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197(2): p. 125-136. In cats > 95% of the radioiodine is excreted in the urine. After initial stabilisation with oral medications, a number of curative treatments are also available. An important take-away message about your newly-diagnosed hyperthyroid cat is that there is a wide range of treatment options, so you can likely find something that works for your family. Because metabolism is altered in hyperthyroidism, its important to monitor your cats weight and muscle mass. The advantage of surgery is that it is likely to produce a long-term or permanent cure in most cats, and therefore eliminates the need for long-term medication. Depending on the dose of radioactive iodine chosen, and the disease under treatment (Grave's vs toxic goitre, vs hot nodule etc), success rate in achieving definitive resolution of the hyperthyroidism . If the nearest facility is far away, there's the stress or travel for both you and Fluffy, as well as possible hotel and other travel expenses. If you can't bear to be away from him, or if he becomes very stressed or frightened when you're not around, that isolation could be difficult. Both cardiomyopathy and hypertension are potentially reversible with appropriate treatment of the disease. Their hyperthyroidism won't come back, and they don't need ongoing medication. If the total GFR is below this number, medical therapy for hyperthyroidism may be recommended, although I-131 treatment may still be an option in specific patients. JavaScript is disabled. When x-rays, or any ionizing radiation, pass through the body they cause electrons to be ejected from atoms, leaving behind positive ions. A swollen or tender neck and feeling flushed. The veterinarian's recommendations are to isolate my cat for at least two weeks. Radioactive Iodine Therapy for Feline Hyperthyroidism However, since wild-caught flaked Alaskan salmon is the first ingredient, it provides a lot of moisture. Cats are homed in our spacious, purpose-built radioactive iodine unit and cared for by our dedicated team of radioiodine nurses. Exposure to high levels of dietary iodine may cause susceptible cats to develop hyperthyroidism. Risks unrelated to radioiodine therapy: One to two weeks after surgery, another TT4 level is measured. Subpart D-Radiation Dose Limits for Individual Members of the Public Protein and Carbohydrate Sources of Home-cooked Pet Diets, Deborah E. Linder, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Nutrition), Diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy: The cause is not yet known but it hasnt gone away, Too hot? Not all veterinary facilities perform the procedure. Hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid, is a common disease of older cats. Studies show that weight gain is inevitable after radioiodine-induced hypothyroidism. 1 INTRODUCTION. Since you'll have to leave your cat at the facility for several days or more, it's not a question of dropping him off at a distant veterinary hospital and then picking him up the next day. If your cat requires daily medications for issues other than hyperthyroidism, he's not a candidate for radioactive iodine therapy. Another significant risk for hyperthyroid cats is not actually related to their thyroid disease. This can be accomplished in several ways: Radioactive iodine therapy. At 1 and 3 months after the treatment, a blood test for thyroid and kidney function should be done by your veterinarian. PDF FAQs: Feline Hyperthyroidism and Radioiodine Treatment - UW Veterinary Care For the same reasons as surgical treatment, your cat will likely be started on methimazole for about a month before radioactive iodine therapy. It is acceptable to feed your feline products containing at least 30% protein and less than 15% carbohydrates. under the skin, like a vaccine) and the radioactive iodine is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. He also can't sleep with you during that time, and the facility will inform you about special arrangements you'll have to make for disposing of his litter. Standards for Protection against Radiation. During treatment, radioactive iodine is administered as an injection and is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Radioiodine Outpatient Information - The Cat Clinic You should talk with your veterinarian about what diets may be best for him in this case. The risks associated with low level ingestion of radioactive iodine relate to an increased risk of developing thyroid cancer. If hypertension is diagnosed along with hyperthyroidism, drugs may be needed to control the blood pressure and reduce the risk of damaging other organs. of the radioactive iodine into your body because, just like the cat, any 131I intake you have will result in an uptake by your thyroid and in larger quantities