Cat with hyperthroism drinking water thoughout the day and night

I have a 16 year old female cat with hyperthyroidism for at least 6 years and being medicined by 3 tablets of  tapezole,[ 2 morning, 1 night]

I understand [of course, after 6 years of treating her i know the basics]  excessive thirst is something she has to deal with[ always have fresh water bowls out throughout the house]

She seems to be drinking/sipping water every hour  around the clock[it seems]. She just saw a vet 3 months ago,yearly checkup, her gave her an A, relative to her being 16 and having hyperthyroidism.  I am pretty sure she is getting near the end of her life[she is losing body muscle,losing weight,etc.], ...mentally and attitude she is doing fine---still has a sense of humor, her body is the issue

So my question, her constant drinking water every hour around the clock that has going on for months, just hit me the wrong way today. I feel i should be doing something. Maybe i am overreacting. Perhaps she needs to increase her tazpezole?  If 'maybe', i will check and call the vet before i do thou.

empirefalls said:

 
I have a 16 year old female cat with hyperthyroidism for at least 6 years and being medicined by 3 tablets of  tapezole,[ 2 morning, 1 night]

I understand [of course, after 6 years of treating her i know the basics]  excessive thirst is something she has to deal with[ always have fresh water bowls out throughout the house]

She seems to be drinking/sipping water every hour  around the clock[it seems]. She just saw a vet 3 months ago,yearly checkup, her gave her an A, relative to her being 16 and having hyperthyroidism.  I am pretty sure she is getting near the end of her life[she is losing body muscle,losing weight,etc.], ...mentally and attitude she is doing fine---still has a sense of humor, her body is the issue

So my question, her constant drinking water every hour around the clock that has going on for months, just hit me the wrong way today. I feel i should be doing something. Maybe i am overreacting. Perhaps she needs to increase her tazpezole?  If 'maybe', i will check and call the vet before i do thou.

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you know better than me. but no harm in another check, considering the signs. 

When she last went to the vet, did they do a recheck blood panel for the thyroid level and other items?  When my cat had hyperthyroid we rechecked levels at least every 6 months.  The blood test panel that we did included a couple of key kidney values, and eventually we found these out of whack and treated Amber for kidney disease as well.  Excessive thirst is often associated with kidney disease.

You don't know if the increase in tapazole is needed unless you recheck the thyroid levels, so if this hasn't been done in the last 6 months or so then it would be worth checking, along with kidney values.  Hyperthyroid can mask a kidney issue somewhat so it's not uncommon to see the kidney issue later.  She may or may not be getting near the end of her life.  Amber only had several months after discovering the kidney issue, but she also had congestive heart failure and by most appearances that is what took her life.

6 years is quite a long time to get by on tapazole!  I don't know how you are giving the med, I got about 3 years with Pill Pockets then finally she went off those and I had about 8 months of varying degrees of pilling nightmares....

2bcat said:

 
When she last went to the vet, did they do a recheck blood panel for the thyroid level and other items?  ..............  Excessive thirst is often associated with kidney disease.

You don't know if the increase in tapazole is needed unless you recheck the thyroid levels, so if this hasn't been done in the last 6 months or so then it would be worth checking, along with kidney values.  Hyperthyroid can mask a kidney issue somewhat so it's not uncommon to see the kidney issue later.  She may or may not be getting near the end of her life.  Amber only had several months after discovering the kidney issue, but she also had congestive heart failure and by most appearances that is what took her life.

6 years is quite a long time to get by on tapazole!  I don't know how you are giving the med, I got about 3 years with Pill Pockets then finally she went off those and I had about 8 months of varying degrees of pilling nightmares....

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The easy question/issue first: i have given her tapazole 2X a day for 5-6 years. She has never given me the slightest problem taking it. Often she is waiting at the table where i keep the pills when its the time of day

I am not an expert on Hyperthyroid but i have read alot on the disease, and related diseases/issues that may follow. About 10 months ago, she ,my cat, had many tests for her heart,kidney,thyroid level..Surprisingly to everyone, She got an A.

