This is our star patient Em, she is 19 years old and has ongoing hyperthyroidism.
She unfortunately fractured her back leg in October.
After careful consideration, her owners decided to allow us to operate and amputate the badly damaged leg.
Thanks to her bravery, her owner’s dedication and vet Jennifer’s skill she has made a brilliant recovery.
What is Hyperthyroidism?
Hyperthyroidism results when the thyroid gland produces an excess of thyroid hormones. This happens most commonly when the thyroid gland has become cancerous.
Hyperthyroidism most commonly develops in cats over eight years old. Cats that are hyperthyroid are usually hearty eaters, sometimes even ravenous, yet they continue to lose weight in spite of how much they eat.
A more serious consequence of hyperthyroidism is the development of an increased heart wall muscle and resulting cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart). This is first detected by an increased heart rate which we will hear using the stethoscope.
A diagnosis of hyperthyroidism is made with a blood test sent to the laboratory which indicates an increase in the hormone thyroxine.
Treatment involves taking anti – T4 medication twice daily which reduce the size of the thyroid glands. Repeat blood tests are necessary to monitor the levels of thyroxine in the blood.
An overload of rich food can cause a diarrhoea and as your cat never feels satisfied, they have to constantly ‘ask’ you for food which is why they may suddenly become quite vocal.
Some cats respond very well to having the thyroid gland surgically removed.
We welcome new clients from Nottingham and beyond to our surgeries
Rachel
Rachel Brennan RVN Deputy Head Nurse Rachel joined the Oak House team in 2016 and has recently become the Cat Advocate for the practice, meaning that she oversees how we can improve and maintain a Cat-friendly environment. She particularly enjoys learning about Cat...
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