So, let’s take a look at it with you today.
I. What is hyperthyroidism
The abbreviation for cat hyperthyroidism is hyperthyroidism, which refers to An endocrine disease with excessive thyroid hormone secretion in the body,
is a common endocrine disease in elderly cats. Thyroid tumor is the main reason for the exuberant thyroid secretion and hypermetabolism.
II. Causes of disease
Hyperthyroidism is a Multisystem disease, which is caused by the excessive production of thyroid hormones (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) by the thyroid gland.
The majority of findings of intrinsic thyroid injury are unilateral or bilateral, and in most cats with hyperthyroidism, one or more discrete palpable lesions can usually be palpated on the ventral side of the neck. Thyroid tumor.
Multinodular glandular enlargement is the most common histological injury in the cat thyroid gland.
In such cats, multiple focal small nodules can be seen, which Similar to nodular hyperplasia in humans.
The incidence of thyroid adenomas that can cause enlarged or deformed gland lobes is low, and the proportion of clinical thyroid cancers does not exceed 5%.
Three. Main symptoms
The typical clinical symptoms of hyperthyroidism are weight loss in cats, And gluttony, restlessness, overexcitement.
Other clinical signs include changes in the cat’s coat (macular alopecia, dull coat, tangles, absence or presence of excessive grooming), polyuria, thirst, vomiting and diarrhea.
Some cats also have aggressive behavior that can go away when hyperthyroidism is treated.
In addition to weight loss, lethargy, weakness, and anorexia are the predominant clinical features in some cats.
Because of the multisystem effects of hyperthyroidism, other clinical symptoms are similar to other diseases in cats, therefore, hyperthyroidism should be suspected when elderly cats (ie, over 10 years of age) develop medical problems.
IV. Treatment methods
treatment Three approaches to cat hyperthyroidism:
1, thyroidectomy
2, oral antithyroid drugs
3, radioactive iodine therapy . All three treatments are effective.
The purpose of surgical treatment and radioactive iodine treatment is to achieve permanent cure, while oral antithyroid drugs can only inhibit the Hyperthyroidism, and needs to be administered to cats daily to maintain its efficacy.
The choice of treatment ultimately depends on a variety of factors, including the cat’s physical condition and age; renal function; severity of symptoms (eg, thyrotoxic myocardium) disease);
Look for the presence of adenoma hyperplasia, adenoma, adenocarcinoma; whether it is unilateral or bilateral;
If it is bilateral, you need to look at goiter The size of the object; whether radioactive iodine treatment can be performed; the level of the operator.
V. How to prevent
1. Diet in daily life
The epidemiological survey found that if the intake of iodine in food is too much or too low,
whether the food contains soybean Isoflavones, mixed with bisphenol A (from canned packaging) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (from cat litter
boxes and litter boxes) are all possible pathogenic factors.
Therefore, in daily life Avoid contact with food and supplies containing these substances as much as possible in your life. It is better to keep feeding cats high-quality, high-nutrient cat food.
2. Regular physical examination
Hyperthyroidism is a common disease in elderly cats One, regular physical examination can detect and control diseases in time.
If the cat itself has heart disease (especially hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), regular checkups are needed to prevent hyperthyroidism from putting a huge burden on the heart.
