All About Cat Hyperthyroidism
Cats develop hyperthyroidism when one of their thyroid glands start producing too many hormones. This endocrine disease is relatively common, especially in middle-aged to older cats. If left untreated, this condition can lead to heart failure and death. Keep reading to learn all about feline hyperthyroidism.
Causes
The most common cause of this condition is development of adenomas in the thyroid gland. Adenomas are groups of non-cancerous cells. Hyperthyroidism can also be caused by cancerous cells growing in the gland. However, it’s pretty rare for cancer cells to affect this gland. You may be wondering about the signs produced by this disease.
Signs
Your cat’s metabolic rate is controlled by the thyroid gland. If the thyroid gland malfunctions, cats start to eat and drink more than they normally do. However, he will also begin to lose weight very fast. Most cats also become much more active.
The gastrointestinal system can also be affected by this disease. Diarrhea and vomiting are common signs. This disease can also cause problems with the heart. This may lead to congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, or an increased heart rate.
Diagnosis
In order to accurately diagnose this condition, the veterinarian has to draw a blood sample. The level of thyroid hormone in the blood will be measured. The vet may have a hard time diagnosing this disease since the level of thyroid hormone can vary over time. The vet may also palpate the thyroid gland to see if its enlarged.
Treatment
If diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, your cat will have three treatment options. Drugs, surgery, and radioactive iodine are these methods of treatment. If your cat is given radioactive iodine, it will destroy all thyroid tissue in his body. This is the most costly method but also the most effective.
During surgery, one or both thyroid glands will be removed. However, surgery is less effective since thyroid tissue can be left in other areas of the body. Antithyroid drugs are effective and are taken orally once or twice each day for life. The symptoms will quickly reappear is the medication is ever discontinued.
Cats can be affected by many feline illnesses. Fortunately, cat-illnesses.com provides a wealth of information on a range of these conditions. So, stop by today to learn about a wide range of these conditions.
Find timely tips in the sphere of house train dog - your individual knowledge base.
Related posts:
- An Owner’s Guide To Hyperthyroidism In Felines When the thyroid gland becomes overactive, your cat develops a...
- Cat Owner’s Guide To Hypothyroidism In Cats Hypothyroidism is a condition characterized by underproduction of thyroid hormones....
- Common Causes Of Anemia In Felines When there aren’t enough red blood cells or hemoglobin in...
- Feline Heart Worm Disease Cats are very different from dogs when it comes to...
- An Intro To Ringworm In Felines Ringworm in cats is caused by various fungal organisms. Since...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
