Beau and Hyperthyroid

[sheilarose]

It was 2.5 once daily to start so he's now on double the dose. I've posted on A team thread so will copy that post here when I get the Lappy out later but it's basically good news. The drop on his face is an abscess on his lower canine tooth which has caused his present physical downturn, but he has gained 100g in weight so the Felimazole us working.  I forget to mention here that I'd given Beau a dose of Metacam yesterday when I noticed his jaw looked sore, and it's likely this action they provoked his renewed vigour and appetite last night.

Panic over for now, but there is now an added complication that he has a potential extraction under general anaesthetic. If this becomes necessary we have agreed that he would be a suitable candidate for thyroidectomy at the same time. 

[Rosella moggy]

What dose of tabs were you giving initially Sheila?  Was it one 2.5mg a day or 1.25 twice daily? 

I see that it is now easy enough to get the 1.25mg tabs.  I remember looking last year and couldn't find them but Animed now stock them http://www.animeddirect.co.uk/search/all/felimazole/relevance?gclid=CjgKEAjw2pSdBRCc5Or_vuWw7TgSJAA5txZgn39K0AmlMQJIayIK1igMrUXIZxVG-Ye6ZlrZlOiNqfD_BwE

[Kay and Penny]

it certainly sounds as if Beau is now suffering from a Hypothyroid - don't despair, Shelia - the Felimazole dose probably needs adjusting - perhaps 1.25 twice a day? the med only stays in the body for 12 hours so it's not surprising stopping it causes quite a swift response

Trigger's thyroid levels only came down slowly on that dose, but it was only increased to 1.75, at my insistence having read horror stories of overdosing on the Yahoo group - I used a pill cutter to get that dose - and my vet, and the surgery he was booked into for his irradiation treatment, were quite happy with that - conversely after the treatment the levels were slower than normal to rise up to a mid range -  cats have different metabolisms and one size does not fit all

and bottom line is that he is better off with a slightly raised thyroid than one too low, as that is better for his kidney function

[sheilarose]

Beau's on Felimazole for his HT, been on the 2.5 for a month now increased to 2x2.5 mg daily at 12 hour intervals.

The first month showed insignificant improvement so the vet doubled his dose and set hm on 12 hour repeats.

We are two weeks in to his new regime. He has almost completely lost his appetite, he's wobbly on his legs and confused. Very thirsty and vocal but not "needy". Sleeps so soundly I think he has passed on, takes ages to wake him, even poking him!

I spent an hour or so just loving up Beau tonight, and I wonder now if he has had a stroke or similar  there's a drop in his bottom lip but I cant see any lesions in the area, and he is very vocal.

Since he refused food and his tablet/pate combo at breakfast this morning he has gone without his Felimazole, and tonight he has begged for food - the first time in a week he has been hungry. All week he has been refusing food until I've all but forced i down him. I need to write these things down to take to Neil in the morning, hence the rather late post.

Is the tablet turning him into an anorexic zombie or has he had an episode. Why suddenly has his appetite returned after 24 hours off meds?

He's come downstairs to find me now  asking vocally for attention, something he hasn't done all week.

Honestly, I'd rather have a happy cat without meds for a few more weeks than an unhappy zombie for months/years. I feel sure he would agree, if he had the choice. I may have some hard choices coming up. 

Meantime there's the option of surgery, but as Beau is already approaching 17 with dicky kidneys, its hard to see if the old boy would benefit very much from the knife at his time of life.