will my cat gain weight after radioactive iodine treatment

5. Exposure limitations: It will take about a month for thyroid levels to return to normal in most cats. Gradual weight gain and return to healthy body condition are expected. Diagnosis of feline hyperthyroidism is generally straightforward. Depending on the dose, radioactive iodine can kill a portion, or all, of your thyroid. Radioactive iodine treatment is a therapy that your veterinary surgeon may recommend if your cat is diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. All bodily fluids in the cat will have trace amounts of radioactive material within them, but it will be most prevalent within the urine. TheCatSite.com is a community of cat lovers dedicated to quality cat care and cat welfare. Looking for a convenient way to access your pets health records, refill prescriptions, view upcoming appointments and more? The treatment you and your vet choose depends on several factors including how severe the disease is, your cats health, and what works best for your family. Once his radiation levels come down and you can bring him home, you still have to keep him away from young children and pregnant women, as he'll pass small amounts of radioactive iodine through his urine for approximately two weeks. The majority of cats treated with radioactive iodine have normal hormone levels within one to two weeks of treatment. Hyperthyroid cats suffer overactive thyroid glands, circulating too much thyroid hormone through their system and affecting nearly every organ. Hence additional separation between the patient and children are unnecessary. Cats receive a single dose of radioactive iodine by either subcutaneous injection or by a capsule given by mouth. 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. Feline I-131 Therapy | Iowa State University Occasionally, a cat suspected of having hyperthyroidism has a TT4 level within the upper range of normal. The outcomes following most hyperthyroid therapies are usually excellent, and most cats have a very good chance of returning to a normal state of health. It is also common for hyperthyroid cats to exhibit increased vocalizing, particularly at night. No ill effects have been noted in the children born to parents who received radioactive iodine in the past. 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. Although the thyroid gland enlarges in hyperthyroidism, it is usually a benign or non-malignant change. The clinical significance of weight gain from the time of diagnosis of hyperthyroidism to 2 years after radioactive iodine therapy is unclear. The risks associated with low level ingestion of radioactive iodine relate to an increased risk of developing thyroid cancer. However, unless the retinal detachment is treated immediately, permanent blindness can occur. . Affected cats are often restless and may become cranky or aggressive. Conveniently, the main use of iodine in the body is the production of thyroid hormone, so a deficient diet shouldnt cause any other health issues in a hyperthyroid cat. And not only do we love the pets, we also love their people, and you are our reason for making this site. With this therapy, you take radioactive iodine (radioiodine) by mouth. So excited we decided to go this route and cure her instead of just treating with daily medication. 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. In some cases, complications involving other organs may worsen this prognosis. However once the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism has been made, and no other illnesses are identified, the motivation to perform further diagnostics, especially those that require the need for anesthetics or are invasive may be lost. These positive ions, or free radicals, can cause damage to DNA. Hyperthyroidism in cats - Veterinary Teaching Hospital There are three common forms of treatment for hyperthyroidism in cats: medication, radioactive iodine therapy and surgery. Set up your myVCA account today. The first step is determining the blood level of one of the thyroid hormones calledtotal thyroxine (TT4). For example, some families cant medicate cats every day, so a more permanent solution such as radioactive iodine treatment or surgery may be best. Only about 5% of hyperthyroid cats are younger than 10. Each treatment option has its advantages and disadvantages. You must log in or register to reply here. Surgical patients may become hyperthyroid again if abnormal cells are missed during surgery or if new abnormal cells develop. Cats also sweat through their paws and the sweat will have trace amounts of radioactive iodine. Before treatment he was ravenous and losing weight -- typical of cats with that disorder I'm told. Hyperthyroidismis characterized by the overproduction of thyroid hormone and a subsequent increase in metabolic rate. Slater M.R., Geller S. and Rogers K., Long-Term Health and Predictors of Survival for Hyperthyroid Cats Treated with Iodine 131. Additionally, diet may play a significant role in managing the disease, whether as a sole treatment or as an adjunct tool to address changes in