Of course 10 months is a long time[in a cat's life.  Issue is i am still paying the bills for her vet visits over the past 2 years. So i post here to see what information/help i can obtain

I am going to put kidney issues and heart issues on my radar screen til i can afford another trip to the vet

As i mention she is in very good mental health,alert, and when i take her outside for a short walk around the front porch,she eats grass,runs after leaves---the point is she seems to be happy

empirefalls said:

 
I have a 16 year old female cat with hyperthyroidism for at least 6 years and being medicined by 3 tablets of  tapezole,[ 2 morning, 1 night]

I understand [of course, after 6 years of treating her i know the basics]  excessive thirst is something she has to deal with[ always have fresh water bowls out throughout the house]

She seems to be drinking/sipping water every hour  around the clock[it seems]. She just saw a vet 3 months ago,yearly checkup, her gave her an A, relative to her being 16 and having hyperthyroidism.  I am pretty sure she is getting near the end of her life[she is losing body muscle,losing weight,etc.], ...mentally and attitude she is doing fine---still has a sense of humor, her body is the issue

So my question, her constant drinking water every hour around the clock that has going on for months, just hit me the wrong way today. I feel i should be doing something. Maybe i am overreacting. Perhaps she needs to increase her tazpezole?  If 'maybe', i will check and call the vet before i do thou.

Click to expand...

Kidney disease is a side effect of Tapazole and your cat has been on it a long time. The two biggest concerns with excessive drinking are kidney issues and diabetes.  I would contact your vet.

See http://pets.thenest.com/long-can-cats-tapazole-8439.html

So Tapazole is a good that it made my cat live longer in the first place but over time the medicine itself causes other issues, kidney and or  diabetes.

Thanks, i believe i now remember reading that at some point over the past 5-6 years.

Kidney and or diabetes. Are they treatable?

 Is there any thing i can do til i can afford to see a vet again?  Dont take that the wrong way, i will bring her in an emergency if she starts  showing signs of pain or anything more unusual. Also, i am aware cats can be in pain and not show it..i am right next to her almost 24/7, including she sleeps next to my head at night.   Now that i think of it,  I will call the Vet tomorrow.

As i mentioned in one or two of my posts in the forum. I live in a very rural area. the vets are not all that not that great when it comes to cats.

empirefalls said:

 
So Tapazole is a good that it made my cat live longer in the first place but over time the medicine itself causes other issues, kidney and or  diabetes.

Thanks, i believe i now remember reading that at some point over the past 5-6 years.

Kidney and or diabetes. Are they treatable?

 Is there any thing i can do til i can afford to see a vet again?  Dont take that the wrong way, i will bring her in an emergency if she starts  showing signs of pain or anything more unusual. Also, i am aware cats can be in pain and not show it..i am right next to her almost 24/7, including she sleeps next to my head at night.   Now that i think of it,  I will call the Vet tomorrow.

As i mentioned in one or two of my posts in the forum. I live in a very rural area. the vets are not all that not that great when it comes to cats.

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i think he was saying excessive drinking can be a sign of kidney disease and diabetes (among others), but a side effect of the medication is kidney disease. so, as far as kidney disease goes, it's a maintenance issue. the medication does not cause diabetes. in fact, in rare cases tapazole can cause low blood sugar. 

empirefalls said:

 
So Tapazole is a good that it made my cat live longer in the first place but over time the medicine itself causes other issues, kidney and or  diabetes.

Thanks, i believe i now remember reading that at some point over the past 5-6 years.

Kidney and or diabetes. Are they treatable?

 Is there any thing i can do til i can afford to see a vet again?  Dont take that the wrong way, i will bring her in an emergency if she starts  showing signs of pain or anything more unusual. Also, i am aware cats can be in pain and not show it..i am right next to her almost 24/7, including she sleeps next to my head at night.   Now that i think of it,  I will call the Vet tomorrow.

