Feline Hyperthyroidism

Question:

Hi,
I have a spayed Siamese cat named Geisha who is 13 + years of age. She is currently seeing a conventional vet specialist for an overactive thyroid condition. She also has had 115 mls of fluid drained from her chest and she has a heart condition which is believed to be brought on by her thyroid condition. She currently weights 2.7 kg and is underweight however she is eating in excess and not putting on weight.

She is taking Neo-Mercazole 1 tablet twice a day to stop her thyroid function for two weeks, Frusemide for diaretic for fluid 1/4 tablet twice a day in chest, Fortekor 1/2 tablet per day for her heart. I am not happy with the options that they have given me to temporarily treat her thyroid condition and would like to know if you have any suggestions for a natural approach to treat her condition particularly the thyroids. 

I have attached a history report from the vet however since this report her thyroid test results came back at 115 compared to 49 a month ago before her treatment.

I would appreciate any advice you can give me thank you.

Sandra M.

Response:

Hello Sandra,
Thank you for your inquiry to Holistic Pet Info. Hyperthyroidism is a common disorder in cats that is usually seen around 12-13 years of age. It is commonly caused by a benign increase in thyroid cells that increases the metabolism. The most important secondary effect is on the heart causing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, murmurs and high blood pressure. Traditionally, it is treated with medication, surgery or radioactive iodine.

Hyperthyroidism depletes the body of carnitine stores; it is a receptor agonist (blocks) of thyroxine in some tissue. We carry a supplement that can supply carnitine and also cardiac nutrients, Bio-Cardio by Thorne. Please be aware though that Bio-Cardio contains hawthorne which has similar effects as the Fortekor, so you must be very careful with adding this supplement.

I highly recommend taking Geisha to a local holistic/ acupuncture veterinarian. They can help wean Geisha off some of the medication while also using Chinese herbs, acupuncture and supplements to reduce the T3 and T4 levels and suppress damage at target tissues. Diet and the immune system have also been shown to affect the thyroid. Modifying the diet by decreasing/eliminating carbohydrates and avoidance of known food allergens may also prove to be key factors in treating feline hyperthyroidism. Best of luck.
Sincerely,
Colleen Smith DVM,CVA