35
million or more households in America are home to one or more cats.
The felines making their way to the heart of Americans have always
been regarded as a family member. Every pet owner ardently works to
provide the best care to their feline friend in order to protect them
from any harmful diseases. However, there are certain diseases which
are out of control. Hypothyroidism is one such disease.
Let
us find more about this disease, its symptoms and ways to tackle it.
What
is Hyperthyroidism?
Hyperthyroidism
is caused when thyroid cells are developing at a faster rate than the
normal and producing excess thyroid hormone. These hormones play an
important role in the maintenance of body’s metabolism. Their
crucial role is to increase the natural chemical processes that occur
inside all cells. On the contrary, when the thyroid hormones are
excessively produced, cellular metabolism functions at an abnormally
fast rate leading to the clinical signs of hyperthyroidism.
Certain
symptoms of Hyperthyroidism
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Increased vocalization
- Increased water consumption
- Increased urination
- Unusual aggression
- Thickened nails
- Increased appetite
- Weight loss
- Unkempt appearance
- Weakness
- Restlessness
- Difficulty in walking
Please
remember that hyperthyroidism is totally different from
hypothyroidism. These two need not be confused. Hypothyroidism is
less common in cats and it usually happens as a result of
overmedication with drugs used to control hyperthyroidism or after
radioactive iodine treatment.
Treatment
When
symptoms of hyperthyroidism come fore, pet parents need to seek
medical advice from a veterinarian for a complete diagnosis and
treatment. However, some cat owners take their feline friends for
regular health checkup insist of waiting for the signs to develop.
After
diagnosis, based on the report, your vet surgeon treats your cat. The
most common method that a veterinarian applies to treat your cat’s
hyperthyroidism is surgery along with medication or radioactive
iodine. Looking at the medical history of your cat, stage of the
disease and evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of each
treatment, your vet will determine the best strategy for the
treatment of this disease for your furry pal.
Preventives
Hyperthyroidism
being the most common disease in cats, pet owners can opt for
preventives to control this disease. Certain cat supplements are
specially formulated for cats that contain phytonutrients (nutrients
found in plant foods, such as green foods) and glandular extracts.
These supplements promote better immune system function and organ
detoxification.
Additionally,
cooked meat or fish can be added in the daily diet to supplement the
required nutrients. However, care should be taken that the calorie
intake does not exceed the standard quote.
As
feline hyperthyroidism prevention is not clear, the disease seems to
be fatal before the visible symptoms appear. Therefore, cat owners
need to take their furry pals on regular health checkups along with
providing the additional supplements and rich diet to ensure a long
and healthy life for the most loved feline kid.
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