Hyperthyroidism is the condition caused by excessive functional activity of the thyroid gland, resulting in excessive secretion of the thyroid hormones, thyroxine and triiodothyronine. It is the most common endocrine disease in domestic cats, and is extremely rare in dogs.Cats with this disease show a number of classic signs, including increased thirst and corresponding increased urination, weight loss despite increased appetite and food consumption, restlessness, hyperactivity, possible aggression, respiratory difficulty, elevated respiratory and heart rates
Hyperthyroidism is the condition of elevated and sustained metabolism caused by excessive amounts of circulating thyroid hormones. Affected cats normally exhibit a number of classic clinical signs, which usually are mild in the beginning and then increase in severity as the disease progresses.Cats with hyperthyroidism have abnormally high metabolism, which leads to a series of multisystemic clinical signs.One of the classic consequences of the increased metabolic rate caused by excessive circulating thyroid hormones is an
The clinical signs of hyperthyroidism in cats can mimic those of kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes and cancer. Diagnosis is based upon a thorough physical examination and history, the cat’s presenting signs, a complete blood panel and blood tests to detect the levels of circulating thyroid hormones. In some cases, imaging techniques are helpful as well.Hyperthyroidism causes a classic series of signs in cats. Most veterinarians begin their diagnostic journey by getting a complete description
The goals of treating feline hyperthyroidism are to return serum thyroid hormone levels to normal if possible and to eliminate the clinical signs of disease. This more specifically means increasing the cat’s weight and overall body condition and maximizing its quality of life. Depending upon the exact cause of the disease, treatments may consist of medication, surgery and/or or radioactive iodine therapies. Since hyperthyroidism is not an acute disease, emergency therapies are rarely necessary.By far