There are several different ways to treat an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism). Before choosing the one that's best for you, your doctor will consider what's causing it, your age, your overall health, and how severe your symptoms are. Radioactive Iodine This is a medication you take by mouth to help shrink your thyroid. It generally takes 3 to 6 months to work. Because taking this medication makes your thyroid slow down, there's a risk that you can develop hypothyroidism. When that happens you have an underactive thyroid. If you develop hypothyroidism, you may need to take daily medication to help replace your thyroid hormones. Doctors have used radioactive iodine to treat hyperthyroidism for over 60 years. It's generally considered safe, and it is used to treat more than 70% of adults with hyperthyroidism. Antithyroid Drugs In some cases, an overactive thyroid is treated with medicines that block its ability to produce thyroid hormones. Methimazole and propylthiouracil help control the symptoms and can have long-term benefits.
Side effects may include: Headache Dizziness Digestive problems Surgery Surgery isn't typically recommended for an overactive thyroid. But if you can't take antithyroid medicines or get radioactive iodine therapy, your doctor may recommend a surgery called thyroidectomy. It means your thyroid will be completely removed. Continued This surgery comes with some risks. It can damage your vocal cords and your parathyroid glands, which are located at the back of your thyroid. These glands help control the amount of calcium in your blood. If you have the operation, you'll need to take medicine for the rest of your life to provide your body with the right amount of thyroid hormone. If your parathyroid glands are also removed, you may need a medication to keep the calcium levels in your blood where they should be. Treatments for Eye Problems If your hyperthyroidism is caused by Graves' disease, you may have a condition that affects your eyes. This is called thyroid eye disease. If your symptoms aren't severe, you can usually manage them by avoiding bright lights and wind, raising the head of your bed, and using eye drops.
Diabetes mellitus Diabetes mellitus is a hormonal problem that is diagnosed when blood sugar levels are very high and sugar spills out into the urine. It is caused when either the body is deficient in the hormone, insulin, or when for some reason, the body becomes resistant to its insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is secreted by the pancreas, an organ in the abdomen that is important for secreting hormones that regulate the body's blood sugar and that digest food. In people, diabetes mellitus is classified into Type 1 (when there is an absolute deficiency in insulin due to autoimmune destruction of part of the pancreas) and Type 2 (when there is insulin resistance or dysfunction of the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin). Diabetes mellitus in cats is more similar to Type 2 diabetes in people. Several factors that predispose people to getting Type 2 diabetes also seem to be important in cats. These factors include obesity, physical inactivity, concurrent diseases, and even genetics.
Your doctor may suggest a selenium supplement. In some cases, you might need to take steroids or other medications to help control the swelling behind your eyes. For some people with thyroid eye disease, surgery is the best option. There are two kinds that can help severe symptoms: Orbital decompression surgery involves removing the bone between your sinuses and eye socket. It can help by making extra room for your eyes so that they go back to their normal position. It can help improve your vision. There are risks to the surgery, including double vision. Eye muscle surgery is sometimes used to correct double vision. It works by cutting muscles in your eyeball that are covered in scar tissue. Thyroid eye disease can cause this. The cut muscles are then reattached in a different position, which can put your eyes back in proper alignment. You may need this surgery more than once to get the right results.
They are important for regulation of heat and metabolism of nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats). Excess thyroid hormones increase metabolism and can lead to weight loss. They can also increase heart rate and blood pressure and can make the heart work faster causing damage to the heart muscle. Signs usually include increased appetite, weight loss, hyperactivity or restlessness, cold-seeking behaviors, and vomiting or diarrhea. Hyperthyroidism can be diagnosed with simple blood tests. Treatment involves oral medications or radioactive iodine treatment at a specialty hospital. So how can I find out why my cat is so thirsty? The first steps in determining the underlying cause of PU/PD is a complete physical exam of your cat, a thorough history, and laboratory work at your veterinarian's office. The exam is important to thoroughly evaluate your cat for signs of common problems associated with PU/PD (see discussion above). The history is important to ensure that the problem is truly too much urinating and drinking and not other symptoms that can sometimes seem similar.
