Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Feline hyperthyroidism in England cats - prevalence and risk factors
By Stephens, M. J. et al.·Published in Veterinary Record·2014·Veterinary Medicines Directorate New Haw Surrey UK, United Kingdom·View original on Crossref →
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Original publication title: Feline hyperthyroidism reported in primary‐care veterinary practices in England: prevalence, associated factors and spatial distribution
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that 2.4% of cats in England have feline hyperthyroidism, a condition that can seriously affect their health. The disease was more common in older cats, especially those over 10 years old, with 8.7% affected in that age group. Interestingly, certain breeds like Burmese, Persian, and Siamese cats were less likely to develop this condition compared to mixed-breed cats. The research also suggested that insured cats had a higher chance of being diagnosed. If your cat shows signs of hyperthyroidism, such as increased thirst, weight loss, or hyperactivity, it's important to consult your veterinarian for proper testing and treatment options.
People also search for: cat hyperthyroidism symptoms · older cat weight loss · Burmese cat health issues
Abstract
Feline hyperthyroidism is a commonly diagnosed endocrinopathy that can have a substantial deleterious impact on the welfare of affected cats. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence, associated factors and geographical distribution for feline hyperthyroidism in England, using primary‐care veterinary practice clinical data from the VetCompass Animal Surveillance Project. Prevalence was estimated from the overall cat cohort. Associated factor analysis used an age‐matched, nested, case‐control design with multivariable logistic regression. There were 2,276 cases of feline hyperthyroidism identified from 95,629 cats attending 84 practices from September 2009 to December 2011. Cases were aged 6–25 years. 3.7 per cent of cases and 9.9 per cent of controls were purebred, 56.4 per cent of cases and 56.5 per cent of controls were female, and 88.1 per cent of cases and 86.0 per cent of controls were neutered. The apparent prevalence was 2.4 per cent (95% CI 2.3 to 2.5 per cent) overall, and 8.7 per cent (95% CI 8.3 to 9.0 per cent) in cats aged 10 years or above. Burmese (OR 0.15, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.32, P<0.0001), Persian (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.33, P<0.0001), Siamese (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.75, P=0.004) and purebred cats overall (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.42, P< 0.0001) had lower odds of feline hyperthyroidism than non‐purebred cats. Insured cats had increased odds (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.56 to 2.03, P< 0.001). There was little evidence of spatial variation. This study highlights feline hyperthyroidism as a high‐prevalence disease in England, and reports reduced odds of diagnosis in certain breeds and purebred cats overall.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.102431