Roo and Crystal are back from the vet

Roo and Crystal had their vet appointmnet this morning.

The vet is doing a geriatric blood panel from Roo, because she's certain Roo's has thyroid disease. The vet said her thyroid felt fairly big. Just need the blood test to confirm before she can give her the meds. Plus the vet also said Roo's kidneys felt small so that will be checked out as well.


I can't believe Crystal had ear mites!! All of the cats are indoor kitties and none of the other cats have them.Plus she got an antibiotic for her eye, the vet said it looks like her eye is trying to heal itself from something...not sure what though.

They'll both have to go back in 3 -4 weeks.

Oh well at least thats over with Diane

I know we can bring fleas in with us?, did the vet say how Crystal could have got the mites?

Prayers & good vibes coming your way for Roo & Crystal.

Thanks everyone.
I forgot to mention poor Roo is down to 5.12 pounds She's so frail, I hope her kidneys check out ok, I don't know how well she'll do if she has 2 health problems instead of just the one.

Originally Posted by rosiemac

Oh well at least thats over with Diane

I know we can bring fleas in with us?, did the vet say how Crystal could have got the mites?

Click to expand...

Susan, the vet didn't say how she might have gotten them, only asked if she was an indoor cat, which they all are.

The vet just called with Roo's blood test results. It is indeed her thyroid. The vet said normal thyroid numbers should be under 4 and Roo's were a little over 6. So she'll be getting medicine to take twice a day a then have to reaccessed after two weeks. One of her kidney numbers were slightly off, but the vet said it should go back to normal once she's on the medicine.

well wishes for your bunch

Sorry to hear the visit didn't go as well as it could have, hope the meds work out well for Roo! Hope Crystal's kidneys are ok too.

Thanks Sharky and Sam!
It was Roo's kidneys that were checked and the vet said they should be ok once the new thyroid medicine kicks in.

I gave Roo her first dose this evening, it's a half of a tiny pill (she gets half twice a day)...she spit it out once, almost couldn't find it again.

The thyroid pills are really bitter. You might want to try putting them in an empty capsule (some pharmacies carry them) or wrapping it inside a piece of cheese. That's what I've started doing with Spot's pills. I don't let him chew on the cheese, but I figure it keeps him from being able to taste them right away. Then I give him a treat afterwards.

The high thyroid levels can often throw off the kidney values. You'll have a better idea of what is really going on with the kidneys after a few weeks of medication. I'm glad you're starting her on half a pill twice per day. Some vets start the cats too high and their levels drop too quickly. When I found Spot last year, his thyroid level was 10.54 (normal was between 0.8 and 4.0). After a month of two tablets per day (one morning, one night), he was down to 0.66. His numbers bounce around occasionally, so I have learned to watch for signs of change in him (he puts off more heat, lays on the linoleum, runs around more, eats like crazy, and sometimes gets diarrhea). Every cat reacts a little bit differently, so the best thing is to know what's normal for your kitty and watch for changes.

Actually, I'm thinking I'm going to go ahead with the radioiodine treatment as soon as his nose clears up (he's got a minor bacterial infection). Poor Spot is tired of all the pills, and I think it will be worth it even though it is rather expensive.

Oh bless your little babies I hope that they both start to feel better soon.

Thanks Gilly and Cloud Shade
Cloud Shade, how old is Spot?
My vet said surgery might be an option for Roo in the future, but I'm not sure that would be a good idea at her age (she's 16).
I did notice that sometimes Roo body feels very cold I guess that is from her thyroid, hopefully she'll warm back up after being on the medicine for a while.

Good luck with Spot!

Originally Posted by stormy

Thanks Gilly and Cloud Shade

Cloud Shade, how old is Spot?
My vet said surgery might be an option for Roo in the future, but I'm not sure that would be a good idea at her age (she's 16).
I did notice that sometimes Roo body feels very cold

I guess that is from her thyroid, hopefully she'll warm back up after being on the medicine for a while.

Good luck with Spot!

Click to expand...

Actually, we have no idea how old Spot really is. All the vet can say for sure is that he is older than 10. I found him last September, and no one ever claimed him. I like to think that he's around 12 or 13, but he could be older. The radioactive iodine treatment is supposed to be relatively non-invasive. It is a single injection, and the cat has to be kept at the facility for several days (it varies from state to state). Oregon seems to have a relatively short time that he has to remain at the facility--only 4 days. Other states and countries require a couple of weeks. It all depends on the rules governing radioactive material.

Good luck to you and Roo.

Diane so pleased Roo got some medication to sort the problem out

I hope your babies feel better/get better soon!!

I'm so glad you three had a successful appt with your Vet, Diane! Poor little crystal, her ears will be better in no time at all! So smart of you to have Roo's geriatric panel done! How wonderful that you now know the problem and can begin to treat her! Sure hope she is able to put some of her weight back on now! I may be off here, but I believe hyperthyroidism could mask the symptoms of an underlying kidney problem. Sometimes once the thyroid is corrected, the kidney symptoms become evident. Roo and Crystal, we're so proud of you for being such brave babies for your Vet!