What does Thyroid Medicine do in cats?
Thyroid medicine is used to treat hyperthyroidism in cats. Hyperthyroidism is caused by a non cancerous tumor that grows on the cat’s thyroid gland (which is located in the cat’s throat). Hyperthyroidism causes your cat’s metabolism to increase exponentially. This has a very damaging effect on your cat’s internal organs.
What happens if I stop giving my cat thyroid medicine?
If you stop giving your cat thyroid medicine, your cat will likely experience symptoms connected to hyperthyroidism. These include rapid weight loss, vomiting, anxiety, not getting sleep, respiratory problems, coughing, and lethargy.
These are all very serious symptoms and could be fatal for your cat. Unfortunately, a cat will almost certainly die if its hyperthyroidism is not treated. If you stop giving your cat thyroid medicine, you should look for signs your cat is dying of thyroid disease.
There are some side effects associated with cat thyroid medicine. These include laziness, vomiting, going to the litter box more often, inability to put on weight, and lethargy. While these side effects may hurt your cat, it is very important that you talk with your vet before you stop giving your cat thyroid medicine.
The vet will probably have you bring your cat in and do some blood tests on him/her. If your vet decides to take your cat off of thyroid medicine, they will probably suggest some form of surgery to treat the hyperthyroidism.
Alternatives to Thyroid Medicine for Cats
If you don’t want to give your cat their prescribed thyroid medicine, there are a couple alternatives such as herbal supplements, hyperthyroid pills, and thyroid care cat food.
Thyroid Gland Herbal Supplement ~$35
What type of medicine for a cat with hyperthyroidism
There is only one FDA approved drug that is used to treat hyperthyroidism in cats. It is called Methimazole, and it must be prescribed by your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will likely run blood tests before prescribing methimazole to your cat. Your vet will also likely do blood tests while your cat is on methimazole in order to monitor its health and the effectiveness of the drug.