As i mentioned in one or two of my posts in the forum. I live in a very rural area. the vets are not all that not that great when it comes to cats.

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Both kidney disease and diabetes are treatable.  DIabetes with insulin by way of a very easy injection, and kidney disease usually through giving fluids under the skin, sometimes with some medications. Kidney issues are probably more likely in your case, and you should definitely contact your vet before it becomes more complicated to treat.

[just a quick note i am reading everyone's help]

Right now i am paying about $360 a year for annual tests.appt.,  plus about$35 a month for her tapezole medicine  I live paycheck to paycheck. My cat waits for me everyday i come home from work,etc.,  so she has value/gives back to what i spend on her.

I have to ask because i am facing pressure to have her 'go over the bridge' over finances:

Is there any way i can treat her for kidney disease and or diseases  as much as i can on my own?

Correct me: Kidney disease is determined by a test? followed by medication? Any rough idea what that costs?

empirefalls said:

 
Right now i am paying about $360 a year for annual tests.appt.,  plus about$35 a month for her tapezole medicine  I live paycheck to paycheck. My cat waits for me everyday i come home from work,etc.,  so she has value/gives back to what i spend on her.

I have to ask because i am facing pressure to have her 'go over the bridge' over finances:

Is there any way i can treat her for kidney disease and or diseases  as much as i can on my own?

Correct me: Kidney disease is determined by a test? followed by medication? Any rough idea what that costs?

Click to expand...

Testing for kidney's is pretty easy, mostly a urine test.  Treatment is mostly home based, and centers around giving the cat Sub Q fluids and sometimes suppliments.  You get a one time instruction by a tech at your vet, or if your fairly confident with needles you can watch a video. I'll try and get you a link, it may have to be a bit later today.  You can probably save money by buying the fluids online, i'll look into that for you as well.  I'll be back with more soon.  The good thing is a cat with kidney issues can be kept happy and comfy, often for quite a while.

Edit: I'm back.  Dr. Kris who contribues to TCS has great videos at his website including a GREAT one for giving fluids.

http://www.iwillhelpyourcat.com/

and the specific viseo is here http://www.iwillhelpyourcat.com/videos/#/give-sq-fluids-like-a-pro-and-save-your-cat/

and a link to the kidney threads are here http://www.thecatsite.com/f/5825/kidney-issues-in-cats-with-dr-kris

I went to http://www.drsfostersmith.com/ and started pricing stuff and you can get a bag of fluid for about $10, which depending on dosage could last 10 to 20 days, maybe longer if his kidneys are just starting to go bad.  A few more dollars for needles and IV lines and you're good to go.

The first thing is some basic diagnostic work by your vet, then they prescribe what your cat needs, probably fluids once a day or every other day to start, they show you how to do it and exactly what you need and then you buy online.  I've done it, its easy, painless for the cat, and once you're used to doing it, you can do it in your sleep.

StephenQ said:

 
Testing for kidney's is pretty easy, mostly a urine test.  Treatment is mostly home based, and centers around giving the cat Sub Q fluids and sometimes suppliments.  You get a one time instruction by a tech at your vet, or if your fairly confident with needles you can watch a video. I'll try and get you a link, it may have to be a bit later today.  You can probably save money by buying the fluids online, i'll look into that for you as well.  I'll be back with more soon.  The good thing is a cat with kidney issues can be kept happy and comfy, often for quite a while.

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Thanks. Although i may not be logged in or replying right away, i'am checking this thread many times a day  .

empirefalls said:

 
Thanks. Although i may not be logged in or replying right away, i'am checking this thread many times a day  .

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I just posted above your post :-)

empirefalls said:

 
Right now i am paying about $360 a year for annual tests.appt.,  plus about$35 a month for her tapezole medicine  I live paycheck to paycheck. My cat waits for me everyday i come home from work,etc.,  so she has value/gives back to what i spend on her.

