How do you manage a cat with hyperthyroidism?

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Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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Evening everyone,

I’ve just found out a few hours ago that my little Sorcire, who is 12, has hyperthyroidism.

Obviously, I can’t just leave her like this, so we need to get her started on treatment.

I’ve got two choices: prescription dry food that already contains the medication, or tablets to be given once or twice a day.

Regarding the food, we have two other healthy cats and Sorcire can’t stand being kept indoors...

So we’re leaning towards the medication; for now, the vet is going to give us the once-a-day dose.

Now I’m starting to worry about the 'practical' side of things. How do you cope with a cat that needs regular meds? First off, actually getting her to take the tablets is going to be a challenge – Sorcire is quite feisty when it comes to being handled for medical stuff...

But I’m also wondering how people in our situation manage, for example, for going on holiday... Up until now, we’ve always used an automatic feeder and water dispenser, and someone would pop in every two or three days to top them up and give her some cuddles. I can’t see myself asking friends to give her medication, especially not asking them to come over every single day (none of my circle have cats). So, what do you do? No more holidays? No more weekends away?

I’m feeling really lost (on top of how upset I am that my poor little girl is so poorly...).

Thanks in advance for your replies.

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    • ?
    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi Howtocat

    You’re lucky to have a vet who explains things to you. Mine explains a bit but stays quite vague, so I always feel like I’m bothering him with my questions as I like to understand what’s going on.

    I’m a naturally anxious person, so you can imagine how I felt when he mentioned the possibility of a tumour...!!!

    Have a lovely day and thank you for sharing your experiences with us

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi Howtocat

    You’re lucky to have a vet who explains things to you. Mine explains a bit but stays quite vague, so I always feel like I’m bothering him with my questions as I like to understand what’s going on.

    I’m a naturally anxious person, so you can imagine how I felt when he mentioned the possibility of a tumour...!!!

    Have a lovely day and thank you for sharing your experiences with us

    Translated from French
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi Goupil, The ultrasound has nothing to do with the hyperthyroidism. The vet thinks it might be a tumour and I’m worried sick. The doctor is very professional but he’s a bit blunt! I have to wait a month for the scan anyway, which gives me far too much time to worry, but he doesn't seem to take that into account. Have a good day
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi Fonfec and Goupil, It took a good 3 to 4 weeks of treatment before I noticed a change in my cat’s behaviour (he’d become hyperactive, aggressive, and had started peeing in the house). Regarding his weight, I haven’t noticed any difference there either. Mine is 12 and has kidney failure as well; he’s very fussy with his food and is prone to vomiting, so it’s not really surprising that he isn’t putting on any weight. He’s been on Vidalta since the end of October 2017. I’ve got an appointment in 10 days for his boosters. If there are any new developments or info worth sharing, I’ll pop back in to let you know—after all, we all benefit from sharing our experiences. My vet explains things really well, which definitely helps.
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    Goupil70 Icon representing the flag French
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    Just a quick update. Since my 14-year-old cat started on Apelka, she’s put some weight back on. She’s doing great now and is eating normally. I’ve changed her food, and she absolutely loves what I’m giving her. Anyway, in my experience, Apelka is brilliant. But as I’ve said before: it really depends on the cat!!!
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    G
    Goupil70 Icon representing the flag French
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    An ultrasound to check for hyperthyroidism? Yeah, why not? It definitely sounds to me like the vet suspects something else though.

    Hyperthyroidism is usually detected and monitored through blood tests—at least that’s how it was for my girl!

    In my case, it took a bit of time for the Apelka to kick in (like any medication used for "serious" conditions).

    How long exactly? I couldn't really say, maybe about a month. But I suppose it depends on the cat, as always!

    Best of luck, it's a really frustrating illness, long-term and quite a struggle.

    If Apelka doesn't suit them, you could suggest the tablet form to the vet: it's different, so it might work better... (I can't remember the name of it now...)

    Have a good evening

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Good evening and Happy New Year everyone. Melisse, my 15-year-old cat, has hyperthyroidism and has been on Apelka for a month now. The vet checked her weight today and she hasn’t put on a single ounce; she’s actually lost about 5oz. Does anyone know how long it usually takes for the medication to kick in? The vet seems to think we should look into other possibilities and do an abdominal scan. I'm worried he suspects something more serious. He did a blood test and everything came back fine, blood counts etc. So we’re waiting another month to see if her weight goes up. Thanks for your replies.
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Happy New Year to you and your pets as well!
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    Goupil70 Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi everyone,

    As I was saying, you can’t really generalise based on a single case.

    In my cat's case, Apelka hasn't caused any issues at all—no side effects, and her condition has improved significantly.

    After two months, I’ve managed to reduce the dose to 1.25mg a day because she’s doing so much better.

    But Maudlady had a bad experience.

    So...

    With this kind of strong medication, make sure to consult your vet and follow their advice (provided you feel they’re a good one!)

    I can confirm that putting a few drops (a few mg) of Apelka in or on their food isn't an issue, as long as it isn't left out for too long (about 45 minutes to half an hour max, as I mentioned above).

    I hope this helps you and, most importantly, your cat.

    Wishing you a Happy New Year.

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi everyone,

    We’re all so distraught when our pets are poorly; you just have to hope you find the right vet. I’ve just lost a cat following a treatment that isn’t recommended for cats with kidney issues (Metacam). Of course, because this wasn’t checked, I ended up ‘finishing her off’ instead of helping her! GRRR

    I’ve found another vet for my second sick cat; they diagnosed hyperthyroidism, but there are several complications because the previous vet had been treating her for a bowel problem.

    After two weeks on Apelka, my cat is poorly again—diarrhoea, vomiting, the works...

    The verdict: Apelka can destroy the liver in some cats (thanks to the 2nd vet for that). We’ve stopped everything for now to get the diarrhoea and vomiting under control. I have to try the Apelka again at a lower dose, and if that doesn't work, it’ll be dry food if I have no choice. Anyway, best of luck to everyone.

    Translated from French

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