If your cat is on medicine for hyperthyroidism

purpleme12 · 2021-12-21T15:56:50+00:00

.........if your cat is on medicine for hyperthyroidism..... how often do you have to have blood tests for them to check they're at the right level?? appreicate any responses also how much is your medicine and how much are the blood tests?

AwkwardPaws27 · 21/12/2021 16:08

Former veterinary receptionist.
Testing will depend how well controlled it is - usually more frequently at first to ensure correct dosage, then less frequently provided symptoms well controlled.

Which medicine? Tablets, topic gel (applied to the ears), medical diet all vary a bit. My mum's cat is on tablets and I think it's under £50/month.

Radioactive iodine therapy is a very effective cure. It's around £2000.

Original poster

purpleme12 · 21/12/2021 16:11

yes i know about this radioactive thing it's £2200.
he is not insured and my family think i'm doing the wrong thing shelling out all this money when i don't have a lot and i've got a child and a house.
and i'm having second thoughts and i don't know what to do

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AwkwardPaws27 · 21/12/2021 16:14

How old is he? Any other health issues?

It's a lot upfront, but if you ask your vet for an estimate of blood tests and medication you may find that you end up spending the same amount over 3-4 years, so if he's in his early teens and in good health otherwise it might be a good option.

lilao · 21/12/2021 16:25

We did bloods every 3 months initially and then I think did it for 6 after a couple of years. Her medicine (Thyronorm) was about £85 at the vets but then we got them to give us a prescription (about £12) and got it online two bottles at a time for about £50 each

She lives for 4 years after diagnosis and I wouldn't change the decision for the world, they were the best years we had. I would say if you don't think you can look after them then please re-home rather than put to sleep as someone else/ cat charity may be willing to pay the cost if he is otherwise happy and healthy.

On the other hand, I had another cat who developed hyperthyroidism which was actually masking cancer - sometimes the hyperthyroidism isn't the root cause and it just masks the main problem. She only lived 6 months.

It's such a difficult decision to make, I'm happy to answer any questions

lilao · 21/12/2021 16:26

Just realised I forgot to say - the bottles of medicine would last between 2-3 months depending on the dose, originally it was lower and then we had to increase it over time

AllTheOtherCats · 21/12/2021 16:32

Hello, one of my kitties had hyperthyroidism and was on Felimazole (about £30 monthly bought via prescription from an online site so much cheaper than buying from the vet). The blood tests were roughly every six months and we're about £80. She lived a perfectly happy and healthy life once her thyroid was under control.

Original poster

purpleme12 · 21/12/2021 17:27

@AwkwardPaws27

How old is he? Any other health issues?

It's a lot upfront, but if you ask your vet for an estimate of blood tests and medication you may find that you end up spending the same amount over 3-4 years, so if he's in his early teens and in good health otherwise it might be a good option.

He is 13 next month no other health issues (although the recent blood test revealed low pottasium as well as hyperthyroidism so he's been having potassium for the last couple of weeks)

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Original poster

purpleme12 · 21/12/2021 17:29

I honestly don't know what to do
i love him so much
i feel torn in every way

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Original poster

purpleme12 · 21/12/2021 17:34

@lilao

We did bloods every 3 months initially and then I think did it for 6 after a couple of years. Her medicine (Thyronorm) was about £85 at the vets but then we got them to give us a prescription (about £12) and got it online two bottles at a time for about £50 each

She lives for 4 years after diagnosis and I wouldn't change the decision for the world, they were the best years we had. I would say if you don't think you can look after them then please re-home rather than put to sleep as someone else/ cat charity may be willing to pay the cost if he is otherwise happy and healthy.

On the other hand, I had another cat who developed hyperthyroidism which was actually masking cancer - sometimes the hyperthyroidism isn't the root cause and it just masks the main problem. She only lived 6 months.

It's such a difficult decision to make, I'm happy to answer any questions

How old was your cat? Who lived for 4 years after?

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Original poster

purpleme12 · 21/12/2021 17:35

It's just me by myself

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Original poster

purpleme12 · 21/12/2021 17:38

i feel like whatever i do is wrong here

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AwkwardPaws27 · 21/12/2021 18:17

Personally with an otherwise healthy 13 yo I'd look at radioactive iodine BUT my financial position might be v different to yours.
E.g. I could put the costs on a 0% credit card and pay it back over 12 months or so by ditching takeaways, gym membership and cutting a few other luxuries.

