Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How thyroid gland size relates to hormone levels in cats
By Norsworthy, GD et al.·Published in Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery·2002·Alamo Feline Health Center, 16201 San Pedro Avenue, San Antonio, TX 78232, USA;, United States·View original on Crossref →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Relationship between Semi-Quantitative Thyroid Palpation and Total Thyroxine Concentration in Cats with and without Hyperthyroidism
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 155 cats, some showing signs of hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid), were examined to see how well a new method of feeling the thyroid gland compared to blood tests measuring thyroid hormone levels. Out of these cats, 23 were found to have hyperthyroidism based on their blood tests. Most of the hyperthyroid cats had noticeably enlarged thyroid glands, while the cats without the condition had smaller glands. This study suggests that feeling the thyroid can help identify hyperthyroidism, but blood tests are still essential for a definitive diagnosis.
People also search for: cat hyperthyroidism symptoms · how to check cat thyroid · cat thyroid treatment options
Abstract
In 155 cats, both with and without clinical signs of hyperthyroidism, total thyroxine (TT4) concentrations were compared to a sensitive, semi-quantitative thyroid palpation technique. On the basis of TT4 concentrations, 23 of the 155 cats were classified as hyperthyroid. The size of individual thyroid glands was scored between ‘0’ (non-palpable) and a maximum of ‘6’. One or more enlarged thyroid glands (score >0) were palpated in 22 of the 23 hyperthyroid cats and in 78 of the 132 euthyroid cats. However, none of the 132 euthyroid cats had a thyroid lobe score of greater than ‘3’ whereas 18 of the 23 hyperthyroid cats had a thyroid lobe score of ‘4’ or greater, and in two of the five that had scores below ‘4’ there was evidence of intrathoracic functional thyroid tissue on scintigraphy.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1053/jfms.2001.0164