Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
A survey of owners' perceptions and experiences of radioiodine treatment of feline hyperthyroidism in the UK.
- Journal:
- Journal of feline medicine and surgery
- Year:
- 2014
- Authors:
- Boland, Lara A et al.
- Affiliation:
- School of Veterinary Sciences · United Kingdom
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
This study looked at how cat owners in the UK feel about radioiodine treatment for hyperthyroidism, a condition where the thyroid gland is overactive. Researchers sent out surveys to owners of cats who had received this treatment and to those whose cats had not, finding that many owners were unaware of radioiodine as an option. Owners of older cats and those without insurance were less likely to choose this treatment. While some owners were worried about their cats being unhappy during the hospital stay or missing them, most reported a significant improvement in their cat's quality of life after treatment. In the end, a large majority of owners felt satisfied with their decision to go ahead with radioiodine treatment.
Abstract
The efficacy of radioiodine treatment of feline hyperthyroidism is well established; however, limited information is known about owners' perceptions or experiences of radioiodine. This study aimed to examine factors that influence owner treatment choices and their opinions following radioiodine. Surveys were sent to owners of cats referred for radioiodine treatment between 2002 and 2011 (radioiodine group; 264 cats) and owners of non-radioiodine-treated hyperthyroid cats seen at first-opinion practices (control group; 199 cats). The response rate was 67.0% (310 returned: 175 radioiodine, 135 control). Of 135 controls, 72 (53.3%) were unaware of radioiodine as a treatment option. Owners of cats ⩾15 years old and uninsured cats were less likely to pursue radioiodine. Cost of treatment, travel distance, potential human or animal health risks and waiting periods for radioiodine had a low impact on owners' treatment choice. Owners reported a moderate level of concern about treatment hospitalisation length, which included (158 respondents) the possibility of the cat being unhappy 130 (82.3%), owner missing the cat 102 (64.6%), inappetence 50 (31.6%), other pets missing the cat 32 (20.3%), development of co-morbid disease 28 (17.7%) and side effects 25 (15.8%). Owners assessed their cat's quality of life on a scale of 1 (very poor) to 10 (excellent), as 4 (4) (median [interquartile range]) pre-radioiodine (134 respondents) and 9 (2) post-radioiodine (131 respondents). Of 132 respondents, 121 (91.7%) were happy with their decision to choose radioiodine. The results of this questionnaire may assist veterinarians in addressing common owner concerns when discussing radioiodine as a treatment option for hyperthyroidism.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24423811/