My household’s top-cat, Tungsten, was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism last month. She had been eating much more food than previously, and wanting still more. As she had always been a light eater, I took her to the doctor and she was found to be on the border-line for hyperthyroidism.
I started her on a natural substance, Thyroid Support Gold, formerly known as Resythro, and gave this to her for more than three weeks. It tasted horrible, to judge by her reactions, but I hoped that it would obviate the need for chemicals that could have undesirable side effects. Unfortunately, the liquid has not had the result for which I’d hoped. Tungsten has lost a little weight, from 2.53 kilograms to 2.49, and her T4 numbers, used to measure hyperthyroidism have increased from 59.4 to 76. Anything over 60 is in the range of hyperthyroidism.
So I have switched her medicine to a veterinary-prescribed substance called methimazole, which is sometimes marketed under the brand name Tapazole. It comes in pills or a compounded cream. I decided to use the latter, to reduce the stress on the orange one that may come from taking pills. I suspect that she would not be overly perturbed at having to swallow pills, even forcibly. She wouldn’t like it, but she is unconcerned by most things that would distress other cats. Nonetheless, the cream is much easier to give and take. It is supplied in syringes, from which a tiny amount is extruded twice a day and rubbed on the inside of the ear.
Tungsten has received her first doses of the methimazole. She wonders why I am rubbing her ear, and tries to see what I am doing, but does not scratch at the medicine or try to scrape it off. I hope this medicine will lower her numbers and restore her appetite and weight to their proper places. She will return to the doctor in a month to find out how well the methimazole has worked.
I had Annie on transdermal methimazole when she was diagnosed in Sep 2009. It certainly worked for her, though we had to change compounding pharmacies because the base the first one used irritated her ears so badly they were in danger of becoming infected. I used to take her in for regular shaving of her armpits too, because you can apply it there as well, if the ears are showing signs of redness.
ReplyDeleteGood luck...I wish, in retrospect, that I had been able to find the $ and the means to take her to Ottawa to have the I-131 done. She was never the same after she started on the methimazole, but there also could have been more going on with her that wasn't caught, in spite of all her routine tests.
I hope Tungsten does just fine; I know of other cats around the CB who have done well on it.
Aww, we're purring for Tungsten! Hope this medicine works, and works quickly!
ReplyDeleteWe hope the medicine helps Tungsten!
ReplyDeletePoor Tungsten.....we hope the meds work and she starts feeling better.
ReplyDeleteLots of Purrs for Tungsten!
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping Tungsten starts feeling better! She seems to be the anchor of the cat family, and every family needs an anchor.
ReplyDeletePurrrrrrss for Tungsten kittie. Our Dad did the ear thing with Luna for a while. Bothered Dad more than it did Luna.
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