The risks associated with low level ingestion of radioactive iodine relate to an increased risk of developing thyroid cancer. Prior to the onset of symptoms he was eating a high quality dry cat food but when he started losing weight and begging for food we were told we could give him some baby food and wet cat food. 5. This treatment is appropriate for cats with more surgical risk due to other health problems or who are exceptionally old. Do not allow your cat to sleep against your body. GFR results are used to determine the functional status of the kidneys, and identify cats with subclinical renal disease. We were told that 90% of the Radioactive Iodine is gone from the cat in two days. In many cats, only one thyroid lobe is abnormal, so only one surgery is needed. He rejected the Fancy Feast stuff and gobbled the baby food along with eating a little variety of the many dry foods we tried in an effort to find one that he really liked. Ten patients (6.4%) had DS (Down Syndrome) and 33 (21.0%) had received ATDs before RAI ablation. The good news is that virtually every client will already take steps to avoid this, even when radioactive iodine in their cat's urine is not the motivation. Specific facts and circumstances may affect the applicability of concepts, materials, and information described herein. Luckily these risks will diminish in time following successful radioiodine therapy and a return to a persistently normal thyroid level. Diagnosis of feline hyperthyroidism is generally straightforward. Because the radioactive iodine used (known as iodine 131) may expose those around you to the effects of radiation (and theoretically negatively affect their thyroid glands), you will be given guidelines on how to prevent such exposure. The radioiodine (I-131) used to treat thyroid disease in people and animals emits both gamma rays and beta particles. The American Thyroid Association notes that weight gain develops over a long time and may have many causes other than the underactive thyroid. It is best to perform a nuclear scan before surgery to rule out ectopic thyroid tissue. In the hospital (or veterinary hospitals) we would use a Geiger counter with a thin-window probe to find the radioactive contamination. One of the reasons the cat was held for four days was to allow for much of the radioactive 131I to be excreted in urine so that the amount of external radiation exposure is significantly reduced. Subscribe to always know when we add new material! Reduce the time near a source, increase the distance from the source, or use some sort of radiation absorbing shielding between you and the source of radiation and you will reduce your radiation dose.
Both cardiomyopathy and hypertension are potentially reversible with appropriate treatment of the disease. You would actually have to ingest the cats waste for it to be harmful to you. Treating Hyperthyroidism in Cats. During that time, the ravenous appetite should subside, your cat will probably gain weight, and her blood pressure and heart rate should normalize. He's radioactive, so it's not safe even for humans wearing protective clothing to spend too much time around him. Slater M.R., Geller S. and Rogers K., Long-Term Health and Predictors of Survival for Hyperthyroid Cats Treated with Iodine 131. While my facility does not treat cats with radioactive 131I, I have consulted with a veterinary medicine program at a nearby university that does perform these types of procedures to get myself in the "cat-patient" mode of thought. Often, treating hyperthyroidism will unmask hidden kidney failure that will require additional care and is best detected early in the course of the disease. It will take about a month for thyroid levels to return to normal in most cats. That was part of the problem we had before treatment. Site Help | Let's tackle the external exposure first as it is the simplest concept. (For example, for human patients we provide instructions such as "sleep in separate beds" and "stay at least 1 meter away from others as much as possible.") If left untreated and unmanaged, these changes may eventually compromise the normal function of the heart and can even lead to heart failure. I'm sure if he is still underweight, his body will be telling him to eat, eat, eat. Design and methods: Five hundred and four patients over 40 years of age with diffuse toxic goiter were treated with MMI for 18 months. Your veterinarian's instructions regarding separation for the two weeks are simply doing the same thing we do with people. