I don't understand how he could be hyper-thyroid at all;
my understanding is that the radiation destroys the thyroid gland.

An old boyfriend had 2 elderly cats who became hyper-thyroid, & he had radiation done on both of them with seemingly miraculous results.

Also, the cats were not separated from him for 6 weeks but for several days.

You might research this before you make a decision, & you might check with another vet.

I wish you the best.

How awful for you and your boy. I've heard of the occasional cat requiring a second I-131 treatment for hyperT, but I don't think I've ever heard of hyperT recurring after the second I-131 treatment. And I've also never heard of a cat needing to be hospitalized for six weeks after I-131. I believe most cats are cleared to come home after 5-7 days or possibly two weeks at the most. I think in your situation, I'd seek out a different radiation clinic and see what they have to say about your cat's situation. I don't think I'd trust the same clinic to repeat the procedure again.

Of course you also have the alternative of managing your boy's hyperT with medication. it's not a cure, and the med isn't without potentially serious side effects, esp. long term, but it may be your best option at this point.

I certainly wouldn't consider euthanasia until all other options were exhausted.

Laurie

Thanks for your responses. Last time Basil had the radiation, the doctor did say he treated a cat that needed it three times. There is always the chance that some cells are not caught. I just can't believe the odds are so much against my cat. Also, as I understand it the quarantine length depends on state rules. Here it is 4-6 weeks, but this length also depends on how much the radioactivity lingers. He was there 6 weeks last time. . . It would sure be different if it were just a few days!!

Given the gravity of the situation & the fact that what your vet has said & done are different from anything Laurie or I (not that I'm as wise as Laurie!) has ever heard of, if he were mine, I'd check with another vet.

I wish you the best.

I checked your member page and saw that you are in MN. That got my attention since I am also in MN and one of my cats is hyperT and a good candidate for I-131. After some quick research, it appears that the U of MN is the only facility providing I-131 in MN, so I assume that's where you've had it done on your boy. Their client sheet states that the average post 1-131 hospitalization is 14-16 days, but that the length of stay is dependent on how quickly the radioiodine is excreted by the kidneys. In cats with diminished renal function, it can take longer for radioiodine to be excreted to a safe level. Based on the fact that it apparently took your boy six weeks to excrete the radioiodine, I assume he also has CRF (chronic renal failure). Am I correct? If so, most vets do not recommend I-131 for renal patients, but would rather opt for management of hyperT with medication. Has your vet made such a recommendation to you?

What are your cat's most recent creatinine and BUN blood values, and when was that most recent bloodwork run?

Laurie

Thanks Laurie. I have PM'd you with some information.

Marita, I have a cat who was diagnosed with hyper-t (and CRF) more than four years ago. We have had her on medication every day since. It is obviously not the most convenient situation as it means that someone has to be available to pill her twice a day, every day- but in all honesty, it is not all that bad. Since it's really our only option for her, we think it's a pretty good option! Her thyroid has proven hard to control and the medication dosage has fluxuated largely over the years. It means blood work about every 3 months, and while the costs and hassles do add up a little, in the end they are not insurmountable. I realize that we will not be doing this forever.

Our vet also offers a gel form of the medication that can be rubbed into their ears in the event that they are bad pill takers. I'm sure that option is a little more expensive, but a good one for some cats.

It's already been said, but I think you need to talk to a vet that you trust wholeheartedly and see what he thinks is the best option for your little buddy. All I have to offer is that if you decide to use medication as the control, it is a reasonable option, and much better to try than to just let him succumb to the hyper-t.

I'd not jump to conclusions about the cause of the weight loss, agitation, and yowling until some diagnostics are done. I've seen diabetes, renal failure, liver disease, and cancer all cause the same clinical signs. No use getting worked up about hyperT4 if that is not his current problem. Better to get him to the vet and see what is going on. Could be something easy (and cheap) to fix, or maybe not, but still better to know... Good luck with him.

Thanks everyone for your advice on this. I now know what some options are and will try to get some answers about what is going on with Basil-boy.

@laurief_gw I would like to talk to you about information on carbimazole. my cat is on methimazole and i am interested in carbimazole producing less side effects because of the way it is processed that you note above, I am having a difficult time finding sources to cite that discuss that.

one of the reasons carbimazole is not used often in cats, is they usually don't tolerate it as well (more side effects than methimazole for most cats)... but an option if your cat will not tolerated methimazole, even transdermally (pretty rare situation, though).

joannamarie, I live in australia and here carbimazole is the drug usually prescribed for hyper t. My cat was on it for years and it never caused skin irritation or stomach issues for her. It is the same med that is used for people and if my vet didn't have it in stock he would give me a prescription to take to the pharmacy instead.Another benefit is the carbimazole is tasteless where as the methimazole is bitter so cats are more willing to take the carbimazole.

For the reasons laurie listed carbimazole will often not produce the problems that methimazole does because it is in a form that the body converts to methimazole afterwards. I seem to remember there is some sort of licensing issue in the us and that is why they generally prescribe methimazole because carbimazole hasn't been approved for use in cats or something? Maybe someone else would know more about that.