Seeking Tapozole Information

I was hoping someone out there has experience with Tapozole. Recently Nikki was placed on 5 mg per day of Tapozole as a precaution due to his thyroid levels fluctuating. Since he has been treated for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy -- a heart disease where areas of heart muscle enlarge and thicken – since the age of 6 weeks, it is important to prevent the additional stress on the heart this new condition will cause. Almost a week after beginning the medication, I noticed he became “itchyâ€. I just assumed it was related to the excess shedding (itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s that time of year) and just brushed him out more. Then, after another day or two, I noticed a decrease in appetite. I immediately took him off the Tapozole and called my vet. We kept him off for a week and he began acting “normal†again. Three days ago, we put him back on but decreased the dosage. He is currently taking 2.5 mg once per day.

I just noticed he seems itchy again. Heâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ll be walking down the hallway, stop abruptly to lick himself, and then bolt off into another room. Itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s obvious to me he is starting to feel uncomfortable again. At this point, Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m concerned this may be a reaction to the Tapozole which sucks since he needs to be on it.

Has anyone had this experience? Is this a side effect of the Tapozole? Are there any other options? Any advice you can give will be greatly appreciated.

Hi,

I've had several cats on Tapazole, in fact currently have one on it. None of them experienced this..however, I did find an article for you, and it does mention these side effects, including the itching (which is a rare side effect). I think you'll find it a good article to read:
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=510 I only skimmed it, but I think I saw that the itching is an issue that will begin again each time the cat is placed back on this med, that another medication should be used. I did not finish skimming the article, I hope it also provides a suggestion as to alternative meds for you.

I wish you all the best in getting this resolved.

Itching is a potential side effect of Tapazole. I think that there are some cats who tolerate the transdermal medication better without some of the side effects, but some cats don't tolerate it at all. In some places, an alternative medication (Carbimazole or propylthiouracil) is available. It is related to methimazole (Tapazole), but it is possible that it may not cause itching for your kitty.

Here are some resources:

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body...al_medica.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/feline-hyperT (you will need to join, but it is a very helpful group)

Is your kitty receiving any treatment for the cardiomyopathy?

Originally Posted by Nikki3551

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I just noticed he seems itchy again. Heâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ll be walking down the hallway, stop abruptly to lick himself, and then bolt off into another room. Itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s obvious to me he is starting to feel uncomfortable again. At this point, Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m concerned this may be a reaction to the Tapozole which sucks since he needs to be on it.

Has anyone had this experience? Is this a side effect of the Tapozole? Are there any other options? Any advice you can give will be greatly appreciated.

Click to expand...

My cat had the exact same experience with the itching then licking and bolting into another room shortly after starting Tapazole. In my opinion it was a temporary side effect of the Tapazole that did not last that long. She also had temporary side affects of vomiting for 3 days and facial scabs. She has now been on Tapazole 2.5mg 2x a day for 5 1/2 months and she has gained her weight back and is doing great. Hope that Helps.

You might also consider having your vet lower the dose again. Maybe to 1/4 and 1/2 or 1/4 and 1/4 2x day. I have another kitty who just started atenolol 1/4 tab a day for his heart and Tapazole also 1/4 2x a day. It takes some working with your vet to get the right doses for the meds as well as follow up bloodwork. Hope that helps.

Thank you all for your responses. I read the articles and they were very helpful.

Cloud_Shade - Yes. He has been taking Atenolol every day since he was 6 weeks old, regular ultrasounds and checkups (expensive but I'd go as far as a heart transplant if I had to! LOL) I understand you had a little one with the same diagnosis. Was the treatment the same? The Atenolol helps thin the blood so it can travel through the heart muscles easier and prevents blood clots. I was lucky that we diagnosed him at such an early age.

Gingerpye - I thank you for your input. It is reassuring to know that these symptoms are temporary. I'll stick it out with him until they pass. He seems to be doing better today so I'm hoping he's adjusting. Maybe it is just the combination of the excess shedding (tis the season) and the new meds. I just keep brushing him as much as I can. He loves that.

Thanks again everyone! I'll keep you posted.

Originally Posted by Nikki3551

Thank you all for your responses. I read the articles and they were very helpful.

Cloud_Shade - Yes. He has been taking Atenolol every day since he was 6 weeks old, regular ultrasounds and checkups (expensive but I'd go as far as a heart transplant if I had to! LOL) I understand you had a little one with the same diagnosis. Was the treatment the same? The Atenolol helps thin the blood so it can travel through the heart muscles easier and prevents blood clots. I was lucky that we diagnosed him at such an early age.

Click to expand...

Actually, my baby had a slightly different story. He was a stray who found me in 2004. He was definitely a senior, though they couldn't pinpoint his age, and he was hyperthyroid at the time. He had an echocardiogram done last June before receiving radioiodine. It showed slight cardiomyopathy. Unfortunately, the radioiodine didn't work for him, and I spent the next few months trying to keep his weight up. As a result, he was never treated for the cardiomyopathy. He passed away on Saturday, and we found that his cardiomyopathy had worsened significantly since the last echo. I wish that I had thought to have him checked sooner, but hindsight is 20/20.