# Hyperthyroid cat Dilemma



## Taxcat (Nov 30, 2007)

Hi all,

Sorry this is long, but I have a major dilemma. I have three cats in my house. Beatrice is 13, Gretchen is 15 or 16, and Isabelle is about 5.

Recently both Gretchen and Beatrice have both been diagnosed as Hyperthyroid. Gretchen is responding to treatment with Methimazole. My main issues are with Beatrice the 13 year old cat. When Beatrice was first diagnosed her Thyroid was so high it was off the charts. All they could tell me is that her T4 was greater than 22. She takes 2 5 mg pills of Methamizole per day. She has been on this dose for several months and after all this time we have only been able to get her T4 down to 12. My Vet is telling me that she is maxed out on the Methamizole and I need to now consider surgery or R-131 treatment. (The Vet indicated that any higher dose of Methimazole will cause bone marrow issues) The problem is that I really cannot afford either procedure. The surgery will cost up to $800 when you consider the additional diagnostic testing required and the R-131 treatment will cost around $1,300 including required diagnostic testing. There is also the fact that this cat has had major issues with anxiety in the past and I am very concerned at how she will react to being sent away for 1-2 weeks. The vet indicated that he would put her on anti anxiety medication leading up to and after the treatment to help with that. I can't have the cat not using the litter box any more.

Is it terrible to say no to these treatments and continue with the methamizole for now even though it is not controlling her Thyroid enough? How long before the really bad effects of extended Hyperthryoidism set in? Could she live another 3 or 4 years without the expensive treatments?

Anyone with any advice?

Thanks,

Elizabeth


----------



## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

It's usually more like 5 days, and it is WORTH IT. It's basically a cure, and 13 is NOT an old cat! She could well have 5-7 more good years. I hope you seriously consider the I-131 treatment (not surgery). Perhaps the I-131 center can offer you a payment plan--many do! And most of the I-131 centers have extra nice facilities for the kitties so they are as comfy as possible during their stay.


----------



## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

You can also look into Care Credit for a payment plan. They provide low (or no) interest loans for this type of issue. In the long run the I131 is cheaper than the cost of meds and regular blood work. 

No, I doubt a cat with uncontrolled hyper-t would live 3-4 years. Impossible to know, but that just doesn't seem likely.


----------



## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Uncontrolled hyperT puts the cat's metabolism and ALL body systems into overdrive. The heart, kidneys, and everything else are forced to work faster and harder by hyperT. The cat can't maintain weight and will waste away, or his heart and/or kidneys and/or liver will give out. The cat may feel constantly "on edge", perhaps exhibiting aggressive behavior, perhaps becoming very vocal and hyperactive, perhaps having chronic diarrhea, perhaps displaying other difficult behaviors like itchiness or pulling his hair out. HyperT is also a progressive disease, so any or all of these symptoms will worsen as time goes on. Does this sound like a pleasant way to live?

There's no way to tell how long your cat will suffer with hyperT before it kills him.

I strongly urge you to try to find a way to have him treated with I-131. As Elizabeth stated, I-131 is curative in almost all cases, and at only 13, your cat could have many happy, healthy years ahead if the hyperT is cured.

There are a number of organizations that may be able to help you with the cost of treatment:

In Memory of Magic (IMOM) is dedicated to insuring that no companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially challenged. 
http://www.imom.org
IMOM, Inc PO Box 282 Cheltenham, MD 20623 Phone (866)-230-2164 Fax (301)-599-1852
_____________________________

Help-A-Pet is a nonprofit organization which provides financial assistance for the medical care of pets whose guardians are unable to afford the expense 
http://www.help-a-pet.org/home.html 
Help-A-Pet P. O. Box 244 Hinsdale, Illinois 60521 Telephone: (630) 986-9504 fax: (630) 986-9141
______________________________

United Animal Nations LifeLine Grants - Help animals in need of assistance after their caregiver has suffered a personal tragedy such as a house fire, domestic violence situation, or natural disaster.
http://www.uan.org/index.cfm?navid=28
United Animal Nations P.O. Box 188890 Sacramento, California 95818 Telephone: (916) 429 2457 fax: (916) 429 2456
_______________________________

