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Old 11-13-19, 12:40 AM  
adawn
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Question Radioactive iodine treatment for older cat with hyperthyroidism

I adopted my cat (current avatar photo) a few years ago when he was 12 or 13. He's a lap cat about 90% of the time. He's now 15 and was recently diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. I think we caught it pretty early and at his 4-week check up after starting a twice daily transdermal gel applied to the inside of his ear, his thyroid levels were back in the normal range, he had gained back some weight, and his kidney function has remained totally normal and healthy throughout. He's also very healthy in general, not even any significant arthritis that we can tell (still jumps up on the kitchen counters in stealth mode when he smells chicken and our backs are turned).

I very briefly discussed treatment options with my vet. I could just continue the transdermal gel indefinitely and get regular thyroid labs done once or twice a year. Or I could pursue radioactive iodine treatment at a wonderful specialty vet center nearby. I think I've chosen the radioactive iodine therapy route (I've even reserved him a spot in January to go in for the 5 days), but I'm wondering if anyone else has gone this route and what their experience was.

I'm just nervous for my kitty because he was adopted as a kitten from a no-kill shelter. He was with his first owner for 10 years and then was returned to the shelter (I assume his owner died or was forced to move somewhere they could not keep him but I'm just guessing). He was adopted out again pretty soon after to someone who had other cats. This person returned him to the shelter after a year for "spraying/peeing outside the box". So then the shelter would only adopt him out to someone without any cats in case other cats were making him anxious (he definitely likes getting all the attention in our house).

After being returned for the spraying issue, he sat at the shelter for a year waiting to be adopted again. Then I came along. He did spray a couple times a week right next to his litter box the first couple months we had him even though he otherwise seemed quite happy. It was so minor to clean up because I put rubber mats around the litter box. The vet told me to get feliway plug-ins so I did and the spraying stopped. Even if he had kept spraying, I never would have returned him as he is my constant companion and the best kitty ever (I've had 2 other cats before and while they're all special, he's extra special).

So that's his history (or as much as the shelter would share). I'm just worried I'm going to psychologically traumatize him with the iodine treatment because it requires him being kept for 5 days in a stainless steel cage similar to what they had him in at the shelter (though I think it's a bigger cage). And then for the first two weeks after he comes home, I can only have 30 minutes a day (!!!) of close contact with him. And since he's a lap cat plus used to sleeping in my bed, it's going to mean having to shut him out of rooms I'm in in order to keep him away. For instance, our nightly ritual normally begins with him sleeping on my chest for an hour while I lie in bed on my back. (Unfortunately I can rarely fall asleep on my back so eventually I have to roll onto my side). He is also used to curling up for hours in my lap while I knit and watch tv. We do spend some time apart. Right now he's curled up on his favorite kitchen chair by the radiator.

But I feel like the iodine treatment would be more ideal than doing the transdermal gel for life. Or am I making the wrong choice?

Anyone have experience with a cat with thyroid issues and/or who has gone the radioactive iodine therapy route?
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Old 11-13-19, 03:39 AM  
dlb
 
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One of my cats who is 17 has thyroid issues. I have not explored the procedure you are describing. My guy is on Tapazole, along with blood pressure & something for his kidneys. He goes for blood work every 2 months for adjustments to the meds - trying to get it right.

Debbie
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Old 11-13-19, 08:03 AM  
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I have not been through what you are experiencing, but I have had sick cats where I've had to make decisions affecting their lives.

I think you should weigh the extra issues caused by the iodine treatment versus the current plan, keeping in mind how much time you have left with your cat. He is, at this point, elderly. Will his quality of life improve enough with the iodine to warrant all the problems you and he will initially have with this treatment? What are the drawbacks of not having the treatment? What is his prognosis if he doesn't get it versus if he does get it? Since, statistically speaking, he may only have 2-3 years left, is it really worth it? Consider his quality of life along with the quantity.

Sorry to go on and on, but those are questions I would ask myself if it were me going through this with my cat(s).

Both my kitties (pictured) are gone now and I know how difficult it is to contemplate all of this. Hugs and best wishes for your kittie's continued health and happiness!

Donna
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Old 11-13-19, 12:13 PM  
carolyn jane
 
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Hi!

I would definitely encourage you to get the treatment for your kitty!

We had the same situation with our cat when she was 14. We did the surgery our vet recommended - only to learn that thyroid tissue can regrow in cats, so we were right back where we started.

We also tried the medicines and found they don't work long-term.

