Does anyones cat have hyperthyroidism? Takes Vidalta

[mathsfiend1]

Just wondering - my cat taking 15mg Vidalta a day and is so so thin. Eats all day. There must be something else I can do for him as he looks so scrawny. Does everyone's hyperthyroid cat look like this or does anyone have a healthy cat? Thanks.

She's no longer with us, but our cat had radioactive iodine treatment for hyperthyroidism as they believed she was too bad to be treated on meds. Worked a treat (slightly too well actually, she ended up hypo but that was easily treated). It was damn expensive and she spent 6 weeks at the Bristol vet school, but the insurance covered it all....something to ask your vet about if you are insured?

There are other options. Firstly I suggest you get his t4 levels checked out again and see if the vidalta is managing still. Although 15mg is the higher dose.

There is the option of thyroidectomy and whilst very effective isn't without risk of damage/removal of parathyroid glands and that is potentially life threatening. So often not the chosen route it is still effective.

The "gold standard" is radiotherapy . Where the thyroid is treated with radioactive iodine. I don't have experience of this but it is considered the best opt. However it is expensive and involves an extended stay at the vets. Also not available everywhere

Have a chat with your vet and see what they say

Sadly not insured (previous owner stopped the insurance ??? why oh why??) but I will pay whatever is needed if I possibly can find a way to though.

Can I just ask is the radiotheray referred to above in the 3rd post the same as the radioactive iodine treatment referred to in the 2nd post?
Thank you.

Yes, I believe it is. It was a grand or so about 8 years ago. Worth exploring anyway- the cost may depend on treatment centre (the most practical for us was Bristol, but I think most of the major vet schools do it- I seem to remember there being one in London and one up in Scotland somewhere, at least). It wasn't nice her being away for 6 weeks but the treatment itself is actually pretty non invasive as I understand it, the 6 week stay was more for radiation control than anything (not that they are a risk in general, but faeces disposal etc would be harder to control than with a human undergoing the same treatment). She apparently got spoilt rotten by the veterinary students while she was there.

I have had a few on Vidalta and it worked well. But it took a while to get the dose right.

However the majority of my thyroid cats have only been on it long enough to stabilise them for thyroid removal. That is normally a quick and straightforward op. Hasn't your vet suggested it as a possibility?

Sorry if I've missed this but when was the last blood test to check the T4 levels? Surely they're not under control based on your description, in which case your cat either needs a higher dose or he's not getting all of the tablets (being sick in secret etc). Of course there are other treatment options for hyperT4, but your original post makes it look as if you feel the meds simply aren't working?

Yes is the same treatment. Many moons ago we performed many thyroidectomy with excellent success and vidalta was indeed used to control heart rate Tec to make fit for surgery. If this were my cat and it wasn't insured it would be the route I'd go as I couldn't afford the radioactive iodine. In fact my mum had two cats that had thyroidectomy with no I'll effects.

The issue is. It's pretty all or nothing with the parathyroid. It controls cellular calcium levels and if they are damaged often results in traumatic death.

I've had 2 cats with hyperthyroidism. They both took Felimazole which worked a treat. I don't remember how many grams, but I remember they did both have to have their levels checked fairly regularly at the beginning. Their appearance went back to normal when they started to take the tablets and they both lived very long lives, 19 & 20.

Ok wise people results back. Apparently normal thyroid range is 7-55 and cat is at 46 so suggesting upping Vidalta from 15mg. Heart rate is 228. Any thoughts from peope who have had hyperthyroid cat? Thanks very much.

But why up the dose if within normal range? That result suggests the vidalta is working. However that heart rate is extremely high.

Don't take my word though I'm no expert and your vet will know what they are doing.
The heart rate is high though and suggests the t4 levels are still high.