your cats body related to hyperthyroidism. You would actually have to ingest the cats waste for it to be harmful to you. However, caution should be taken in disposal of products that may contain trace amounts of this radioactive substance. The advantages of medication are that the drugs are readily available and relatively inexpensive. Ideally, the total GFR should be above 2.25 mL/min/kg. In a study of 524 hyperthyroid cats treated with I-131, only 11/524 (2.1%) developed Hyperthyroidism may also cause vomiting, diarrhea, and hyperactivity. The thyroid cells are damaged or destroyed, but that's the whole idea other cells are left untouched. The chronic elevation of circulating thyroid hormone levels in cats with hyperthyroidism leads to changes in their heart muscle that predispose them to developing heart failure. There are fundamental differences between a continuous dose over a year (background radiation) and a dose that occurs over a few seconds like in CT, but these are helpful comparisons. Treatment usually includes an adjustment to your cat's diet, medication, radioactive iodine therapy, or surgery. They will then need to take a thyroid supplement. One to two weeks after surgery, another TT4 level is measured. Radioactive iodine is an effective and safe treatment option for children and teenagers with an overactive thyroid gland, but will usually be given as a second-line treatment after a reasonably long course of antithyroid medication. 2 The goal of RAI treatment is to restore euthyroidism while avoiding the development of hypothyroidism. 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. Before deciding the form of treatment, several tests are performed, including additional blood tests, a urinalysis, chest radiographs (X-rays), an ECG, and blood pressure measurements. I am certain that your veterinarian probably told you to take care when handling the litter and to wash your hands thoroughly after handling litter, the cat, and items that the cat came into contact with. It is best to perform a nuclear scan before surgery to rule out ectopic thyroid tissue. The risks of ingesting radioactive iodine and the risks of being around a patient that has been treated with radioactive iodine are very different. Malcolm Weir, DVM, MSc, MPH; Krista Williams, BSc, DVM; Robin Downing, DVM, CVPP, CCRP, DAAPM; Ernest Ward, DVM. Exposure to high levels of dietary iodine may cause susceptible cats to develop hyperthyroidism. The most common clinical sign of hyperthyroidism is weight loss due to the increased rate of metabolism despite an increased appetite. It does, however, involve the handling and injection of a radioactive substance that is only permitted at facilities specially licensed to use radioisotopes. We love them, too! Dr. Freeman has received research or residency funding from, given sponsored lectures for, or provided professional services for Aratana Therapeutics, Elanco, Guiding Stars Licencing Co LLC, Hills Pet Nutrition, Nestl Purina PetCare, P&G Petcare (now Mars), and Royal Canin. 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. The average US total radiation exposure (all sources) is 6.2 mSv/yr which is an increase from 20 years ago (3.6 mSv/year) when CT scans were much less common. Nearly all cats will be cured by a second treatment. 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. These statistics are averages and do not predict what is going to happen to you. Occasionally cats will act like they may have a sore throat for a couple of days after the radioiodine therapy. JavaScript is disabled. Studies have shown that cats treated with I-131 live longer than those treated with pills, added Mosenco, citing a study where I-131-treated cats lived an average of four to five years following treatment, versus an average of only two years for cats on medication.Dec 19, 2016. Treating Hyperthyroidism in Cats. You should talk with your veterinarian about what diets may be best for him in this case. The current Nuclear Regulatory Commission radiation dose limits for individual members of the public are listed below. Does radioactive iodine treatment cause weight gain? Hyperthyroidism is a common condition in older cats. Blog written by Dr. Daisy Spears in conjunction with Dr. Linder. Weight gain after RAI is typical. Since fewer than 2% of cats with hyperthyroidism have cancerous growths of the thyroid gland, treatment is usually very successful. Dry, dull coat. So, we must use distance and reduction of time near the source when dealing with patients and pets treated with 131I. 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? Overall, weight gain was associated with development of hypothyroidism despite levothyroxine replacement . However, these options tend to be expensive and not possible for all pet owners. Medication and radioactive iodine therapy are just as effective at treating hyperthyroidism in cats as surgery and are less invasive, so surgical treatment is rarely chosen for treating this condition.

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will my cat gain weight after radioactive iodine treatment