What is it?
This is a disease commonly seen in middle aged to older cats.

What happens?
The thyroid gland, which is found in the neck and has two lobes, produces too much thyroid hormone (T4). This results in a higher than normal metabolism and affects multiple organ systems.

Does my cat have it?
Signs include:
- weight loss despite a veracious appetite
- unkempt coat
- thumping and rapid heart rate that can be felt when you hold her
- increased drinking and urination

What happens if my cat does have it?
If you suspect that your cat has some of these signs, please bring her in to see us.
We will take a blood sample and test for an increase in T4 and to check the kidneys.
We have in-house testing here so we can often get the results the same day. If the levels are high we will put her on medication called Felimazole or Vidalta.
If the bloods suggest that the kidneys are damaged, which often occurs due to the high blood pressure, we also often prescribe Fortekor and/or Istin.

What happens next?
We need to check that the medication is working so your cat will require regular rechecks. Included in the recheck fee of only £99 is:
- blood tests to re-check the T4 levels and kidney function
- auscultation of her heart as murmurs commonly develop in these cats
- ocular exam as this is a good indicator of high blood pressure
If it appears that the T4 levels are still high we may need to increase the dose.
If you are not happy giving her so many tablets, we can do surgery to remove one of the lobes.
Another option is a referral for radioiodine treatment which destroys the thyroid using radiation.

What does this surgery entail?
She will be put under a general anaesthetic and an incision will be made in her neck. We will gently remove the largest of the two lobes. The surgery usually lasts under an hour.
As always, there is some risk with anaesthesia and this is increased with the heart and kidney damage that is sometimes seen in hyperthyroidism. However, we have various anaesthetic protocols available at the practice and state-of-the-art monitoring equipment so the risk is minimal.
There is also a very slim risk of damage to or removal of the parathyroid glands. These glands are important in calcium regulation and are adjacent to the thyroid gland. We only remove one lobe of the thyroid at a time to avoid this.
A second surgery may be required to remove the other gland.