For example, a cat that has a urinary tract infection might seem to be urinating a lot, but the urine volume is actually normal, and she just feels like she has to urinate more because of the infection, so she goes in and out of the litter box many times in a day. This is not true polyuria or increased urination, but it is increased frequency of urination, which is also known as pollakiuria. Urinary incontinence can also be mistaken for urinating too much, but has its own list of underlying causes which are not discussed here. Laboratory testing that will help determine the underlying cause of your cat's include a complete blood count (or CBC), a biochemical screen, a urinalysis, and a urine culture. The CBC will look for signs of infection or inflammation in the blood, the biochemical screen will evaluate many different values that are specific to different organs and their functions such as the liver, the kidneys, the gastrointestinal tract, and it will also look at electrolytes like sodium and potassium.
One of the most important pieces of the laboratory puzzle will be the urinalysis and the urine culture. The urinalysis will look at you cat's kidney's ability to concentrate the urine and also will look for signs of infection. Many of the underlying causes of PU/PD can predispose cats to developing urinary tract infections, so the urine culture, which is a test to grow any bacteria that is present and identify it, is very important in all animals exhibiting these symptoms. In summary, if you have noticed that your cat seems to be drinking more water than usual even now that the weather has cooled down, or if it seems like there is more urine in the litter box or like she is using the litter box more often, schedule a visit with your veterinarian. With your veterinarian's help and some simple laboratory tests, an underlying reason may be discovered. Your veterinarian can then advise you on any additional tests that might need to be performed and on specific treatment recommendations that are right for you and your cat.
Changes can be found on simple urine and blood tests to indicate kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease is a progressive process and management is based on trying to slow the progression and on treating any symptoms. Symptoms aside from increased thirst and urination can include decreased appetite, weight loss, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Treatment involves changes to a kidney-friendly diet, anti-nausea medications and antacids, and specific treatments for concurrent problems like high blood pressure or anemia. Hyperthyroidism Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid glands produce excessive active thyroid hormones. Most cats develop hyperthyroidism due to a process called benign hyperplasia (excessive cell growth) in both thyroid glands which are located in the neck next to the trachea or windpipe. Typically, middle-aged to older cats are affected with the average cat being 12 or 13 years old when signs start. Thyroid hormones are important for many basic metabolic functions in the body.
Most cats that develop diabetes mellitus are older than 5 years of age, males are more likely to become diabetic than females, and most are overweight. Signs of diabetes in cats other than increased drinking and urination include increased appetite, weight loss, an abnormal hair coat, or hind limb weakness. Diabetes can be diagnosed by compatible clinical signs and simple blood and urine tests. Treatment involves daily injections of insulin under the skin and routine monitoring by a veterinarian. Chronic Kidney Disease Chronic kidney disease is a common ailment of older cats but cats of any age can be affected. It occurs when something is wrong with either the structure or the function of one or both kidneys. The functions of the kidneys include eliminating waste products, balancing electrolytes, producing certain hormones and vitamins, and maintaining the body's water balance. When the kidneys start to malfunction, urine becomes more dilute and cats start to urinate more. This then causes them to drink more to maintain their hydration.
By Leslie Kuczynski, VMD, DACVIM As summer has come to an end, it is time for everyone, including our pet family members, to get back to the normal routine. It probably was not surprising with the summer heat, to notice that the water bowls placed around the house needed to be filled more often. With hot weather comes lazy days and cooling off with a refreshing drink. But now that the summer is over, is it normal that your cat is drinking so much water and that the bowls are constantly empty? Excess thirst, and along with it, excess urination, is a common symptom reported to veterinarians about their pets. Excessive urination, or polyuria, may be noticed more frequently than excessive drinking, or polydipsia, because it can lead to accidents around the house, missing the litter box, or urinating on someone's favorite shirt, but you can't have one without the other. Polyuria (PU) and polydipsia (PD) can be the first signs of a long list of disease processes. So how can you tell if your cat is abnormally thirsty?