My Amber Has Hyperthyroidism...:-(

She WILL NOT take her pills, or even the liquid concoction we paid extra for!!

Our vet got a second opinion (lots of bloodwork, X-rays, etc) and they agreed, she definitely has hyperthyroidism.

Problem is---she's quit eating! I mean totally!! I know this is NOT good for cats--my poor baby, she's already thin as a rail --but since she's being seen at a major animal hospital in the morning, our vets said not to bother her with either food or meds--they said a couple of days won't hurt, at least not as much as the severe agitation would.

They're going to run all kinds of new tests on my Amber starting tomorrow--they know she's hyperthyroid but they want to see if there's anything else going on too. Second vet said she has an enlarged heart and fluid in her chest cavity which they were treating with Lasix. and I am so scared!!

Amber is 11 years old, indoor-only cat, and she has never been sick a day in her life!!!

And I love her sooooo much!!

Please--say a prayer for a little redheaded kitty named Amber, that the doctors can treat whatever is wrong with her and give her many more happy years with a family who loves her very, very much!!

Thanks so much!

Patti
a very worried mama-cat

have you tried baby food or a/d by science diet in a syringe??

if the non eating keeps up get her back to the vet tomarrow

Originally Posted by QueenofEgypt

They're going to run all kinds of new tests on my Amber starting tomorrow

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Keeping Amber in my prayers. Please keep us posted on how these new tests come out.

I would try to give her anything non-toxic that she'll eat, such as tuna, cooked chicken (I would not risk raw on an ill cat), chicken livers, Fancy Feast, Sheba, scrambled eggs, lunch meat--anything you can find. Don't try to mix any medicine in it (I don't know if you were doing that or not) as that can make them avoid their food. When you talk to the vet again, ask about transdermal methimazole/Tapazole--it's the same medicine compounded in to a gel that can be rubbed on the ears. Even if you don't have a local pharmacist that can compound it, you could contact Island Pharmacy: http://www.islandpharmacy.com/

The heart issue may be related to or exasperated by the hyperthyroidism. Many hyperthyroid cats develop hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. At some point, you may want to talk to the vet about medications for treating it, such as atenolol. While there aren't any that reverse the disease, they can slow its progress.

In the meantime, the best thing you can do is to try to be calm and enjoy whatever length of time you have with her. Just be there, pet her, do things she enjoys. Hopefully she will come through this difficult patch and be with you for a long time, but if you can be calm, that will help her mood as cats can sense our emotions and upsets.

My RB kitty Roo had hyperthyroidism and was hard to get her to eat as well.
I would warm up a bit of babyfood meat (no salt or garlic added in the ingredients) and she would eat that.

Also try to warm up her wet food a bit in the microwave, that brings out the aroma so she can smell it better and may eat it.

I am so sorry your kitty is ill.

Hopefully your vet can stabilize her condition enough to make her a candidate for the radioactive iodine treatment. I would ask the vet if they can work towards that goal. I know it is expensive, but if she can't tolerate taking meds you are spending money on meds that aren't being used!

Purrs from my kitty Bootsie

The news is even worse. My baby DOES have cardiomyopathy, altho the specialist we took her to thinks it is not related to the hyperthyroidism.

Worse still, he said "end-stage cardiomyopathy". I just wailed when I read that!

I cannot bear to lose my baby. She is such a happy girl, she loves her life and her family, and we love her wholeheartedly. We would do ANYTHING for her!

She is home now and on 5 meds (which she hates!). Due to the heart condition, she cannot have her thyroid "zapped", but that's the least of our worries right now.

The vet said whether she makes it is basically up to her--if she's a fighter. I KNOW my Amber is a fighter, and so am I!!!!!

Thankfully she's eating some and gaining some weight back. She's drinking her water and looking more alert and interested in things--more like her "old self".

I know that God can heal kitties--he healed another cat of mine once.

Would you please, please pray for a little orange-and-white kitty named Amber??? She has huge green eyes and little freckles on her nose--you would love her if you ever met her--just like I did!!

My Amber needs all the prayers, positive vibes, and love she can get. Please please pray that God will heal my Amber's heart and give her a long, long, healthy life. I know that He is listening and that He loves her too!!!

Thank you!!!!

Love,
Patti

I'll keep Amber in prayers.

Did the vet do an echocardiogram? I'll be sending good vibes for Amber. May she be like my boyfriend's mom's dog, who they said wouldn't see his second birthday--he's almost 4 now. He has a different kind of heart condition. My own kitty Spot had hyperthyroidism with HCM. He was on methimazole for the hyperT but nothing for the HCM. He was with me for 19 months--he had both conditions when I found him. Amber has the benefit of medications and a human willing to fight for her, so hopefully she will have many more quality years with you.