Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is seen mostly in geriatric (over 14 years old) cats. The most common things to see are a normally acting cat that has been slowly losing weight over a period of weeks or months with a ravenous appetite. They may be hyperactive, have a poor hair coat or may be vomiting.

The thyroid is basically the “metabolism” of the body. If it works too hard, it causes other parts of the body to work too hard as well. Long-term hyperthyroidism can cause heart problems, which commonly will be reversible once the hyperthyroidism is controlled.

There are two approaches to control hyperthyroidism: medical and surgical. In medical treatment, you will give your cat medication, called Tapazol, once to twice daily. This is usually an oral medication in the form of a tablet, but since some cats will not take medications easily we have a chewable form as well as a gel that goes inside of the ear. After a few weeks on Tapazol we will recheck your cat’s thyroid levels to evaluate how he/she is responding.

If your cat’s levels are extremely high or if he/she does not respond appropriately to the medication, surgery may be indicated. This involves removal of one or both lobes of the thyroid. This surgery is called a thyroidectomy. Usually, after removal, cats do not need medications to maintain their thyroid levels. It is more common to only have one of the lobes removed.

If you think that your cat may be having thyroid problems, please call us for an appointment.