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The "radiation badge" worn by x-ray techs for example is good for measuring external exposure to radiation but does nothing to measure intakes of radioactive materials which is the primary concern in the case of a cat treated with radioactive 131I. At the time of discharge, exposure levels measured at 6 feet from the patient are virtually indistinguishable from background levels. Radioactive Iodine Therapy In an effort to put some weight back on him we are still feeding him turkey and gravy baby food in the morning to supplement the dry food. The AVMI radioactive materials license utilizes release criteria and precautionary instructions specifically based on the evaluation of the relative exposure levels to clients following radioiodine therapy for hyperthyroid cats treated with I-131. This I131 injection accumulates in the abnormal thyroid tissue, and the radioactivity kills the abnormal tissue without harming other vital structures nearby. Some cats develop side effects from methimazole, such as vomiting, lethargy, anorexia, fever, liver damage, anemia, and a decrease in white blood cells. Surgery To help your cat gain weight, you need to increase the protein and . Home & Forums | Each treatment option has its advantages and disadvantages. Learn more about radioiodine therapy for hyperthyroidism, Learn about radioiodine therapy for thyroid carcinoma, Learn more aboutSamariumtherapy for primary or metastatic bone tumors. Cats exclusively fed the prescription diet will remain normal, but if the diet is discontinued, they will once again become hyperthyroid. What happens after my cat is released from the hospital? These include weight loss, increased activity, and kitten like behaviour. Feeding Hyperthyroid Cats Iodine restriction may help; weight loss is a . A seven hour airplane trip exposes passengers to 0.02 mSv of radiation, which is a fraction of the exposure of a standard Chest x-ray (0.1 mSv). After treatment, the normal thyroid tissue will regain full function within 1-3 months. Hence additional separation between the patient and children are unnecessary. There are four treatment options for feline hyperthyroidism: medication, radioactive iodine therapy, surgery, and dietary therapy. The veterinarian's recommendations are to isolate my cat for at least two weeks. Further, the litter will be radioactive as most of the radioactive iodine will be excreted via this route. J Vet Intern Med, 2001. Radioactive iodine therapy offers a cure through a simple injection that returns thyroid function to normal levels. Weight change was analyzed in only 228 patients and 84% gained weight by 1 year after radioactive iodine therapy. Lifelong administration of methimazole can control the effects of an overactive thyroid gland. What this means is that occasionally we invest clients economic and perhaps more importantly, emotional resources in treating and resolving hyperthyroidism is cats with other, currently unknown diseases. The remainder is gone in about the next two months or so. Your veterinarian has recommended I131 for your cat. First we need to put this exposure level into some context: How do x-rays increase your risk for cancer? In cats, an underactive thyroid is extremely rare. In addition to reporting for a major newspaper chain, she has been published in "Horse News," "Suburban Classic," "Hoof Beats," "Equine Journal" and other publications. The recommended food for cats with thyroid problems is high in protein yet low in carbohydrates, iodine (around 0.32 ppm) and phosphate. However once the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism has been made, and no other illnesses are identified, the motivation to perform further diagnostics, especially those that require the need for anesthetics or are invasive may be lost. What are the risks of my cat becoming hypothyroid? (At my facility we treat people but many of the concepts are the same, it is just that patient compliance is easier to obtain with people.) Treatment usually includes an adjustment to your cat's diet, medication, radioactive iodine therapy, or surgery. The radioactivity carries no significant risk for the cat, but precautionary protective measures are required for people who come into close contact with the cat. Thyrotoxic cardiomyopathy may develop because the heart enlarges and thickens to meet the increased metabolic demands. Researchers estimated a 12% increased risk for death from breast cancer and a 5% increased risk for death from . Lack of appetite. If the total GFR is below this number, medical therapy for hyperthyroidism may be recommended, although I-131 treatment may still be an option in specific patients. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 2004. After administration of 131 Iodine, your cat is . This may be particularly useful in cats with medical conditions that make other treatment options impossible. Subscribe to always know when we add new material! The treatment of choice for hyperthyroid cats is radioactive iodine therapy, which is a cure. This usually leads to permanent destruction of the thyroid, which will cure hyperthyroidism. Answers are the professional opinions of the expert responding to each question; they do not necessarily represent the position of the Health Physics Society. Even after treatment it may take a long time to reverse weight loss and muscle loss that occurred before your cat's diagnosis. When clicking a link here and buying, we may be able to make a small commission, at no additional cost to you. 2007 07/19/2011; Available from: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/. JavaScript is disabled. When available, radioactive iodine therapy is the treatment of choice for cats with hyperthyroidism. Endocrinology, 1988. The normal thyroid cells will therefore not take up any radioactive iodine. This is more common if you still had a large part of your thyroid gland when you have radioactive iodine treatment. Occasionally cats will act like they may have a sore throat for a couple of