could result in significant thyroid dose. These medications do not provide a cure for the disease, but they do allow either short-term or long-term control of hyperthyroidism. Iodine-131 Therapy for Feline Hyperthyroidism | Veterinary Medical Radioiodine treatment avoids surgery, anesthesia, and anti-thyroid drugs. . Treatment failure in hyperthyroid cats after radioiodine (I131 Surgery will be performed if your cat successfully undergoes the initial treatment without complication. Thyroid hormone regulates the metabolic rate of an animal. GFR results are used to determine the functional status of the kidneys, and identify cats with subclinical renal disease. So in this case the targeted radiation exposure is actually increasing survival for these patients. 35(3): p. 204-209. Hopefully this answers your questions and good luck with your cat. I'll be honest, the last thing I (or my vet) worried about with Sara was gaining weight. Nuclear Medicine Patient Issues Questions Concerning Domestic Animals. Regardless of the medication, blood tests should be conducted periodically during treatment to evaluate whether the therapy is effective and to monitor kidney function and for potential side effects. . The iodine, which is required for the production of both T3 and T4, is taken up by the thyroid gland and the emitted radiation destroys the abnormal thyroid tissue without damaging the surrounding tissues or the parathyroid glands. The more common symptoms are an increase in thirst, urination, and appetite, as well as weight loss. Your veterinarian's instructions regarding separation for the two weeks are simply doing the same thing we do with people. Elevated thyroid hormones stimulate an increased heart rate and a stronger contraction of the heart muscle, and can cause thickening of the left ventricle of the heart over time. Let's tackle the external exposure first as it is the simplest concept. The estimates of risk currently used are extrapolated from patients that have received much higher doses (e.g., atomic bomb survivors) using the linear, no-threshold model of radiation exposure risk. Ultimately of course, these conditions can be diagnosed. How long can a cat live after radioactive iodine treatment? So, we must use distance and reduction of time near the source when dealing with patients and pets treated with 131I. The radioiodine is eliminated in urine and feces. 228(4): p. 559-63. Older cats are at greater risk for developing hyperthyroidism. Radioactive iodine therapy is becoming the treatment of choice for felines with hyperthyroidism. In some cats, anorexia develops as the disease progresses. In some cases, the cat will develop a heart murmur associated with cardiomyopathy. Thyroid hormones affect nearly all of the organs in the body; therefore, thyroid disease often causes secondary problems. They do not take into consideration individual risk factors including lifestyle (smoking, diet, exercise, etc. What is taken up by the thyroid will be released slowly over the next days/weeks to the other bodily fluids which is why they have the precautions that you describe. This I131 injection accumulates in the abnormal thyroid tissue, and the radioactivity kills the abnormal tissue without harming other vital structures nearby. Cats with hyperthyroidism exhibit symptoms that are similar to those of humans with the disease: weight loss, increased appetite, excessive . This means that in order for this diet to work, your cat must eat the therapeutic diet exclusively and cannot eat any treats or supplements that might contain iodine and allow the thyroid gland to continue to make thyroxine. Before treatment he was ravenous and losing weight -- typical of cats with that disorder I'm told. Out little Nera was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism about 4-5 months ago. More specific information on what to expect when your cat is treated with radioactive-iodine therapy at Cornell can be found here. 2. This may take 8 to 12 weeks or longer. Try mixing baby food chicken or turkey in with some Fancy Feast. This means that our radioactive materials license requires our practice ensure that our clients receive less than 1 mSv of radiation exposure as the result of our treatment of their hyperthyroid cat with radioiodine. Should radioiodine now be first line treatment for Graves' disease Radioactive iodine therapy is curative within three months of therapy in approximately 95 percent of all hyperthyroid cases. Cats managed with diet or medication generally do well as long as their feeding is consistent, their medication is administered routinely, and follow-up blood and diagnostic tests are performed as scheduled. Will my cat gain weight after radioactive iodine treatment? Dietary Therapy So excited we decided to go this route and cure her instead of just treating with daily medication. 