But ultimately its your decision - not your wider family's decision. Many people don't realise what vet care costs & think "it's just a cat" whereas it's your pet.
My older cat is 11 and has a heart condition - I hadn't insured her (she is now insured but doesn't cover pre existing conditions) and I know I may need to pay for costly investigations and meds if this deteriorates in future. I'd never tell my MIL how much that cost, for example, as she would never understand.

AwkwardPaws27 · 21/12/2021 18:26

& the only "wrong" decision would be to do nothing (as hyperthyroidism needs to be controlled or treated). You have a number of options, it's just working out which one is affordable and works for you (or investigating charity help or rehoming if you cannot provide any treatment).

lilao · 21/12/2021 18:37

She was 13 when she started and 17 when she finally passed away

Original poster

purpleme12 · 21/12/2021 19:17

@lilao

She was 13 when she started and 17 when she finally passed away

And yours was on the tablets? How much did it cost you altogether? including the tablets and blood tests and everything? i guess you have to pay for the vet consult each time as well

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Original poster

purpleme12 · 23/12/2021 14:28

@AwkwardPaws27

& the only "wrong" decision would be to do nothing (as hyperthyroidism needs to be controlled or treated). You have a number of options, it's just working out which one is affordable and works for you (or investigating charity help or rehoming if you cannot provide any treatment).

would you use savings or take out a credit card for such a big amount?

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WaltzingToWalsingham · 23/12/2021 14:40

I'd be wary about treating the cat with radioactive iodine,, particularly as you have a child. What would happen if the cat were to curl up on the child's bed overnight, for example? Wouldn't that expose your child to unnecessary radiation? In your position, I think I'd go down the medication route

Defiantly41 · 23/12/2021 14:49

@WaltzingToWalsingham when the cats have the radioactive iodine treatment they have to stay in isolation at a specialist vet until no longer radioactive - usually 2 weeks - that's why it costs so much, rather than the actual treatment cost it's effectively 2 weeks inpatient care at a vet hospital. Once it's done they are no longer radioactive.

I had one who lived to age 20 on Vidalta (diagnosed at 14) and 2 currently on Thyronorm. Thyronorm especially is much cheaper with a prescription and buying from an online vet and you usually only have to get a new prescription (for which the vet charges) every 6 months even if you buy meds monthly, just make sure your vet ticks the repeatable box.
Once your cat is stable on a particular medication you will have to work out the cost of that medication per year times the number of years they are likely to live - which, properly medicated could be 4-6 years. Weigh that against a one-off cost of radioactive treatment.
Good Luck

AnnaMagnani · 23/12/2021 14:53

We did the meds. Testing was frequent to start and practically never once stable. Cat was transformed by the treatment from miserable to happy, to such an extent we realised she had been ill far longer than we had noticed.

Original poster

purpleme12 · 23/12/2021 14:54

Well the cat would be isolated in one room. So he would be curled up on her bed but she wouldn't be in there for weeks. She'd be in with me for the whole time

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Original poster

purpleme12 · 23/12/2021 14:55

@AnnaMagnani

We did the meds. Testing was frequent to start and practically never once stable. Cat was transformed by the treatment from miserable to happy, to such an extent we realised she had been ill far longer than we had noticed.

The tablets? How much did it cost? including the blood tests?

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WaltzingToWalsingham · 23/12/2021 15:09

@Defiantly41 Thats interesting, thank you for explaining that. But is the radioactivity completely gone after two weeks, or just down to safe levels? I only ask because the safe level for an adult might be different to what's safe for a child. Also, an adult would probably follow any instructions about limiting contact with the cat after treatment, whereas a child might not. So I wonder if it might still be worth having a chat with the vet before pursuing this particular treatment, and making it clear that there's a young child in the house.

Original poster

purpleme12 · 23/12/2021 15:16

The vet is aware
As already mentioned the cat would be isolated

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AnnaMagnani · 23/12/2021 17:42

Sorry I can't remember the cost as it was now a while ago. As @Defiantly41 says it would be less through an online pharmacy which we didn't bother with as ours was insured.

Cat lived 2 years and it was a surprise when she died, I know many live longer.

The cat definitely needs treatment. Meds may be cheaper than the iodine - cat may not live long enough to spend more than the iodine on meds, and the cost of meds is spread out over time.

Pallando · 23/12/2021 18:20

We went for surgery rather than radiotherapy - firstly our cat gets very stressed at the vet and we didn't think she would cope with 2 weeks away, and secondly apparently there is a reasonably high chance of the cat becoming hypothyroidic afterwards and still needin pills!