Hyperthyroidism Thyroid Cancer In Cats

Treatment for hyperthyroid cats the gold standard therapy is radioiodine i 131 treatment which can cure the hyperthyroidism in most cases.

Hyperthyroidism thyroid cancer in cats. It can take months or years to manifest. The most common cause of hypothyroidism in cats is due to radioactive iodine i 131 therapy to treat hyperthyroidism and is usually transient. It s seen more than any other cat hormone problem and in one recent study of cats over the age of ten being blood sampled 21 had elevated thyroid hormones. Long term survival 1 to 3 years may be achieved in cats it is common for medications to be needed after surgery.

It s the most common endocrine disease of cats older than 8 years old. More than 99 of t3 and t4 is bound to protein thyroid binding globulin which prevents the t4 from entering the various tissues. Feline thyroid cancer symptoms generally appear in older cats. Hyperthyroidism also known as hyperthyroid disease occurs when the thyroid gland enlarges and starts producing excess amounts of thyroid hormone thyrotoxicosis in cats thyrotoxicosis is usually caused by a benign tumor on one or both thyroid glands.

Because several common diseases of older cats diabetes inflammatory bowel disease intestinal cancer and chronic kidney failure share some of the clinical signs of hyperthyroidism a battery of tests is in order. Surgical removal of thyroid tumors has the best outcome if the mass is freely movable less than 4cm in size has not spread and can therefore be completely removed. Hypothyroidism is a rare endocrine disorder in cats which occurs when there is an underproduction of thyroid hormones. The cancerous growths impact the thyroid making it overproduce thyroid hormone causing a number of symptoms.

The thyroid consists of two lobes of endocrine glands in the upper neck. A cbc chemistry panel and urinalysis alone will not diagnose hyperthyroidism but they can certainly rule out diabetes and kidney. Hyperthyroidism occurs when there is an elevated level of thyroid hormone produced by one or both of the thyroid glands in a cat. Feline thyroid cancer is a gradually developing cancer that is sometimes seen in older cats usually above the age of twelve.

An endocrine disease is a disease of the. Cats suffering from both diseases may need treatment for both and the diagnosis of kidney disease in a cat with hyperthyroidism can affect the cat s prognosis. Thyroid tumors in cats. Although thyroid tumors can be cancerous the chances are less than 5 percent in cats.

It is an astonishingly common problem in cats. Also referred to as hyperthyroidism in cats the two cancers associated with thyroid cancer are benign adenoma or malignant adenocarcinoma. If thyroid disease is a possibility your veterinarian will likely order a blood chemistry panel and an analysis of thyroid hormone levels.