days after the radioiodine therapy. Surgical removal of the affected thyroid gland(s) may be very effective. What happens after my cat is released from the hospital? But those instruments are quite expensive and are not readily available in stores. There are currently no known preventive measures for hyperthyroidism, but early diagnosis decreases the secondary problems and improves the prognosis. An anti-thyroid medication, like methimazole. The treatment a cat receives for hyperthyroidism will depend on specific circumstances, including the patients overall health status, the owners ability and willingness to medicate the cat regularly, and financial considerations. . No individual breed is known to have a greater risk, although Siamese, Burmese, Persian, Abyssinian, Tonkinese, and British shorthair breeds appear to have a somewhat decreased incidence of hyperthyroidism compared to other breeds. After initial stabilisation with oral medications, a number of curative treatments are also available. Some hyperthyroid cats have thyroid cells in abnormal locations calledectopicthyroid tissue (thyroid tissue under the tongue, further down the neck, or all the way to the base of the heart), and they may remain hyperthyroid after surgery. There are no studies that directly link cancer to the low dose radiation used in current medical imaging. Dry, dull coat. Having said that, the clients who own the cats we treat with radioiodine should make every effort to avoid ingesting any contents from the litter box. What are other nutritional concerns for my hyperthyroid cat? The total effective dose equivalent to individual members of the public from the licensed operation does not exceed 1 mSv in a year, exclusive of the dose contributions from background radiation, from any administration the individual has received, from exposure to individuals administered radioactive material. And I'm so glad she did, since her kidney disease (that unmasked after methimazole treatment) went from Stage 1 chronic to Stage 4 acute on chronic last weekend.
Clinical signs include lethargy, dullness, obesity, oily skin, and matted fur. Some rare cases of hyperthyroid disease are caused by malignant tumors known as thyroid adenocarcinomas. While the treatment is fairly expensive, over the long term it could be cheaper than medication and is on a par with surgical treatment. This is because the parathyroid glands (responsible for calcium balance in the body) are near the thyroid gland and may be damaged or accidentally removed during surgery. Only certain facilities perform this procedure, which consists of giving your cat a shot of radioactive iodine, which gets rid of abnormal thyroid cells without harming normal ones. 228(4): p. 559-63. Dr. Linder has received speaker fees or research fudning from Hills Pet Nutrition, Nestl Purina PetCare, Royal Canin, and Virbac, and has provided professional services for Mark Morris Institute. When x-rays, or any ionizing radiation, pass through the body they cause electrons to be ejected from atoms, leaving behind positive ions. Radioactive-iodine therapy is becoming increasingly popular when dealing with hyperthyroidism in cats. How to choose the right food for your cat. There are three common forms of treatment for hyperthyroidism in cats: medication, radioactive iodine therapy and surgery. Hays M.T., Broome M.R. Risks related to radioiodine: Medications for hyperthyroidism in cats are prescribed on a case by case basis. Cats are homed in our spacious, purpose-built radioactive iodine unit and cared for by our dedicated team of radioiodine nurses. Hyperthyroidism is a common disease in cats, and mostly afflicts cats middle-aged and older. Try mixing baby food chicken or turkey in with some Fancy Feast. When a radioactive form of iodine is given to hyperthyroid cats, the radiation destroys a portion of the thyroid gland. Treatment for hypothyroidism in cats is . Signs of anxiety in a cat including pacing, yowling for no apparent reason, and restlessness are a common symptom of feline hyperthyroidism. Because the risk from exposure to radiation in children is generally considered greater than the risk from the same exposure in adults[7], radiation precautions for children and pregnant women are more restrictive than for adults.The release instructions advising clients of hyperthyroid cats being discharged following radioiodine therapy at AVMI advise that pregnant women and children (defined as individuals less than 18 years of age) avoid contact (defined as a proximity of less than 6 feet) with the patient for a period of 12 days following discharge. This isnotan iodine-free diet but a diet with a controlled iodine content of 0.2ppma minimal amount. A blood chemistry panel and urinalysis will provide information about other organs and provide your veterinarian with an overall picture of your cats health. She's lost a pound in less than two weeks, so yeah, I'm glad I let her eat as much as she wanted. Determination of Release Criteria for I-131 Therapy Cats in Conference Proceedings American College of Veterinary Radiology. Gradual weight gain and return to healthy body condition are expected. They do not take into consideration individual risk factors including lifestyle (smoking, diet, exercise, etc. Also, I wonder if there is home-testing equipment to track the household dispersal of the radioactive contaminants that he emits after his treatment and something else to monitor and determine my exposure to the 131I remnants. Employees of facilities that utilize radioactive materials may be categorized as "radiation workers" depending on their role. of the radioactive iodine into your body because, just like the cat, any 131I intake you have will result in an uptake by your thyroid and in larger quantities could result in significant thyroid dose. Having lost my 18-year-old feline member of the family a few years ago, I completely understand the attachment and your desire to not stress the cat. Thus, individuals who opt for . 