American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) helps those in need access quality veterinary care for their sick or injured pets.
http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/ 
_________________________________

Angels 4 Animals helps pet owners with financial constraints not lose their sick or injured friends.
http://www.Angels4Animals.org
__________________________________

Care Credit - A credit card company for health care, including veterinary care. Gives convenient payment options so you can get the procedure you want for your pet.
http://www.carecredit.com
__________________________________

The Pet Fund provides financial assistance to owners of domestic animals who need urgent veterinary care.
http://www.thepetfund.com/
__________________________________

http://www.langefoundation.com
http://www.petsaddlife.org
http://www.OnlyforPetlovers.com.

For your cat's sake, I hope you will take time to contact these organizations and see if you can get the financial aide you need to attend to your cat's veterinary needs.

Laurie


----------



## Taxcat (Nov 30, 2007)

Thanks for all the information. It has been really helpful. If money were no object I would have the I-131 treatment done no problems, but this has all been a bit overwhelming for me on top of everything else that is going on in my life at the moment.

I have done some checking and found out that the facility that my vet will be sending my cat to for I-131 does accept care credit. I am going to check into this financing option. There is still the pre-diagnostic testing to address as well so we will see if she is still a candidate after that.

Thanks,

Elizabeth


----------



## KittyMonster (Nov 8, 2009)

Hi there!

My cat Mak was diagnosed with hyperT several months ago and 4 days ago he came home from I-131 quarantine, so I hope I can answer some of your concerns.

Mak, like your cat, had very very severe hyperT - the highest levels of T4 hormone that my vet had ever seen. He was put on methimazole, but even on low doses he could not tolerate it (vomiting, lethargy, etc) and so I was kind of "forced" to consider I-131 as a treatment when previously I had discounted it as too expensive.

First of all, hyperT really should not be left uncontrolled. I have no idea how long Mak was left untreated because he is a rescued stray, but he had a very severe galloping rhythm caused by the excess stress on his heart which made it very easy for him to "overheat" and so he couldn't play very much without me having to stop him. Until further checkups, I will have no idea if there is permanent damage to his heart valves but it is possible.  Also his coat became so matted that he had to have patches shaved out of his coat. 

Will your cat _survive_ without proper treatment? It's entirely possible, but I don't think her quality of life will be very good. I really couldn't tell you how bad her symptoms could get with only partially controlled hyperT, but I think you know that it's a less than desireable option.

Personally, athough the cost is higher initually, I would go with I-131 because it isn't invasive at all and there are no possible negative side effects or complications other than it a) not working or b) causing hypothyroidism... but it is successful 94% of the time.

My vet offered to let me pay the fee over 3 months, basically whatever/whenever as long as it's completely paid off in 3 months. Also, the cost of the I-131 treatment is high now, but that's it for the rest of your cat's life. In 3 years, you will have saved money if you go with I-131 over methimazole... $20/month for pills + $50 blood test every couple months (which absolutely are necessary) adds up pretty fast. The I-131 treatment is 1 shot, then 1 blood test 2 months later... and that's it. 

As for your cat's anxiety issues, it is certainly understandable but there are a couple things you can do. When I sent Mak in, I sent with him a blanket that he likes as well as a couple mouse toys (but you should know you can't bring them back home as they get .. well, irradiated). You can ask to see where she will be kept and bring your own bed or hiding box for her if you want, even ask that they spritz the area with feliway every day. My vet office gave my catnip every morning, left the radio station on when they were out, and called or emailed me every day to let me know how he was doing. You can also ask to make sure that he will not be moved around, and that the same 2-3 people will be seeing him every day so that the cat becoms accustomed to them rather than seeing new strangers every day. 

I hope this is helpful. Trust me, I know how scary the big price tag is but I hope your vet will be understanding and helpful. Do tons of research here and elsewhere, have a big "no pressure" talk with your vet and eventually I'm sure you'll make the decision that's right for you and your cats.


----------



## ValerieWhiteside (May 17, 2007)

Hi  Have you tried this support group...........

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/feline-hyperT/

It's all about cats with hyperT, there's a lot of extremely knowledgeable people on there, maybe someone can help you further  Good luck.


----------