The shot is expensive - and five days will seem like an eternity - but it is definitely worth it!

Just fyi - the "30 minutes a day" rule is total overkill. Federal regulations require the vet to tell you that, but I learned you get less exposure to radiation from your kitty than taking a commercial flight somewhere.

You would probably still want to cut back some on your contact, but it really isn't as severe as they make it sound.

Our kitty gained back all of the weight she had lost within a couple of months and was as "good as new." She lived to be 18 and was in good health almost until the end (when kidney issues set in).

Good luck and best wishes for you and your kitty!

Carolyn
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Old 11-13-19, 02:45 PM  
furmomof6
 
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Your kitty sounds so precious! I'm sorry for all he has been through in his life. He's lucky to have found a home with you.

I had the procedure done on my 11 year old cat. We had her on the ear gel for about a year, but that does not stop the tumor from growing, and she kept needing higher doses. I was also told by my vet (not at all to scare you) that cats with hyperthyroidism can develop secondary cardiomyopathy because of it, even on treatment. Of course this can happen to any cat without other health issues, but it was something to consider. I'm so glad we did it!

My cat doesn't have your cat's history, but I honestly think it was more traumatizing for me to be away from her and worrying about how she was handling it. Because her tumor had grown so large, she needed a higher dose and had to be kept longer (I think it was 5 days instead of 3. They basically keep the cat until the levels of radiation are acceptable). I felt sick about it, but that was two years ago and she's such a happy, healthy 14 year old now, and I don't regret the decision at all. I think she was more traumatized by having to go to the vet every 3-6 months for blood work.

Now I'll be honest and say I didn't restrict her much when she got home. They did tell me to only come into contact with her for about 30 minutes a day like you were told, but as someone else posted above, they have to tell you that. After all the research I did, I too discovered I most likely get more exposure from other sources I come into contact with every day than I would from her. I'm not suggesting anyone else do what I did, but I'm just sharing my experience.

It does cost quite a bit of money, but if you add up the vet bills from bringing the cat every 3-6 months for blood work, plus the medicine, you can reach the same amount over time.

I understand your concern given his history. All I can say from experience is that she is so much healthier now than when she was on the medicine, and any trauma she might have experienced there if at all, she got over very, very quickly!

Best wishes and kitty prayers!
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Old 11-13-19, 05:14 PM  
adawn
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dlb View Post
One of my cats who is 17 has thyroid issues. I have not explored the procedure you are describing. My guy is on Tapazole, along with blood pressure & something for his kidneys. He goes for blood work every 2 months for adjustments to the meds - trying to get it right.
If your cat is on kidney medication, it is likely he is not a candidate for the iodine treatment (from what my vet explained to me). I hope your kitty's thyroid levels get balanced/optimized soon! I imagine it's trickier since he's also being treated for other conditions.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sollamyn View Post
I have not been through what you are experiencing, but I have had sick cats where I've had to make decisions affecting their lives.

I think you should weigh the extra issues caused by the iodine treatment versus the current plan, keeping in mind how much time you have left with your cat. He is, at this point, elderly. Will his quality of life improve enough with the iodine to warrant all the problems you and he will initially have with this treatment? What are the drawbacks of not having the treatment? What is his prognosis if he doesn't get it versus if he does get it? Since, statistically speaking, he may only have 2-3 years left, is it really worth it? Consider his quality of life along with the quantity.

Sorry to go on and on, but those are questions I would ask myself if it were me going through this with my cat(s).

Both my kitties (pictured) are gone now and I know how difficult it is to contemplate all of this. Hugs and best wishes for your kittie's continued health and happiness!
I am definitely weighing all of these things over and over again in my mind. If he was 17 or 18, I don't think I would be considering it. But he's 15 and so healthy and an indoor-only cat. I keep thinking he could live until 20 (I hope). My sister-in-law had a cat that lived until 20. I really hate having to think about how many years I might have left with him. I wish he had come into my life sooner so we could have had more time together.

Quote:
Originally Posted by carolyn jane View Post
I would definitely encourage you to get the treatment for your kitty!

We had the same situation with our cat when she was 14. We did the surgery our vet recommended - only to learn that thyroid tissue can regrow in cats, so we were right back where we started.

We also tried the medicines and found they don't work long-term.

The shot is expensive - and five days will seem like an eternity - but it is definitely worth it!

Just fyi - the "30 minutes a day" rule is total overkill. Federal regulations require the vet to tell you that, but I learned you get less exposure to radiation from your kitty than taking a commercial flight somewhere.

