Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Best drug doses and monitoring for treating hyperthyroid cats
By Daminet, S et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2014·Department of Medicine and Clinical Biology of Small Animals·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Best practice for the pharmacological management of hyperthyroid cats with antithyroid drugs.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old cat was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, a condition that can cause symptoms like increased thirst, weight loss, and hyperactivity. The veterinarian prescribed methimazole, a medication that helps lower thyroid hormone levels, starting with a dose of 2.5 mg twice a day. The cat was monitored closely for side effects, which can occur, especially in the first few months of treatment. After adjusting the dosage to keep thyroid levels stable, the cat showed improvement and was doing well at follow-up visits.
People also search for: cat hyperthyroidism treatment · methimazole side effects in cats · how to manage cat thyroid problems
Abstract
Pharmacological management of feline hyperthyroidism offers a practical treatment option for many hyperthyroid cats. Two drugs have been licensed for cats in the last decade: methimazole and its pro-drug carbimazole. On the basis of current evidence and available tablet sizes, starting doses of 2·5 mg methimazole twice a day and 10 to 15 mg once a day for the sustained release formulation of carbimazole are recommended. These doses should then be titrated to effect in order to obtain circulating total thyroxine (TT4) concentrations in the lower half of the reference interval. Treated cases should be monitored for side-effects, especially during the first months of treatment. Some side-effects may require discontinuation of treatment. At each monitoring visit, clinical condition and quality of life should also be evaluated, with special attention to possible development of azotaemia, hypertension and iatrogenic hypothyroidism. When euthyroidism has been achieved, monitoring visits are recommended after 1 month, 3 months and biannually thereafter. Cats with pre-existing azotaemia have shorter survival times. However, development of mild azotaemia during the initial course of treatment, unless associated with hypothyroidism, does not appear to decrease survival time. The long-term effects of chronic medical management require further study.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24372075/