122(6): p. 2444-61. At 1 and 3 months after the treatment, a blood test for thyroid and kidney function should be done by your veterinarian. Because the thyroid needs iodine to produce hormones, the thyroid takes the radioiodine into the thyroid cells and the radiation destroys the overactive thyroid cells over time. If the nearest facility is far away, there's the stress or travel for both you and Fluffy, as well as possible hotel and other travel expenses. Another significant risk for hyperthyroid cats is not actually related to their thyroid disease. NRC Regulations . You may also be advised to suck on sour candy after treatment to help the radioactive iodine come out in your saliva. Supporting Cat Health with Information and Health Studies. In the US, the average person is exposed to an additional 3.0 mSv/yr from medical sources (predominantly CT scans). Since you'll have to leave your cat at the facility for several days or more, it's not a question of dropping him off at a distant veterinary hospital and then picking him up the next day. In order to produce thyroid hormone (thyroxine), the body needs a supply of iodine. How does the risk from medical radiation compare to background radiation exposure? In a cat treated with radioactive iodine, the drool will contain radioactive materials. Surgical removal of the gland under general anesthetic was another option. Long-Term Follow-up of Hyperthyroid Cats Treated with Iodine-131. Lifelong treatment, usually involving twice-daily oral dosage, will be required, and for some owners and cats, this dosage schedule may be difficult to maintain. As in the case of heart disease, after the hyperthyroidism has been successfully treated, high blood pressure will often resolve, and permanent treatment for it may not be required. What may work for one cat may not work for another. If hypertension is diagnosed along with hyperthyroidism, drugs may be needed to control the blood pressure and reduce the risk of damaging other organs. Remember that theNRC regulationsrequire that release criteria and discharge instructions provided to owners of hyperthyroid cats prevent exposures of more than 1 mSv. Survival Times for Cats with Hyperthyroidism Treated with Iodine 131, Methimazole, or Both, http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/, Determination of Release Criteria for I-131 Therapy Cats, Risk of Ionizing Radiation Exposure to Children: A Subject Review, Hormesis: From Marginalization to Mainstream: A Case for Hormesis as the Default Dose-Response Model in Risk Assessment. Did she have stage 1 prior to treatment for hyperthyroidism or did the stage 1 unmask after treatment started and then jump to stage 4? Radioactive iodine is a treatment for an overactive thyroid gland. Amazingly despite over 35 years of veterinary experience treating hyperthyroid cats with radioiodine there are virtually no reported side effects. 7. If radioactive iodine therapy won't work for you and your cat, alternatives are available. Risks unrelated to radioiodine therapy: Cats treated with radioactive iodine for their hyperthyroidism have several risks unrelated to the radioiodine therapy itself. Prognosis We fed him some Fancy Feast again last night and he ate it all without vomiting. Radioactive iodine therapy is curative within three months of therapy in approximately 95 percent of all hyperthyroid cases. Within one year after discontinuation of MMI, hyperthyroidism recurred in 104 patients. These statistics are averages and do not predict what is going to happen to you. If your cat does not have elevated T4 levels but your veterinarian still suspects your cat has hyperthyroidism, additional tests may be recommended. This disease is common in older cats. The radioiodine is eliminated in urine and feces. Committee on Environmental Health. Always check with your veterinarian before changing your pets diet, medication, or physical activity routines. Research into this potential treatment option is ongoing. You must log in or register to reply here. When an injection of radioactive iodine is given, it destroys the abnormal thyroid tissue without endangering other organs. It has to do with how important your thyroid is in regulating your metabolism and your weight. While the concept of radiation hormesiswould suggest a potential benefit from exposure to low levels of ionizing radiation by stimulating the immune system's ability to repair DNA, any potential benefit is poorly defined and hence the current recommendations surrounding radiation exposure follow the As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) concept. Of course some cats treated with radioiodine for their hyperthyroidism will go on to get cancer, but in the same proportion as hyperthyroid cats treated with methimazole or surgery. Nera just had her 3 month checkup and her T4 level is down to 2.3! The routine stay in our radioactive iodine unit is currently 12 days.
