Our Cat's Hyperthyroidism Journey: Robbie's Experience

🐾 Hey friends! 🐾

If you follow our Facebook page, you may remember that we recently shared the news that our gorgeous ginger boy, Robbie, has been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. We thought we'd tell you a little about his journey so far from our perspective as owners (and, of course, Robbie's too! 😸).

❗️Before we go any further, it's important to say that this is simply our personal experience and not veterinary advice❗️Every cat is different, so if your own feline friend is showing similar symptoms or you're concerned about their health, please always consult your vet for a professional assessment and the right treatment for them.

A Little Background...

Our Robbie is a senior chap, born sometime in August 2009 on a farm 🐮 in the Shropshire countryside 🌳. He came to live with us as a young kitten, and what a sweetie he was! (and still is of course!)

Robbie has enjoyed excellent health throughout his life, with very few trips to the vet other than routine vaccinations and the occasional minor ailment 😷. As he has grown older, though, we knew it was only natural that age would eventually begin to catch up with him and that, like all senior cats, he might face a few health challenges along the way.

Over the last few months, we noticed that Robbie was losing weight even though he was eating normally, in fact even asking for food more often than he used to 🍱 Initially, we just put this down to his advancing years, but as the weeks went on, it grew more concerning, even though in all other ways he wasn't showing any signs of discomfort or ill health.

Over time, he was begging for food more and more, and was eating it all! Alongside his usual diet of good quality cat food pouches and dry food, we bought lots of healthy treats such as meaty soups, fish loins, shredded chicken ... all of which he devoured! 😋 But he was still looking skinny! 😔

We felt that what we were seeing was more than just normal effects of old age, so we did a little research into his symptoms 👨🏻💻 The more we read, the more we suspected that Robbie might have hyperthyroidism – a condition that's pretty common in older cats. Despite being owned by cats for many years, we'd never experienced it ourselves so with that in mind, it was time to book Robbie in for a visit to the vet! 🧑🏽

After carrying out thorough blood tests 🩸💉 to check not only Robbie's thyroid levels but also the function of his other vital organs, our vet confirmed that his T4 (thyroid hormone) levels were elevated, confirming our suspicions that he had hyperthyroidism.

The good news was that the rest of his blood results were very encouraging for a cat of his age, so that at least came as a huge relief to us! 👏

What actually is Hyperthyroidsim?

Before Robbie was diagnosed, we'd heard of hyperthyroidism, but had not had a cat that was diagnosed with it, though it's actually one of the most common conditions affecting older cats 🐈🐈

In simple terms, the thyroid gland (a small gland in your cat's neck) starts producing too much thyroid hormone. That hormone helps control your cat's metabolism, so when there's too much of it, everything speeds up. It's a bit like your cat's internal engine is running flat out all the time 😮

This can lead to a whole range of changes. Many cats lose weight despite having an enormous appetite, while others become more vocal, restless or seem to have endless energy. Some drink more than usual, some have a coat that looks a little untidy, and others experience tummy troubles 😿 Every cat is different, though, which is one of the reasons it can sometimes take a little while to spot what's going on.

Looking back now, some of the little changes we'd noticed in Robbie suddenly made a lot more sense!

What are the treatment options?

Looking at the positives, the good thing about the condition is that is very treatable, under veterinary supervision of course, which means that cats can continue to live perfectly normal lives for years to come! 

There are three options you can choose to treat your cat:

Radioactive Iodine: This is considered to be the gold standard treatment for many cats with hyperthyroidism. The treatment involves a tiny injection 💉of radioactive iodine, which is naturally absorbed by the overactive thyroid tissue. The clever part is that it targets the abnormal cells while leaving the healthy ones largely untouched. 

It aims to treat the underlying problem itself and for many cats, a single treatment is all that's needed, meaning they can return to living life without lifelong thyroid medication.

The things you have to consider are that there's only a few specialist veterinary hospitals 🏥 in the country that provide this treatment. You have to take your cat there and leave them in isolation for a little while (usually a couple of weeks) until it's safe for them to come home, and you're not allowed to visit during their stay.

Even once home, your cat will still emit low levels of radiation for a short time afterwards so you have to isolate them from any other cats or animals you may have and follow some sensible precautions, such as limiting close cuddles, washing your hands after handling them and taking extra care when cleaning out their litter tray. Of course, you're given full information ℹ️ about what you need to do once your cat is discharged from the hospital.

Surgery: Another treatment option you could consider is surgery to remove the affected thyroid gland. Our vet advised that if we wanted to choose this option, they'd do the surgery in two phases: firstly remove the gland from one side only and after a few weeks re-do the T4 blood test to check the levels. If they were still too high, then a second surgery would be required to remove the gland from the other side. This was to ensure that the removal didn't go too far and lead to hypothyroidism which can lead to the opposite symptoms such as obesity and all the problems they may cause.

For some cats, this can be an excellent solution and may provide a permanent cure. However, as with any operation, it involves a general anaesthetic and a recovery period afterwards. There are also important considerations, such as your cat's age, overall health and exactly what is happening with their thyroid gland, so it isn't the right choice for every puss 🐱

Daily Medication: For many cats, the first step in treating hyperthyroidism is daily medication. Rather than curing the condition, these medicines work by reducing the amount of thyroid hormone the body produces, helping to keep everything back in balance.

Many cats do really well on medication and can enjoy a happy, comfortable life for years. It can also be a good way of stabilising a cat before deciding whether another treatment, such as radioactive iodine or surgery, might be suitable.

Of course, daily tablets or liquid medicine aren't every cat's idea of fun! 🫣 Some take them without a fuss, while others become world champions at hiding tablets under the sofa or perfecting the art of looking innocent while secretly spitting them out five minutes later 🤭 Fortunately, there are different ways of giving the medication, so your vet can help you find the option that works best for both you and your cat. 

The ease with which you can administer the medication is a crucial consideration because if you don't opt for either of the other two options, your cat will need to take it for the rest of their life.

What did we decide was best for our Robbie?

We decided with Robbie that the best way forward was the third option, medication.

We didn't like the thought of him being in an unfamiliar and sterile hospital environment away from his home for any length of time, nor did we think it would be fair on him or the other cats for him to be isolated when he returned. 

We also didn't want to risk surgery with a boy who is nearly 17 years old, and not only once, but potentially twice.

Of course, every cat and every family is different, and the right treatment for one may not be the right choice for another ✅ There are lots of factors to consider, so it's important to make the decision that's best for you and your feline friend, together with your vet.

For us, medication felt like the right path for Robbie, but every cat's journey is unique ⭐️

How's it going so far?

Robbie was prescribed a liquid medication called Thyronorm, and he accepted it brilliantly from day one! Yay! 🥳 In fact, he seems to quite enjoy it, which makes life much easier for everyone!

Thyronorm is very commonly prescribed - we obtained a prescription from our vet and buy it online as it's about half the price our vet charged, an important consideration if it's something you're going to buy regularly from now on 💰