Boss Cat’s Thyroid Journey
Boss is getting on (as are we all!) and will be 13 next month.
Several of you have commented on his recent weight loss. This was as a result of him developing hyperthyroidism (Feline Hyperthyroidism).
Although the condition can be managed with ongoing tablets, we decided that we would proceed with radiation therapy for Boss and we reached out to our good friends at The Cat Clinic to assist.
The therapy involves using radioactive iodine-131, given as an injection or by oral capsule. The thyroid gland traps iodine from the blood stream, so the radioactive iodine becomes concentrated in the thyroid gland. It destroys the gland without damaging any other parts of the body.
After the week is up, the radioactivity of the cat is greatly reduced, but special precautions still need to be taken for a fortnight. These include limiting contact with the cat, trying to maximise distance between people and the cat and taking special precautions dealing with the cat’s litter.
As such, Boss – much to his disgust- is in isolation in the cattery upstairs. But by the end of this week he will be back to his customary dominance of the Clinic!
