Small Talk - Winter 2017

Cat Hyperthyroidism By Andy Nelson BVSc PGcertSAS MRCVS Leonard Brothers Veterinary Centre Ltd 04 small talk T he thyroid gland is under the chin and produces a hormone which drives metabolism. This means that if a cat has an over-active thyroid their metabolism goes into over-drive. This leads to the common clinical signs. If an older cat is showing these symptoms then your vet will look for other signs on their clinical examination. Lots of these patients have a swelling in the neck around the windpipe (the enlarged thyroid) and usually have a rapid heart rate, often with a heart murmur. If untreated the thyroid will get further and further out of control and these cats can deteriorate very quickly. If your vet is suspicious that your cat has an over-active thyroid they will usually ask to run some tests. These will usually involve blood tests, but may include urine tests, blood pressure tests and sometimes heart scans. The good news about hyperthyroidism is that it is readily treatable and there are 4 main treatment options: 1. The best treatment involves the cats having a radioactive injection which destroys the over-active thyroid tissue giving a cure to the condition with very little risk of adverse effects. This is a very specialised treatment and not many places in the UK offer the injection. However there are a few XLVets practices and some university vet schools who are able to offer this ‘gold standard’ treatment. Hyperthyroidism is a relatively common condition of older cats whereby they develop an over-active thyroid gland. It can affect any cat but usually only cats over 10 years old. Clinical signs of hyperthyroidism: l Weight loss l Increased appetite l Increased thirst l Hyper-activity l Upset tummy (sickness and diarrhoea) Hyperthyroidism