Most cats are diagnosed with hyperthyroidism via a blood panel around age 13. Besides weight loss, affected cats may also experience chronic vomiting and diarrhea, plus muscle deterioration.

Even if cats aren’t exhibiting symptoms, it’s important to treat the condition to prevent heart failure or sudden blindness or death.

A cat with hyperthyroidism is producing too much T4, and the feline probably has a growth the thyroid gland. These growths are usually benign, but cancer may rarely be present.

Benign thyroid growths are a form of goiter instead of cancer. Radiotherapy, a way to cure hyperthyroidism, may be used to distinguish between goiters and cancer.

Treatment Options for Cats with Hyperthyroidism

• Oral drug – methimazole (brand names: Tapazole or Felimazole)
• Surgery – to remove abnormal thyroid tissue
• Radiotherapy – usually just a one-time procedure. View a list of facilities offering radiotherapy.

To learn more about hyperthyroidism in cats, visit the online Hyperthyroidism Center for Cats at Veterinary Partner.

(Source: VeterinaryPartner.com; Image via stock.xchng)

Post from: Blisstree

Most Common Hormone Imbalance in Cats

Your thyroid is a small gland in your throat, just below your voice box. The thyroid is a vital gland that plays an important role in regulating your metabolism – how your body creates and uses energy. The thyroid secretes, lets out, hormones that controls that metabolism.

If you have hypothyroid, you may have these symptoms:

• Constant fatigue, exhaustion
• Feeling of being cold all the time, unable to warm up
• Forgetfulness
• Thickened skin, puffy
• Muscular weakness
• Constipation
• Goiter (enlarged thyroid)
• Weight gain, regardless of how little food is eaten

As you can imagine, symptoms of hyperthyroid, overly active thyroid, are the opposite of hypothyroid.

What causes hypothyroidism?

There are many reasons why a thyroid may stop producing enough hormones over time. Sometimes it’s due to age, other times it’s due to a malfunction in the thyroid, or even a diet that is too low in iodine – an essential source for the thyroid. And then, there are those who have induced hypothyroidism. If someone has hyperthyroidism or has been diagnosed with cancer of the thyroid, the thyroid may be destroyed with radiation, or removed, making it so there are no thyroid hormones available any more.

Treatment

Treatment for hypothyroid is almost always medication in the form of a synthetic (man-made) thyroid hormone. The medications are *very* sensitive and must be titrated exactly to what each individual needs. This is not a medication that you can try to adjust on your own, as the results could be catastrophic.

Usually, once someone with hypothyroidism gets treatment, they can’t believe how much better they feel.

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Images: Stock.xchg, MorgueFile.com

Post from: Blisstree

Hypothyroidism – what is it?

This surprised me, because we know Oprah has had a history of yo-yo dieting and bingeing that has been responsible for her weight gain in the past. One incident in particular comes to mind, where Oprah had reportedly binged on 2-year-old frozen hot dog buns and maple syrup for “comfort food” (NY Times)

She mentioned on her show that one in four perimenopausal or menopausal woman will end up having an issue with their thyroid. Symptoms include feeling tired and sluggish, sleeping an excessive amount, inability to lose weight or weight gain and feeling cold.

If you suspect something is wrong with your thyroid, be sure to go to the doctor and have a blood test done. It’s worth noting that the same symptoms could be the result of an iron deficiency, which is much easier and cheaper to treat. Either way, it’s always good to know what’s going on with your body.

Claire

(image from Findittmusic)

Post from: Blisstree

Oprah Gains Weight From Thyroid