So you suspect your cat has thyroid disease { Hyperthyroidism }, what are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism in cats?
The symptoms of hyperthyroidism in the cat can be confusing even for experienced veterinary surgeons but it is quite a common disease so it is is worth going over this subject again here on VetBlog. One of the first things to consider when you suspect this disease is the age of the affected cat, in my experience most cats diagnosed with this disease are more than twelve years of age though occasionally you can see it in younger cats. The symptoms though variable would include the following :
1. You note weight loss in your cat over the period of a month or so.
2. Despite the weight loss your cat still has a very good appetite, some affected cats in fact have a greater than normal appetite and will be crying and making a nuisance of themselves for food.
3. You may note personality changes. These cats are restless, more active than usual and may be more irritable than normal.
4. Mild to moderate diarrhoea and possibly vomiting is also quite common with this disease.
5. Your cat may have an unkempt coat.
6. You may be able to detect an enlarged thyroid gland as a lump in your cat’s neck.
OK so having read the above you now have your suspicions, what is your next step? Well the first thing to say is that you are never going to handle this situation on your own so you have to get a vet involved. Your vet will conform the diagnosis by the determination of thyroid hormones in the blood. A simple blood test looking at thyroxine (T4) concentration is usually all that is required for the diagnosis as this is usually high in clinical cases. It would also be wise to carry out a thorough clinical examination and a comprehensive blood test to check for any other disease processes going on before proceeding to treatment.
I have covered this disease in much for detail elsewhere, so for further reading click HERE
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