I have to ask because i am facing pressure to have her 'go over the bridge' over finances:

Is there any way i can treat her for kidney disease and or diseases  as much as i can on my own?

Correct me: Kidney disease is determined by a test? followed by medication? Any rough idea what that costs?

Click to expand...

are you buying the brand name Tapazole or its generic Methimazole? Methimazole is much cheaper. 

empirefalls said:

 
Right now i am paying about $360 a year for annual tests.appt.,  plus about$35 a month for her tapezole medicine  I live paycheck to paycheck. My cat waits for me everyday i come home from work,etc.,  so she has value/gives back to what i spend on her.

I have to ask because i am facing pressure to have her 'go over the bridge' over finances:

Is there any way i can treat her for kidney disease and or diseases  as much as i can on my own?

Correct me: Kidney disease is determined by a test? followed by medication? Any rough idea what that costs?

Click to expand...

Diabetes is very manageable and it doesn't have to make you broke My previous cat was diabetic and there were months where I did not need to buy a single necessary supply (insulin, syringes, test strips, etc) or even food. Initial costs are high because of the testing to confirm the diagnosis and possible in-office blood glucose curves and purchasing of supplies and such but after that costs do go down and there are many ways to keep costs low. There's a great message board that helps pet owners manage a diabetic cat if you should ever need it.

detmut said:

 
are you buying the brand name Tapazole or its generic Methimazole? Methimazole is much cheaper. 

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That's a good point, although also keep in mind dosages.  I only paid about $13/month I think for methimazole, but my cat was only taking one tablet a day (split in 2 doses) most of the time.  Earlier on there was a local place that had it on their $4 prescription list so I was able to get 30 pills for $4 or 90 pills for $10, but I'm not sure if it makes that kind of list in any stores now.

The other thing is it may come in two or more different strengths, so it might be possible to save by getting it in double the strength and using half as many pills.  It usually doesn't cost double.   I know for the OP this info is coming a bit late after 6 years, but maybe it will still help or help someone else.

In terms of your kitty's current situation, I don't think there is much to do at home before getting a real diagnosis, sounds like she is reasonably comfortable as much as you can observe that (as you noted, they can hide a lot of discomfort).  If she does have kidney disease the things that you might do for her after knowing that for sure, the fluid treatment and such, are things you can do at home and they will keep her comfortable for longer.  Some cats can live for years after being diagnosed.  FWIW I thought the sub-q fluid treatment would be hard with the needle, but it was by far the easiest part of what I went through after the kidney diagnosis.  Amber had other things going on though, the congestive heart failure which made her retain fluid and feel much worse than she otherwise would have at that stage of kidney disease.  Anyway, assuming there is kidney disease at all, the supplies for fluid treatment are not expensive and there's really not a medicine to give although they sometimes would like the cat to have potassium or other supplements.  It's not nothing, though, so it would be an increased cost.

I know it's a tough predicament, with tight income and a rural location that can make it more difficult to get the supplies and vet care you need.  I wish you and your kitty well in all this.

Thanks

I did stopped in at her vet today to buy special cat food for cats with hyperthyroidism

The vet was not available, i chatted with a vet assistant who said,.....she said it does not sound like kidney disease more diabetes. I asked how are they treated, she seemed to circumvent  from giving me direct answers. Perhaps she was careful  on what she told me.  The few vets in my area think in terms of $$$$ but maybe thats nationwide.

empirefalls said:

 
Thanks

I did stopped in at her vet today to buy special cat food for cats with hyperthyroidism

The vet was not available, i chatted with a vet assistant who said,.....she said it does not sound like kidney disease more diabetes. I asked how are they treated, she seemed to circumvent  from giving me direct answers. Perhaps she was careful  on what she told me.  The few vets in my area think in terms of $$$$ but maybe thats nationwide.

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Vet assistants aren't qualified to offer an opinion as to whether they think its this or that and did you a disservice by trying to.  Diabetes is treated with daily insulin injections, not expensive.