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists, on Long Island, Cornell Veterinary Experts Address Feline Nutrition. Over time, this progresses to increased blood pressure, severe weight loss, heart disease, blindness, and kidney damage. Of course, some people receive no radiation and others much, much more. Radioactive iodine targets the thyroid tissue - as this is the only tissue in the body that uses significant quantities of iodine. Hyperthyroidism in cats is a commonly diagnosed endocrinopathy with an overall prevalence of 2.4% in England which increases to 8.7% in cats aged 10 years or older. Rarely, a permanent reduction in thyroid-hormone levels called hypothyroidism occurs after radioactive iodine treatment. Because each cat is different, your veterinarian will advise you on the best treatment for your cat. It is important to remember that old age is not a disease. Not all veterinary facilities perform the procedure. However, because your cat will be radioactive for several days after receiving the shot, precautions must be taken during and after the treatment. A special diet for cats with hyperthyroidism. The goal of hyperthyroidism treatment is to lower the levels of thyroid hormones in the body. Hypocalcemia can be life-threatening and may require either short-term or long-term medication postoperatively should it occur. The radioactive iodine is administered as a single injection . The cats heart rate and blood pressure may also be checked. Now that I know my cat has hyperthyroidism, what do I do? What is happening in this procedure is that a portion of the radioactive iodine is being taken up by the cat's thyroid to treat its condition (hyperthyroidism, I assume?). You'll have to give him this drug twice daily for the rest of his life, which treats but doesn't cure the condition. Diagnosis If your cat is showing signs of illness or depression, please contact PVESC. All bodily fluids in the cat will have trace amounts of radioactive material within them, but it will be most prevalent within the urine. Hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid, is a common disease of older cats. Dr. Freeman has received research or residency funding from, given sponsored lectures for, or provided professional services for Aratana Therapeutics, Elanco, Guiding Stars Licencing Co LLC, Hills Pet Nutrition, Nestl Purina PetCare, P&G Petcare (now Mars), and Royal Canin. This test can also help the doctor determine the cause of your hyperthyroidism and get other information about your thyroid tissue. . Cats also sweat through their paws and the sweat will have trace amounts of radioactive iodine. Dietary Therapy Finally, thyroid hormone has a role in kidney function and blood flow that may result in either directly damaging the kidney or obscuring underlying kidney disease that your cat may already have. Depending on the dose of radioactive iodine chosen, and the disease under treatment (Grave's vs toxic goitre, vs hot nodule etc), success rate in achieving definitive resolution of the hyperthyroidism . Gained over three pounds! What they are trying to prevent is the intake (ingestion, etc.) Once his radiation levels come down and you can bring him home, you still have to keep him away from young children and pregnant women, as he'll pass small amounts of radioactive iodine through his urine for approximately two weeks. 1. Hyperthyroidism is a common condition in older cats. The chronic elevation of circulating thyroid hormone levels in cats with hyperthyroidism leads to changes in their heart muscle that predispose them to developing heart failure. Hyperthyroidism & Liver Function in Cats, Intervals of Depo-Medrol Injections for Cats. 101(4 Pt 1): p. 717-9. Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. This is very important meaning that cats rarely develop an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) after radioiodine therapy. Methimazole blocks excess thyroid hormone production rather than destroying the abnormal thyroid tissue, so the medication must be given for the rest of the cat's life. Annual blood and urine tests are important in all cats seven years and older to detect hyperthyroidism before potentially irreversible damage occurs. Prior to the onset of symptoms he was eating a high quality dry cat food but when he started losing weight and begging for food we were told we could . Since hyperthyroidism can predispose a cat to other conditions, it is important to evaluate general health, with particular focus on the heart and kidneys. Get exceptional Radioactive Iodine Therapy for Feline Hyperthyroidism services from highly experienced & loving pet care professionals in Downers Grove, IL. 2000-2023 TheCatSite.com. Should we just cut him off "cold turkey" (pun intended) and hope he finds fulfillment and eventual weight gain with his old diet of dry food? Until then, the radiation safety guidelines of Michigan and the NCR are followed.