Does anybody have a cat diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, and kidney insufficiency ?

Question

The vet prescribed " METHYMAZOLE" for the thyroid, and this medication can make the kidney function worse. Please, if you have gone through this experience, share your thoughts. I'm very nervous about giving this drug to my dear cat .

Answer 1

The problem is that hyperthyroidism increases the cat's blood pressure, and in doing so increases the rate of a process called 'glomerular filtration'- basically, it actually makes the kidneys BETTER at filtering than they would be if the cat had normal thryoid function. The reason that the kidney function can get worse is that by using methimazole, and treating the overactive thyroid, you're revealing the true state of the kidneys.

It is true that some cats with kidney insufficiency may go into full-blown kidney failure, but most vets are very aware of this risk, and will start treatment carefully and monitor closely. The advantage of this treatment is that it's reversible, so in many cases it's possible to find a balance between the thyroid and the kidneys- neither is 'perfect' but both are good enough for the cat to remain in pretty good condition. Maybe talk to your vet again, and get him/her to talk the whole process through with you- it might help to set your mind at rest.

I know at least one person above has mentioned radioiodine treatment. BUT, if your cat has already been diagnosed with kidney insufficiency, this is not going to be much of an option...once done, it can't be reversed, and without the influence of the overactive thyroid this is when the kidney function really does get worse.

Actually, something else that's just occured to me as I'm writing this- when your vet did blood tests for the kidneys and the thyroid, did they also check your cat's urine? Untreated hyperthyroid cats are often a bit dehydrated, which increases the same things in the blood that the kidneys do, and looking at the concentration of the urine is the only way to reliably tell the difference between dehydration and kidney insufficiency.

The vet will probably re-check kidney function at the same time as they check the thyroid levels anyway, so will be able to monitor what is happening.

I hope that has helped you, and that I haven't been too technical...I've spent the last 5 years leaning to speak "vet" and am now having to learn how to translate it back into English! If something doesn't make sense, please let me know in a comment, or drop me an email. All the best to your cat :o)

Answer 2

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Answer 3

My cat was on methimazole for hyperthyroidism, and it is the most common drug. The vet will take blood tests at intervals and adjust as necessary. There is a potential for a kidney problem, but it often is acute, and not chronic.

There is an alternate treatment that is very effective, and is done just once. It is treatment with radioactive iodine, done at specialized centers. It is becoming more and more common, so the cost has actually gone done and more places offer the treatment. You can ask your vet. In the long run, it might be cheaper. It was not really easily available when my cat had her problem, and extremely expensive.

Once the thyroid gland is tamped down, your cat will gain weight. Hyperthyroidism causes your cat to simply burn up more calories than they can eat. Methimazole tamps down the activity of the thyroid.

I have posted an overview of the disease as a link.

Answer 4

Feluke can possibly be slowed by giving her feluke vaccinations. There are many new treatments that are a bit more invasive, requiring shots for days at a time. I always liked the vaccination option because even though it wasn't guaranteed, non of the other treatments were either and this one caused less stress on the cat (shots 2x a year, not 7 days on 7 days off). I was a vet tech in a former life and basically it works like this...when the cat first has feluke it is similar to humans with HIV, they don't show obvious illness or sickness, sometimes the cat can fight off the virus and it never actually becomes active, they only have the antibodies left in their system. This like HIV or Hepatitis in humans is rare. Once the disease progresses to the active state, then the cat can become rapidly sick and die within a few days to a year. Many vets began giving feluke positive cats the vaccination and found it did indeed slow the virus, sometimes, but not often the cat would be able to go for 5 years. I would ask your doc to try this treatment first since your cat is not in distress at this time. Watch her very carefully for subtle changes, listlessness, lack of thirst or hunger, weight loss, general malaise. When you see that happen, you know the odds are good the virus has become active. It is usually best to put her down soon after that to keep her from suffering. Cats are small like babies, a day or two without water can cause rapid kidney failure unlike adults who have larger kidneys and greater tolerance. Make sure she is indoors only to protect other cats, feed her very healthy food, stay away from soft cheap food and raw treats. Check the site below for some good info, cornell is one of the best vet schools in the country. If she does progress to the active stage of this disease, try to think of one thing before deciding to put her down...is she enjoying HER life? If the answer is no, please help her by taking her in to the vet. It is so much more gentle to hold a cat as she peacefully goes to sleep than it is to hold a cat that is seizuring and suffering during death.

Answer 5

My cat's kidney numbers were slightly elevated when his hyperthyroidism was diagnosed. He was on the tapazole for about four months and then I had the radioiodine treatment for him.

Sometimes the kidney values are skewed by the hyperthyroidism so be patient as you adjust his medication. I am sure the vet will watch carefully for any problems it might be causing.

You might want to talk to the vet about the radiation treatment. Long-term use of the medication can be expensive too, plus the cost of frequent blook panels, and though the radiation treatment is expensive up front it can solve the issue completely for the rest of the cat's life. I think you can finance that through CareCredit so that it is broken down into smaller monthly payments.

Answer 6

My cat, Spooky, is on this medication. She is currently getting a quarter tablet once a day because she had some skin irritation when we started this medication. You need to check your cat to make sure he/she isn't scratching to the point of bleeding. That is how we discovered Spooky's reaction. We found out today that her weight went down again so she is going in tomorrow for blood work. She has had no problem with her kidneys. We chose this route because the other option was too costly.

Answer 7

I currently am giving it to two cats that I have that are 17. Both have responded very well to the medication and kidney function has not gotten any worse. They are like new cats!!!!

Answer 8

Hi
Normally tapazole is what is prescribed for hyper T. In any eveny. hyper T doesn't have to affect kidneys. I asume tghere is weight loss but that will come aound when you find rthe correct dose. I;m sure it will be fine.
As far as the health of your cat goes, I hope you are feeding canned foods without gravy as dry food has too many carbs and not enough moisture in the food.
Best of luck

Answer 9

Yes, my cat Fred was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and the doctor put him on the exact same medicine! You do have to watch kidney function. We usually take him to get bloodwork every few months, just to make sure he is doing okay. So far, he is doing excellent. The medicine helps him so much. He used to be super skinny, but he has bulked up thanks to the medicine. Don't be nervous, just talk to your vet about your concerns and talk about getting bloodwork every so often. I hope this helps you and your cat!

Answer 10

I have used the medication on a few cats over the years. The benefits outweighed the one negative (on cat lost a lot of fur) They all lived on a decent amount of time afterwards so I see it was well worth it.