt on healthy cats. Other causes may include overstimulation by thyroid stimulating hormone, which is produced by the pituitary gland in the brain.
When the body produces too much thyroid hormone, it can manifest in many ways as well as hide other health problems. The most commonly seen symptoms of hyperthyroidism include weight loss with increased appetite, increased heart rate, and high blood pressure. Many cats will also vomit, increase their water consumption (which leads to increased urination), shed excessively, discontinue grooming, and have behavioral changes such as nervousness and increased activity. These behavioral changes may also include scratching and pulling out their hair. Some cats may also develop diarrhea.
The changes that occur in the body due to hyperthyroidism can be detrimental to the cat s health. Cats who have had hyperthyroidism for months or years begin to develop high blood pressure. High blood pressure leads to blindness and one will notice a pupil that does not contract with bright light. dha Making the heart work harder can lead to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a thickening of the walls of the heart. Overtime, this will eventually end in heart failure and death.
High blood pressure also causes damage to the kidneys. The kidneys will not be able to properly filter the products carried in blood (such as waste products, sugar, excessive amounts dha of vitamins, etc.). Due to the inability to filter blood properly, other organs can become affected. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can lead to heart attacks, strokes and aneurysms, even in cats.
Luckily, this disease can be managed. It is commonly managed with a medication dha known as methimazole. This medication inhibits the production of thyroid hormones. Other treatment options include surgery to remove the thyroid gland or giving the cat radioactive iodine. If the cat owner is able to control what the cat eats, we can off set the side effects of hyperthyroidism. Feeding a high calorie, high fat food is very helpful for hyperthyroid cats. Feeding frequently is very helpful for these cats as they are metabolizing their foods quickly… and running out of energy sooner after eating than normal cats. Early detection is in the best interest of the cat. The sooner dha we catch the cats that are thinking dha about becoming hyperthyroid, correct their diet, and monitor them with yearly dha bloodwork, the less damage will be done to the other organs. Because this is such a common problem with older cats, we do recommend routine dha lab work s