Question:
My sister's cat (a gorgeous, smart Burmese/Siamese) has been recommended for a procedure to treat an overactive thyroid. Does anyone have any info on this, success rate, etc?

This is my sister's email (they live on Vancouver Island):

"I have given him 1/2 pill for three weeks and it hasn't made much difference -he is youngish (7 years we think) and very healthy in other ways if the blood
tests (masses) and his behaviour are any indication - so the vet thinks he
should have the surgery - otherwise i'll be giving him three pills a day for
the rest of his life - he flies over on the sea plane - the vets pick him
up - he is given the radioactive iodine and he has to stay there for at
least a week until he is no longer radioactive - he is alone in a kennel
with a big window and he is let out in a courtyard every day for a little
exercise - they phone me daily with news - 95 % success rate "they" say -
the vet thinks he is the ideal cat to have this - see what you can find out
asap = 1250$$ - but the pills are really expensive and he hates taking
them".

Answer:
sorry I can't help you, some of the wonderful cat people may be able to

Answer:
My Puss-Puss is hyper-thyroid. Because of her age (15) the vet has not recommended the radioactive treatment and she is on Tapazole. Is this what your sister's kitty is on? I've heard that the procedure is fairly common and very successful - even for people. I know of 3 people who have had it and no medication required after. If you elect to stay on pills, please be aware that you will need to have bloodwork approximately every 6 months to monitor the thyroid levels. The dosage may well increase as time goes on. We were very early in diagnosing Puss-Puss. When she began showing signs something wasn't right, we had a very recent normal blood test to compare with. She was put on meds and prevented the damage that disease can cause to the heart. We are now giving her a whole pill in the morning and another at night. Yes the pills are quite expensive. However, I've found that if I get as large a quantity as they'll give me (usually 2 months worth), it's cheaper per pill than if I get a small amount. For some reason, the vet doesn't always have that many on hand so I call a couple days in advance to get a refill so they will be sure to have enough. I've heard they can be ordered on-line for less, but the convenience of being able to pick them up close to work, and the need to have frequent bloodwork has kept me from checking out that option. If you're making the decision based on finances, the radiation is much cheaper in the long run by far!

By the way, Puss-Puss comes to us when it's time for her pill and no struggles. She associates it with getting lots of neck and chin scratching and getting fed right after.

Answer:
Thanks, glasslass. It is absolutely not a question of money. In fact, I read somewhere that with the constant testing plus the cost of the drug plus having to haul the cat to the vet every few weeks, the surgery (depending on where one lives, I guess) may well be a bargain. Like anyone else, we just want to do what's best. He's my rescue, so I get to throw in my 2 cents! Anyway, from what I have read, the procedure is not experimental (which was my first concern) and relatively safe. One article mentioned that the cat has to be kept indoors for a couple of months afterwards because of the radiation. Now, THAT will be a problem!

Answer:
A couple of months! Wow, haven't heard that! People only have to stay isolated a few days!

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Surgery? I thought the procedure was just taking a radioactive pill? I thought it was non-invasive. Maybe different from the people procedure.

Answer:
I did a boolean search thru Google by typing in

cats AND hyper-thyroid

This site was interesting

http://cats.about.com/od/thyroiddise...bba_iodine.htm

Answer:
Sorry, I meant radio therapy, which is non-invasive. But still not a cakewalk for the animal. OR the caregiver. Check the instructions for aftercare on this page. Whoaa!

http://vmthpub.vetmed.wisc.edu/sa_se...adioiodine.htm

(sorry, might not be a real link)

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