You would probably still want to cut back some on your contact, but it really isn't as severe as they make it sound.

Our kitty gained back all of the weight she had lost within a couple of months and was as "good as new." She lived to be 18 and was in good health almost until the end (when kidney issues set in).

Good luck and best wishes for you and your kitty!
Thank you so much for sharing your kitty's treatment experience (and that the 30-min-a-day might be overkill). I mean, I'll definitely limit my contact but it's good to know that if we go over that a little bit, it's not the end of the world.

Quote:
Originally Posted by furmomof6 View Post
Your kitty sounds so precious! I'm sorry for all he has been through in his life. He's lucky to have found a home with you.

I had the procedure done on my 11 year old cat. We had her on the ear gel for about a year, but that does not stop the tumor from growing, and she kept needing higher doses. I was also told by my vet (not at all to scare you) that cats with hyperthyroidism can develop secondary cardiomyopathy because of it, even on treatment. Of course this can happen to any cat without other health issues, but it was something to consider. I'm so glad we did it!

My cat doesn't have your cat's history, but I honestly think it was more traumatizing for me to be away from her and worrying about how she was handling it. Because her tumor had grown so large, she needed a higher dose and had to be kept longer (I think it was 5 days instead of 3. They basically keep the cat until the levels of radiation are acceptable). I felt sick about it, but that was two years ago and she's such a happy, healthy 14 year old now, and I don't regret the decision at all. I think she was more traumatized by having to go to the vet every 3-6 months for blood work.

Now I'll be honest and say I didn't restrict her much when she got home. They did tell me to only come into contact with her for about 30 minutes a day like you were told, but as someone else posted above, they have to tell you that. After all the research I did, I too discovered I most likely get more exposure from other sources I come into contact with every day than I would from her. I'm not suggesting anyone else do what I did, but I'm just sharing my experience.

It does cost quite a bit of money, but if you add up the vet bills from bringing the cat every 3-6 months for blood work, plus the medicine, you can reach the same amount over time.

I understand your concern given his history. All I can say from experience is that she is so much healthier now than when she was on the medicine, and any trauma she might have experienced there if at all, she got over very, very quickly!

Best wishes and kitty prayers!
Thank you for telling me about your kitty's success story! Yes, the treatment is expensive, but in about two years I think we'll break even vs. doing the ear gel because the monthly cost of the ear gel from a local compounding pharmacy is rather high, plus the regular thyroid labs at the vet to monitor things all adds up. My vet also offered twice daily pills for my cat vs. the ear gel but the ear gel is much easier/less stressful for both me and my cat and is apparently working.

Thank you everyone for thoughtful posts, your good wishes, and prayers!

I have a lot to consider. And if anyone else has considered or gone through this, please chime in.
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Old 11-13-19, 05:50 PM  
Joni O
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I’ve been volunteering in cat adoption for 5 years and have seen the types of histories you’re describing. Some cats tolerate that commotion and upheaval better than others. It takes it’s toll emotionally and physically on them, especially since they don’t understand what’s going on. You’re in the best position to know how your cat would tolerate the iodine isolation. In general, cats don’t tolerate change very well, especially the older they get.

Will the iodine treatment result in a better outcome than the medical treatment? If so, how much better? Is it worth it? Which treatment would your cat choose?
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Old 11-13-19, 06:49 PM  
furmomof6
 
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ADawn, you're welcome! I know the agony of a tough decision like this, my pets are my babies! Sometimes we have to make tough decisions which they may not like for their best interest (not at all minimizing the poor babies history, I know that's a real factor in your decision). I will add that my sister has a cat also with hyperthyroidism. He started the meds at 11 and is now 14. He has been doing very well on the medicine, no other health issues, with just a few tweaks in dosage through the years.
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Old 11-13-19, 08:03 PM  
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I'm going through this as well. My darling 17yo cat Charlie (not the photo) has been hyperthyroid since 2012. He's been on ever-increasing doses of Tapazole and has fared very well, all things considered. At this point, however, he's really aged and become much skinnier. He eats very little and needs lots of help stimulating his appetite. The radioactive iodine treatment has been brought up by his doctors but it doesn't make sense given his age. If he were younger I might consider it, though. Meantime we are keeping him comfortable and happy, and giving him lots of love and attention.

The sweetheart in my photo was my beloved 16yo snowshoe Tybalt, who passed on October 20th from cancer.
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Old 11-13-19, 08:23 PM  
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Gina, I am so very sorry for your loss. <3
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