Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: maryas on August 12, 2010, 22:31:45 PM
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My friend's tabby cat, Molly is 13 and she's had thyroids for a few years now and has to have a tablet every morning. When she had a recent blood test it showed her reading was over 200 and I think Joyce said it should be between XX and about 95 (I think). The vet wants to do a scan on her liver tomorrow and said that Molly might have to have a thyroid removed.
Obviously Joyce is worried as the vet said it will take 2 vets to do the op and it's very dangerous and then there is always the worry of the anasthetic.
Molly is fie in herself - playing, eating etc.
I wondered if anyone had any info I could give to my friend.
Thanks.
Mary
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Hi Mary
My family cat, Tilly, who lives with my parents was diagnosed with hyper thyroidism fairly recently. She is on tablets at the moment and the op is something my parents are considering. I started a thread about a month ago called Tilly has hyperthyroidism. I got lots of help and advice on there and a couple of Purrs members had cats who'd had the op so it may be worth having a word with them directly as well is looking on my thread.
I hope your friends cat will be ok.
Steff
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http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,33246.0.html (http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,33246.0.html)
Here is a link to the thread for you.
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Thanks ever so much Steff I'll print off the info on that thread and let Joyce have a look at it. I know vets do their best to explain things but it's nice to hear from someone who has experienced things and can put your mind at ease. I know every cat is different and will react different but it will give her some idea.
thanks agian :hug:
Mary
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http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,33246.0.html (http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,33246.0.html)
Here is a link to the thread for you.
cheers lesley - was just about to look it up.
Mary :hug:
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Well, Molly had her scan today and her liver is ok. The vet checked her throid and one has a lumpand he wants to remove it on Monday. He said that the other one is probably ok and when he takes the bad one out she won't have to have a tablet every day. The good thing is that Molly is a fit and healthy 13 year old and she hasn't lost weight etc. like some do with thyroid probelms so we are justraying the op goes well on Monday.
Joyce takes her in at 9.30 and then we are gonna have a Chinese for lunch and do some shopping to take our minds off it until we can phone to see she is ok. The vet said she will probably stay in overnight.
Mary
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Good luck for Molly on Monday. Glad you are keeping your friend busy to help take her mind off it.
I spoke to my mum today as Tilly was at the vet yesterday to have her levels checked, I will update on the Tilly thread but basically they have had to up her dose of tablet because her levels were still too high. She has put weight back on though which is good news.
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Thanks Steff - Molly was on 1 tablet for a long while and only been on 2 for about 5 months.
The strangest thing though ......... Molly was a deaf cat until she started taking these tablets and now she hears purrfectly :Crazy: :wow:
:hug: :hug: to Tilly.
Mary
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Glad Molly's liver results were ok and fingers crossed for her Op on Monday
I've learnt alot about Hyperthyroid over the last week (its great working for 2 vets) and have discovered there is alot more to it than just the thyroid gland.
Its a very complax thing and alot more serious than alot of people realise.
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Fredcat had his thyroid removed a few months ago now , and he has never looked better! Best of luck for Molly , I am sure she will be fine! xx
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That's good to hear Kirst - how old is he and what was he like after the op - did it take him a while to be himself? I would imagine their throats will hurt for a while.
Thanks Michelle.
Mary :hug:
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Kocka had one thyroid taken out because of a growth but she was older and had already lost a lot of weight which she never put back on :(
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:hug: :hug: :hug: Gill.
Mary
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Thanks Mary and think things have moved on a lot since then and am sure Molly will be fine :hug:
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Its a very complax thing and alot more serious than alot of people realise.
True, but at the same time, fairly easy to treat and usually with good results :) - there are a lot of worse things a cat (or person) can have go wrong.
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Very true Mark.
Mary
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Molly had both thyroids out today and the op went very well and she is comfortable. She is staying at the vet overnight and hopefully Joyce and I can pick her up tomorrow afternoon.
Mary
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Hope she will be Ok......why did she have both out?
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Not sure why both but the vet will give her more details tomorrow.
Mary
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Hi Mary - how is Molly doing now?
Very glad for everything posted in your thread (and Lesley's!) as I learned today that my wee Silvie is also Hyperthyroid. Am a bit freaked out right now but I have a bit more reassurance from you all after reading this. We go back to the vet to discuss on Wednesday morning - I'll feel better when I know more!
Our bonus (if you can call it that!) is that Silvie is only 8 years old and as far as I'm aware, in pretty good health otherwise. She's also on the overweight side, so the weight loss thing certainly isn't affecting her! Apart from possibly drinking more than she used to, she doesn't really have any of the classic symptoms I've read about - we found out after she had a 'senior health check' (blood and urine tests) last week. So I'm hoping that if surgery is an option, that she'll be able to deal with it well.
I've also read about radioactive iodine treatment - has anyone got any experience of that?
Thanks all
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Molly is doing really well thanks. She didn't have any syptoms and was only discovered by a blood test. Joyce is so glad that she's had them removed. She was acting ike herown self the day after and didn't even try to scratch her throat area. She doesn't have to have any more tablets which is good.
I'm seeing Joyce tomorrow so if I remember I'll take a photo of Molly.
Good luck with Sylvie on Wednesday - please don't be frightened - Molly's put on weight and she also eats food she would never eat before .
Mary :hug:
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I've also read about radioactive iodine treatment - has anyone got any experience of that?
We covered it in Physics. It is supposed to be very effective. The biggest drawback is that only certain vets do it and the cats have to stay there a min of 2 weeks until the radioactive levels have reduced enough.
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Thanks Mary. Looking forward to seeing Molly if you get a pic - and I'm very glad to hear she's doing so well! I'm not really frightened, that's not quite the right word. I'm not sure how to describe how I feel - except tired! I do know I am really annoyed. Poor Silvie has been dealt such a rubbish hand - arthritis with Metacam for the rest of her life already, and now this - and she's only 8! She deserves so much better. But they all do, don't they! :)
And Mark - I had read those things about the Iodine as well. The Glasgow University site which Tan has posted on the info page says they keep them in for 4 weeks! I would really struggle with that, but I'd be happy to do it for her. I will definitely enquire about it.
Will let you know how I get on at the vet tomorrow. Thanks for the reassurance.
Edit - Weds pm
Been to the vets this morning and feel a bit more relaxed after speaking to them. They offered me the three options - tablets, surgery or Iodine. I have emailed PetPlan to see if they will cover the Iodine treatment for me as I'm quite attracted by that. It will mean no invasive surgery, much less risk of side effects or infections, no anaesthetic, no need to do it again (surgery only usually removes one thyroid gland and the condition can then later affect the other one, I've read) and various other benefits over surgery. The only drawbacks of it are the cost, and that being becasue the cat needs to be kept in hospital isolation for at least two weeks after the treatment - becasue they're radioactive! Silvie and I will hate the isolation part, she'll adapt OK and I'll struggle! But if it means she gets the best tretament, then I'm all for it and I'll find a way to cope. The guinea pigs will get lots of extra hugs!
I'll let you know what I find out and the route I decide to take.
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How did you get on at the vet?
Here are a couple of photos of Molly - you can see how much of her fur was shaved off at her throat area but no scar and she now has her collar on and not irritating her.
Mary