20.1301 Dose limits for individual members of the public. A treated cat has to remain hospitalized until its radiation level has fallen to within acceptable limits. Hyperthyroidism: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Medication Affected cats produce too much thyroid hormone. J Vet Intern Med, 2001. The only method to estimate that dose is to measure the radioiodine within your own thyroid and the types of equipment to measure that uptake are very expensive and difficult to interpret. Feline Hyperthyroidism: Symptoms and Treatments | VMBS News For some cats, a veterinary therapeutic diet low in iodine may be all thats required to control symptoms. Risks related to radioiodine: Now let's deal with the issue of radioactive iodine released by the cat, which I believe is actually the bigger concern. Objective: To investigate the long-term effects of continuous methimazole (MMI) therapy. Since hyperthyroid cats are usually over eight years of age, there is a degree of risk involved. It takes several weeks for methimazole to restore thyroid hormone levels to normal. . Generally, about 5 to 10 pounds of excess weight can likely be attributed to the lack of thyroid hormones that occurs in people diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Dr. Heinze is an employee of Mark Morris Institute and has provided professional serviceshas done consulting for Lafeber and WellPet, given sponsored talks for Nestl Purina PetCare and the Pet Food Institute, and provided professional services to Balance IT.com and Mark Morris Institute. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is another potential complication of hyperthyroidism, and can cause additional damage to several organs, including the eyes, kidneys, heart, and brain. Cats treated with radioactive iodine for their hyperthyroidism have several risks unrelated to the radioiodine therapy itself. The dose of radiation used during radioactive iodine treatment is very low, but there are some precautions you'll need to take after treatment: avoid prolonged close contact with children and pregnant women for a few days or weeks women should avoid getting pregnant for at least 6 months men should not father a child for at least 4 months Thank you! Clinical Signs Of course, some people receive no radiation and others much, much more. The AVMI radioactive materials license utilizes release criteria and precautionary instructions specifically based on the evaluation of the relative exposure levels to clients following radioiodine therapy for hyperthyroid cats treated with I-131. Now that he's back home, he still exhibits the behavior of wanting food all the time but I wonder if it's a habit he picked up before treatment or perhaps the symptoms won't completely gone away until the treatment has time to take hold. Number of cases per 100,000 persons exposed to a single dose of 0.1 Gy. If this is the case with your cat, paying special attention to specific nutrients such as dietary phosphorus (a key player in chronic kidney disease) may be required. Should we just cut him off "cold turkey" (pun intended) and hope he finds fulfillment and eventual weight gain with his old diet of dry food? The current Nuclear Regulatory Commission radiation dose limits for individual members of the public are listed below. Recurrence of the disease is a possibility in some cats. When it comes to survival, the studies that have been done show that cats cured of their thyroid disease by radioactive iodine live much longer (up to twice as long) when compared to hyperthyroid cats treated by methimazole. Methimazole is also given before surgery to determine if the cat has a secondary medical condition, such as kidney or liver disease masked by hyperthyroidism. Radioactive iodine is a treatment for an overactive thyroid gland. Nearly all cats will be cured by a second treatment. Feline Hyperthyroidism Fact Sheet | Davies Veterinary Specialists There are several treatment options, and your veterinarian will determine the best choice for your cat. A medication called methimazole, which interferes with thyroid hormone production, is less expensive but requires daily administration. Amazingly despite over 35 years of veterinary experience treating hyperthyroid cats with radioiodine there are virtually no reported side effects. No individual breed is known to have a greater risk, although Siamese, Burmese, Persian, Abyssinian, Tonkinese, and British shorthair breeds appear to have a somewhat decreased incidence of hyperthyroidism compared to other breeds. How can the age of a material be determined from the decay of a radioactive element quizlet? 