Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How vets test for hyperthyroidism in older cats
By Peterson, Mark E·Published in Compendium (Yardley, PA)·2013·The Animal Endocrine Clinic, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Feline focus: Diagnostic testing for feline thyroid disease: hyperthyroidism.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 12-year-old cat was brought in showing signs of hyperthyroidism, like increased appetite and weight loss. The vet performed thyroid function tests, but the results were confusing, with some showing normal levels despite the symptoms. To confirm the diagnosis, the vet decided to repeat the tests and check additional thyroid hormone levels. Ultimately, this thorough approach helped confirm the cat's hyperthyroidism, allowing for appropriate treatment to begin.
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Abstract
In older cats presenting with clinical features of hyperthyroidism, confirming the diagnosis of thyroid disease is usually straightforward. However, the potential for false-negative and false-positive results exists with all thyroid function tests, especially when used for routine screening of large numbers of asymptomatic cats. Therefore, all thyroid function test results must be interpreted in light of the cat's history, clinical signs, and other laboratory findings. If a high serum thyroxine (T4) value is found in a cat that lacks clinical signs of hyperthyroidism, or if hyperthyroidism is suspected in a cat with normal total T4 concentrations, repeating the total T4 analysis, determining the free T4 concentration, or performing thyroid scintigraphy may be needed to confirm the diagnosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23975585/