Is RAI therapy too stressful for my senior cat with hyperthyroidism?

Question

We recently discovered our cat Patches who is 15 has hyperthyroidism. She is going on her 3rd week of medication & there have not really been signs of improvement yet. It is very difficult to administer the pill to her & I feel it would be much easier on her & I if we chose to do radioactive iodine therapy to treat her condition. My only concern with that is that she would be hospitalized for several days & I worry that would be too much stress on a cat for her age. Is my concern valid? Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 15 years and 2 months old | 9 lbs

Linda G, MS, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello. Yes, your concerns are valid, but it is amazing how well a pet can cope in these situations. It might be best to endure a few days of discomfort vs a lifetime of fighting with Patches to get a pill down her. Radioactive iodine therapy is the gold standard for treatment, but some cats have responded to diet therapy ( Hill's y/d ) while other cats have done well with transdermal methimazole ( applied to the inside of the ears ). Radioactive iodine therapy is contradicted in cats with concurrent health issues such as kidney disease or heart problems, but if Patches is otherwise healthy I would not be worried about stressing her out too much. The veterinary hospital that will perform the procedure should be very well versed in dealing with these older kitties. Never be afraid to discuss your concerns with your veterinarian as they should know Patches' health & temperament quite well. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Is RAI therapy too stressful for my senior cat with hyperthyroidism?

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