2000-2023 TheCatSite.com. These positive ions, or free radicals, can cause damage to DNA. "The most common clinical sign of hyperthyroidism is weight loss due to the increased rate of metabolism despite an increased appetite.". Is radioactive iodine treatment safe? While the concept of radiation hormesiswould suggest a potential benefit from exposure to low levels of ionizing radiation by stimulating the immune system's ability to repair DNA, any potential benefit is poorly defined and hence the current recommendations surrounding radiation exposure follow the As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) concept. Category: Nuclear Medicine Patient Issues Questions Concerning Domestic Animals. Aim: Analysis and follow up of body weight after radioiodine therapy (RITh) of hyperthyroidism, since excessive weight gain is a common complaint among these patients. Radioactive iodine (I-131) is a very safe and effective treatment for hyperthyroidism. For this prescription diet to work, it must be the only food fed, which means no cheating with treats. . Radioactive iodine may also affect a woman's ovaries, and some women may have irregular periods for up to a year after treatment. Overall, weight gain was associated with development of hypothyroidism despite levothyroxine replacement . Follow up blood work is essential to ensure kitty does not become hypothyroid which is too little thyroid. Cats can receive a second treatment, if necessary. 2 The goal of RAI treatment is to restore euthyroidism while avoiding the development of hypothyroidism. Risks unrelated to radioiodine therapy: Cats treated with radioactive iodine for their hyperthyroidism have several risks unrelated to the radioiodine therapy itself. This test can also help the doctor determine the cause of your hyperthyroidism and get other information about your thyroid tissue. To help your cat gain weight, you need to increase the protein and . Long-Term Health and Predictors of Survival for Hyperthyroid Cats Treated with Iodine 131. The normal thyroid cells will therefore not take up any radioactive iodine. Since hyperthyroidism can predispose a cat to other conditions, it is important to evaluate general health, with particular focus on the heart and kidneys. Many doctors recommend that women avoid becoming pregnant for 6 months to a year after treatment. Some places realize that the stress of being away from home for so long is not good for older cats. Despite the extensive blood and urine tests, chest x-rays and physical exams that we require before radioiodine therapy, some of these conditions remain undiagnosed at the time of radioiodine therapy. Managing Hyperthyroidism with Diet in Cats Does radioactive iodine treatment cause weight gain? Diagnosis J Am Vet Med Assoc, 2006. This is due to increased stimulation in the nervous system which is a common occurrence in cats with feline hyperthyroidism. Radioactive iodine for cats - is it worth it? - Vet Help Direct An anti-thyroid medication, like methimazole. Set up your myVCA account today. To date the studies following hyperthyroid cats treated with radioiodine have not shown any increased incidence of cancer (thyroid or other types) associated with radioiodine therapy. Because of the short distances they travel they never exit the patient and as a result no one other than the patient is at risk from exposure to the beta particles unless they internalized the radioiodine excreted by the patient. In cases where radioactive iodine therapy is not successful, the treatment can be repeated. Most cats with uncomplicated hyperthyroidism will live several years following treatment of hyperthyroidism, unless they develop another disease. 4. What are other nutritional concerns for my hyperthyroid cat? As the thyroid levels return to normal, some cats may be able to adjust to their new diets quickly after treatment. The ALARA recommendation follows the classic "less is more" argument and hence adherence to this philosophy suggests that exposures to ionizing radiation should be minimized whenever possible. As with surgery, you may need to take thyroid hormone . It has to do with how important your thyroid is in regulating your metabolism and your weight. The overwhelming majority of cats (>95%) are cured by a single therapy with only a small percentage of cats requiring additional radioiodine therapy (4%) or becoming persistently hypothyroid (1%). . You'll need to consider whether to have radioactive iodine (RAI) vs. other treatments for hyperthyroidism and Graves' disease (an immune system disorder that can cause hyperthyroidism). Can I be around my pets after radioactive iodine treatment? Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons Will he come around at some point or have we created a monster who will run off to the food dish every time we get up from the chair. Miles K.G., Simpson S.A., Zimmerman R.B., et al. Weight gain was similar for patients who received antithyroid drugs or radioiodine treatment but was significantly greater for patients who had been treated with thyroidectomy (5 kg vs 10 kg; P = 0.007). Over ten years of clinical nutrition research revealed that by controlling dietary levels of iodine, the hyperthyroid cat's body would resume normal thyroid hormone production. In cats, an underactive thyroid is extremely rare. When this occurs, a second test, usually afree T4 by equilibrium dialysis (FT4 by ED)or aT3 suppression test,is performed. How does the risk from medical radiation compare to background radiation exposure? In many cats, only one thyroid lobe is abnormal, so only one surgery is needed. The majority of cats treated with radioactive iodine have normal hormone levels within one to two weeks of treatment. This cat is showing weight loss and poor coat - typical signs of hyperthyroidism. If we use the linear no-threshold model we could estimate that the exposure to 1 mSv would therefore have a risk of less than 0.01% (or 1/100th of 1 %) of causing cancer over the remaining life of an adult. And I'm so glad she did, since her kidney disease (that unmasked after methimazole treatment) went from Stage 1 chronic to Stage 4 acute on chronic last weekend. Hypothyroidism in Cats: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, and FAQs - PetMD How long can a cat live after radioactive iodine treatment? Limit close contact (closer than 1 foot) to one hour per day. Radioactive-iodine therapy is becoming increasingly popular when dealing with hyperthyroidism in cats. The effectiveness of this transdermal gel is acceptable in most cases. However, because your cat will be radioactive for several days after receiving the shot, precautions must be taken during and after the treatment. What happens after radioactive iodine treatment for cats? I have a cat also and I know when she is happy and purring while sitting on my lap getting strokes, she drools. Some cats develop side effects from methimazole, such as vomiting, lethargy, anorexia, fever, liver damage, anemia, and a decrease in white blood cells. Testimonials - Centers for the Treatment of Feline Hyperthyroidism Iodine-131, Hyperthyroidism, and Radioactive Iodine Therapy Iodine-131 (I-131) is a radioisotope of iodine with a physical half-life of 8.02 days; its primary decay emissions include a 606 keV - particle with 89.6% abundance and a 364 keV -ray with 81.5% abundance (Knolls Atomic Power Lab 2010). It is given one to three times daily and must be continued for the remainder of the pet's life. Fewer than 2% of hyperthyroid cases in cats involve malignant thyroid gland tumors. They may have increased water consumption and urination. Hyperthyroidism & Liver Function in Cats, Intervals of Depo-Medrol Injections for Cats. Prominent in the regulations established by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for radioactive materials users are guidelines that limit exposure to radiation workers, and members of the general public. American Academy of Pediatrics. The good news is that virtually every client will already take steps to avoid this, even when radioactive iodine in their cat's urine is not the motivation. Milner R.J., Channell C.D., Levy J.K., et al., Survival Times for Cats with Hyperthyroidism Treated with Iodine 131, Methimazole, or Both: 167 Cases (1996-2003). Why? Hays M.T., Broome M.R. Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations The treatment of choice for hyperthyroid cats is radioactive iodine therapy, which is a cure. Nera just had her 3 month checkup and her T4 level is down to 2.3! This helps us offset the costs of running this site, so thank you for your support! What happens after my cat is released from the hospital? The radioactive iodine is administered as a single injection . Keeping your pets food temperature just right. Subscribe to always know when we add new material! Therefore, by using the veterinary therapeutic diet that is currently available and restricted in iodine (the only source the body has of iodine) this will prevent the thyroid from making thyroid hormone. In a study of 524 hyperthyroid cats treated with I-131, only 11/524 (2.1%) developed Clients owning hyperthyroid cats undergoing radioiodine therapy are always considered members of the general public. Hyperthyroidism is a common condition in older cats because of an excess of circulating thyroid hormone, called thyroxine. The thyroid gland, located in the neck, is responsible for the bodys metabolism. While the treatment is fairly expensive, over the long term it could be cheaper than medication and is on a par with surgical treatment. Because the radioactive iodine used (known as iodine 131) may expose those around you to the effects of radiation (and theoretically negatively affect their thyroid glands), you will be given guidelines on how to prevent such exposure.