Cat Hyperthyroidism-A Brief Introduction
October 9th, 2008 at 08:11am Under Cat Health+ Diseases+ Pet Care
By Catharine Wells
As cat owners, there’s nothing more distressing than finding
out that your feline friend is sick. In the case of a disorder
such as feline hyperthyroidism, the consequences can be severe
and have the potential to rob your pet of its health, comfort,
and even its life. However, when armed with some basic
knowledge, you’ll be better able to help your cat through its
illness and to hopefully catch the problem early on so you can
ease your pet’s suffering and improve its health with early
treatment and intervention.
The Feline Thyroid Gland
The thyroid is a double-lobed gland located in the cat’s neck,
wrapped around its trachea. Consisting of spherical follicles,
this gland is responsible for secreting the two thyroid hormones
– thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These two
iodine-containing hormones play a significant role in a number
of physiological functions and have an effect on every cell in
the feline body. In particular, T4 helps to regulate the cat’s
metabolic rate, or the rate at which the cat’s cells burn
energy.
Feline Hyperthyroidism
When a cat’s thyroid does not function properly and produces
too much of the T4 hormone, the cat develops the endocrine
disorder known as hyperthyroidism. This disorder is most common
in middle-aged and elderly cats and affects male and female cats
equally. Since thyroid hormones have an effect on every part of
the feline physiological system, hyperthyroidism can also affect
every organ. As a result, this endocrine disorder can have
numerous negative effects on a feline patient and can quickly
become extremely dangerous if left untreated.
Consequences of Hyperthyroidism
Since the thyroxine hormone controls the metabolic rate of a
cat’s body, elevated levels of this hormone result in a higher
rate of metabolic function. This causes an increase in blood
pressure as well as an increased heart rate. This excessive
stress upon the feline heart can eventually cause it to expand
in size. Known as myocardial hypertrophy, this heart condition
causes the organ to wear out more quickly than a normal heart
and will eventually lead to heart failure if the myocardial
hypertrophy and hyperthyroidism continue to go untreated.
Symptoms and Warning Signs
The fact that cat hyperthyroidism affects every cell in a
feline’s body and increases the animal’s metabolic rate explains
the nature and high number of different symptoms that this
disorder can give rise to. While not all feline patients will
experience the exact same set of symptoms, some of the most
common warning signs of hyperthyroidism include a significantly
increased appetite accompanied by weight loss, both of which
directly result from the elevated metabolic rate. Hyperactivity,
irritability, rapid breathing, and a rapid heart rate are also
frequently displayed by cats suffering from this thyroid
condition.
Causes
While there are likely many different factors that can
contribute to the development of hyperthyroidism in a particular
cat, this thyroid condition is caused by the presence of a
tumour on the thyroid gland. Even though these tumours are often
benign, they still trigger the overproduction of thyroid
hormones. When it comes to possible contributing factors for cat
hyperthyroidism, there is still much that is not understood.
However, it’s believed that factors such as age, environment,
and diet could be related to the development of thyroid tumours
which lead to feline hyperthyroidism.
Diagnosis
When hyperthyroidism is suspected in a feline patient, a
thorough physical examination will be conducted so that the
veterinarian can check for clinical signs such as enlarged
glands, high blood pressure, and an elevated heart rate.
Numerous blood tests can also provide important information on
the condition of different organs and physiological systems.
Thyroid tests will also likely be conducted in order to measure
the levels of thyroid hormones in the cat’s body. In certain
cases, imaging tools such as ultrasound will also be used to
examine the physical structure of the thyroid gland and to check
for any physical abnormalities such as tumours.
Treatment
Once a diagnosis of cat hyperthyroidism has been made, there
are a variety of different treatment methods available.
Traditional forms of treatment include surgery, radiation, and
medication. A holistic health care approach will also be
beneficial in some cases, involving the use of natural
supplements and homoeopathic remedies to balance hormones and to
regulate thyroid activity. Natural supplements are also
beneficial in the sense that they can reduce uncomfortable
symptoms and boost a cat’s overall health. Whether your
particular cat will benefit the most from a holistic health care
approach or traditional treatment methods is something that will
depend upon your individual pet’s circumstances and will need to
be determined by a veterinarian. For some feline patients, the
best approach will involve a combination of both traditional and
holistic treatments. In any event, it’s always important to
ensure that your feline friend receives treatment as soon as
possible so that severe and potentially fatal consequences of
this endocrine disorder can be avoided.
About the Author: Catharine Wells is a freelance writer who
writes about topics concerning pet care such as
www.petwellbeing.com/cat-supplies-c3.cfm Cat Cancer | Cat
Hyperthyroidism | Cat Kidney Disease
Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: www.isnare.com/?aid=214421&ca=Pets
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