Hyperthyroidism

Just wondering what are the signs and symptoms of a cat with thyroid problems. Is it possible for the T-4 to show normal and the cat still have thyroid issues. If that happens how does the vet diagnose the thyroid problem.

I know that some of the signs that your cat has hyperthyroidism is not gaining weight but losing weight and is skinny, horrible skin and coat, poopy problems (like loose stool), being able to feel the thyroid and feeling a little blip meaning there is a tumor on the thyroid. I may be wrong, but if the vet can't find anything in the blood work the logical thing would be to put the cat on hyperthyroid medication and if the cat improves then you know it is a hyperthyroid, and if it doesn't improve then you know that it's something else.

I know in the UK that if there numbers are over a certain amount, but still within normal on the normal thyroid test and there is reason to suspect hyper-t, they can do a Free T4 test that can pick it up. I have had two hyper-t cats and both showed completely different symptoms - one was severely hyper-t, one was only just hyper-t.

Originally Posted by booktigger

I know in the UK that if there numbers are over a certain amount, but still within normal on the normal thyroid test and there is reason to suspect hyper-t, they can do a Free T4 test that can pick it up.

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Cotton has Hyper-T and when they picked it up his levels were only just above the normal range and he'd had the test not 3 months before and come out fine.

The big signs are eating tons, but still losing weight, being more vocal than usual, poor coat/skin, and possibly a bit of a dry cough from when the tumor on the thyroid touches the windpipe (not positive on this last one).

My sister's cat, Missy, is hyperthyroid. Missy had a ravenous appetite, but was losing weight. She also was pulling her fur out in clumps. Her skin was dry and flaky, but her fur seemed oily and spiky. When the vet checked her, she had a rapid heart rate, and a slight heart murmur. They did bloodwork, and she had a moderately elevated T3 and T4. She was prescribed methimazole, and seems to be doing fine now. Her weight has stabilized, her heart rate is back within normal limits, and her murmur appears to have resolved.

Some cats cannot tolerate methimazole....so treatment consists of either surgical thyroidectomy (with all of the attendant anesthesia risks), or radioactive iodine (I-131) therapy, which is only done at special facilities, and can be expensive.

My cat Arthur is a thyroid cat. His main symptoms were weight loss, being hungry more and certainly more vocal!

At first i thought it was diabetes, but the vet said I was "lucky" it was thyroid and not FD because he thought it was easier on them than FD.

This is the second cat I have had that has it. It seems all my problem cats come in twos!

He is on Methimazole also.