Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

If your cat is on medicine for hyperthyroidism

116 replies

purpleme12 · 21/12/2021 15:56

.........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?

OP posts:
Pallando · 24/12/2021 11:03

@purpleme12 I would try the tablets for a month - otherwise your DCat might start to lose weight and the Vet might be reluctant to start other treatments if he/she is underweight. I found pill assist quite good - they are not cheap, but I split each pocket into 3-4 bits and used it to attach the pill to the back of a dreamie...

Veterinari · 24/12/2021 11:23

[quote purpleme12]@Veterinari the vets seem quite confident he doesn't have kidney disease?[/quote]
Unless he's stabilised on thyroid medication there's no way to know.
The increased metabolism from hyperthyroidism can mask underlying kidney disease and the continued high blood pressure from hyperthyroidism causes kidney damage.

The kidneys need to be evaluated once the thyroid levels and blood pressure are normalised.

Veterinari · 24/12/2021 11:24

@Nidan2Sandan

My cat has thyronorm liquid and a 100ml bottle usually lasts about 3 months and its £100 a bottle (covered by insurance). Blood tests twice a year are around the £300 mark.
Yes, I'd say this is fairly typical
Veterinari · 24/12/2021 11:27

They would either do the tablets or they would be happy doing nothing at all

If treatment is genuinely outside your means then please consider euthanasia rather than nothing at all.
Nothing means chronic hunger, anxiety and disrupted sleep, then a slow unpleasant death from kidney or heart failure.

It's not an option anyone who loves their pet should choose

ipswichwitch · 24/12/2021 11:30

Have a look at this for some useful info on radioiodine treatment.

www.hyperthyroidcatcentre.co.uk/about-us/

Original poster
purpleme12 · 24/12/2021 11:37

Yes that's the one i would be looking at

OP posts:
dingit · 24/12/2021 12:37

Mine is 15 and was too old for surgery or iodine treatment. She has the gel you put on her ears which is simple to do. She has just had a normal blood count and looks healthier and happier. The gel cost about £55 for the month, I'm going to investigate the cost from a pharmacy.

Original poster
purpleme12 · 24/12/2021 15:24

(to the people above saying about kidney disease he has been tested for that)

OP posts:
Words · 24/12/2021 16:59

My cat was ten/ 11 when she had the op. I was also looking at the Wetherby clinic for the radiation treatment. Not sure if you could do this but if you wanted a practice very used to these ops, email me. My vet was very helpful in talking me through the options.

Radiation made sense financially as she was relatively young for the condition, and it does have a high success rate, but the stress of sending her away, then isolating her swayed me towards the operation in the end.

Words · 24/12/2021 17:00

@veterinari Wondered what your views were on the operation?

Words · 24/12/2021 17:03

Sorry for spamming!

@purpleme my understanding is you need to stabilise his numbers first with medication then test for kidney disease as the one can mask the other. Apols if I have misunderstood.

Original poster
purpleme12 · 24/12/2021 17:06

I rang the vet to check about the kidney thing and he said he's happy he doesn't have kidney disease
If we did do nothing with the hyperthyroidism it found bring it on but he said he was happy he didn't have it
The other vet at the hyperthyroid clinic also seemed happy with his result for that

OP posts:
Words · 24/12/2021 17:16

Not quite sure what you mean OP? Doing nothing is not an option with this condition as I understand it- whether or not he has kidney disease.

And unless the condition has been brought under initial control with a medication like Thyronorm, again as I understand it, they can't be certain on the kidney issue anyway.

But I am not a vet!

Mine was very willing to refer for the radiation treatment if that's what I decided. In the end I went for the operation and I am glad I did.

Original poster
purpleme12 · 24/12/2021 17:20

I was explaining that if we did nothing then the hyperthyroidism could bring on kidney disease
I wasn't saying I would do nothing

Did your vet tell you you couldn't really on testing for kidney disease until you'd treated for hyperthyroidism?

OP posts:
Original poster
purpleme12 · 24/12/2021 17:41

*rely, not really

OP posts:
Newnormal99 · 24/12/2021 18:42

First month was £75 from vets. I now get a prescription once every 6 months for £18.

He is on .5ml twice a day so a 100ml bottle lasts 3 months. That's about £47.

So about £18 a month.

Blood tests I think will prob be every 6 months.

Newnormal99 · 24/12/2021 18:45

@Nidan2Sandan

My cat has thyronorm liquid and a 100ml bottle usually lasts about 3 months and its £100 a bottle (covered by insurance). Blood tests twice a year are around the £300 mark.
Wow I pay £47 a bottle from Pet drugs online!
Original poster
purpleme12 · 24/12/2021 18:47

I guess it depends on the price the vet charges for their services as well....

OP posts:
Veterinari · 24/12/2021 20:53

@purpleme12

I rang the vet to check about the kidney thing and he said he's happy he doesn't have kidney disease If we did do nothing with the hyperthyroidism it found bring it on but he said he was happy he didn't have it The other vet at the hyperthyroid clinic also seemed happy with his result for that
That's interesting since the research shows that about 1/3 of cats have underlying kidney disease once their hyperthyroidism is treated

I'd be interested to know how your vet can be confident your cat isn't in that 1/3rd. I'm not being arsey - genuinely asking in case there's been new research I've missed?

I'd certainly be reluctant for my clients to invest in radio-iodine as a first line treatment if there might be underlying kidney disease

Original poster
purpleme12 · 24/12/2021 20:54

Oh god

So are you not supposed to test for kidney disease when a cat has hyperthyroidism then?

I don't know who to believe

OP posts:
Veterinari · 24/12/2021 21:16

To be fair in most cases the kidney disease if diagnosed is mild (at least initially). I'm just confused as to how they can be totally confident?
The likelihood is that your puss is in the 2/3 that are fine.

I think personally I'd just want to be sure of that by stabilising then first but to be honest if you're going for radiation treatment, she'll likely be reviewed by a specialist first so they'll know more

I know you've said you can't tablet but what about thyronorm liquid in food?

Veterinari · 24/12/2021 21:19

For anyone wanting more research/evidence on hyperthyroidism treatments:

journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1098612X16643252

Veterinari · 24/12/2021 21:22

And some reputable summaries of treatment options for owners

icatcare.org/advice/hyperthyroidism/

vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/hyperthyroidism-in-cats

Original poster
purpleme12 · 24/12/2021 21:23

@Veterinari

To be fair in most cases the kidney disease if diagnosed is mild (at least initially). I'm just confused as to how they can be totally confident? The likelihood is that your puss is in the 2/3 that are fine.

I think personally I'd just want to be sure of that by stabilising then first but to be honest if you're going for radiation treatment, she'll likely be reviewed by a specialist first so they'll know more

I know you've said you can't tablet but what about thyronorm liquid in food?

I was told (and read) and this couldn't be given in food and had to be given in the cat's mouth.... And again it was just the cost being more expensive in the long run...

Are you saying that kidney disease tests aren't reliable until they've been treated for hyperthyroidism?

OP posts:
Original poster
purpleme12 · 24/12/2021 21:27

But that means that most cats don't have underlying kidney disease if it's one third of cats

OP posts: