Thyroid-Articles

Bizarre Behavioral Changes? Check your dog for hypothyroidism.

by W. Jean Dodds, DVM

Antech News May 2005

" ... Although the overall efficacy of transdermal methimazole is not as high as that of oral methimazole at 2 weeks of treatment, it is associated with fewer GI adverse effects compared to the oral route.
Reference: Sartor et al, JVIM 18: 651-655, 2004."

Monday, 23 May 2005

["Treating hyperthyroid cats by either surgery or I 131 IS costly but works very well." -- Dr. Jean Dodds]

SPRINGFIELD, VA, (NAMC) - "The Radiocat® network of veterinarians, specializing in the treatment of feline hyperthyroidism with Radioiodine (I-131), has saved the lives of 21,000 cats since the group’s founding in 1995.

The 21,000th cat, an 11-year old brown Tabby from Alexandria, Virginia named, Specka, was treated in March by Dr. Rand Wachsstock, a founding partner of Radiocat, at The Regional Veterinary Center in Springfield, Virginia.

“Feline hyperthyroidism, generally affecting older cats, is fatal if left untreated. However, one injection of Radioiodine cures 98 percent of the cats treated with little to no side effects. This method of treating feline hyperthyroidism is safe and affordable. It eliminates expensive surgery and never ending drug treatment. Use of I-131 is the gold standard for curing feline hyperthyroidism, and we are proud to have treated more cats than anyone else currently practicing this discipline,” he said

Dr. Wachsstock says cats undergoing I-131 therapy need to remain in a special recovery ward for less than a week after the injection to allow the radiation contained in the treatment to reach safe and legal levels. He explains, however, that during its stay, a cat is “monitored and made as comfortable as possible, even including listening to tapes of its owner’s voice and watching ‘kitty’ videos.”

I-131 treatment does not require anesthesia and does not affect healthy thyroid tissue. Under the treatment, normal thyroid function often returns within one month, according to Dr. Wachsstock, but he says alternative treatments can be expensive and not as effective as I-131.

“Usually, it takes two surgeries—at a cost of between $700 and $1300—for most cases of feline hyperthyroidism. The disease affects both of a cat’s thyroid glands in 80 percent of the cases, therefore, removing only one side leads to recurrence of the disease in as little as 18 months. In addition, the surgery is dangerous and could lead to fatal calcium deficiency. Anti-thyroid drugs counteract the excess thyroid hormone and can cost between $500 and $700 per year for the remainder of a cat’s life. The medicines seem to lose effectiveness in three to four years and can damage the liver and kidneys—not to mention the owner-pet relationship due to the difficulties of administering one to three pills a day. With those facts in mind, I-131 treatment makes sense, it works, and both pet and owner get everything over with one procedure,” Dr. Wachsstock advised.

The cost of treatment with I-131 averages about $1200, Dr. Wachsstock says.

Dr. David S. Herring of Baltimore, Maryland, co- founder of the Radiocat network, explains that one in 300 cats suffer from hyperthyroidism. He says there are approximately 65 million cats in the U.S.

“We don’t know what causes the disease, so we don’t really have a way to prevent it, but we do have a cure—using I-131. Pet owners should ask their veterinarians about this treatment if their cat is diagnosed with hyperthyroidism,” Dr. Herring said.

About Radiocat: Dr. David S. Herring and Dr. Rand S. Wachsstock and are co-founders of Radiocat, a veterinary practice dedicated exclusively to the care and treatment of feline hyperthyroidism with practice locations in Phoenix, AZ; San Diego, CA; San Mateo, CA; Middletown, CT; Wilmington, DE; Atlanta, GA; Wheeling, IL; Indianapolis, IN; Baltimore, MD; Greenville, SC; Waltham. MA; White Plains, NY; Pittsburgh, PA; and Springfield, VA.

Contact: Lana Sansur 301-765-9816

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Bizarre Behavioral Changes? Check your dog for hypothyroidism.