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OVERVIEW
This is caused by an overactive thyroid. Usually the problem occurs in older cats, but not always. Sometimes a lifetime of poor nutrition causes slow but cumulative damage to the thyroid. I suspect that this is what happened to Kashmir. I fed her plain ole grocery store food until she was 11 years old. It's likely that the overload of preservatives, salt, sugar, and less-than-healthy ingredients caused her thyroid to overreact. Eventually, unable to slow down, her thyroid was in a continual state of hyperactivity. This is my layperson's description of what happens when the thyroid goes berserk.
Hyperthyroid also wreaks havoc on the heart, causing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (enlarged heart). Also, hyperthyroidism will sometimes hide underlying kidney disease, which can be fatal in and of itself. The extra cells produced by the thyroid often form nodules. There seems to be disagreement among researchers about whether or not these nodules are usually cancerous or benign.
The thyroid glands are located on either side of your cat's windpipe. They should lie flat. If they are prominent, or can be felt, this indicates abnormalities. The thyroid affects all parts of the body and organs. It is the body's thermostat, affecting the metabolism. This is why a cat with hyperthyroid will have all sorts of symptoms, as all of his bodily functions have been affected.
Behind the thyroid lay the parathyroid glands. These are the glands
that regulate blood calcium. Any damage to the thyroid could affect the
parathyroid. Damage to the parathyroid glands can cause serious weakness,
tremors, shaking and even seizures. If this occurs, immediate treatment
is necessary, and the cat will have to take calcium and vitamin D supplements
for the rest of her life.
HOW DO I RECOGNIZE HYPERTHYROIDISM?
C.J. Puotinen says, in The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care (pp. 440-441), that a cat with hyperthyroid will often lose weight even though her appetite has increased (sometimes dramatically so). She is nervous and irritable, may be hyperactive, and her heart rate will be increased. She notes that this may be followed by a period of lethargy, apathy, lack of appetite, and low energy.
These are only guidelines, however. I didn't even notice that anything was wrong until Kashmir fainted one day! She had been eating slightly more than usual, but not so I'd notice anything amiss, and she had been slightly irritable (but that's always been the norm for her). Oddly enough, she'd also been sleeping a little more than usual. I pay very close attention to her daily habits, moods, etc., and nothing had really indicated problems.
WHAT IF MY CAT HAS THESE SYMPTOMS?
Get him to a vet as soon as possible. Hyperthyroid is not just an annoyance. It's life-threatening, and progresses very quickly. You must treat this as soon as you can! Also, this isn't something that you can easily treat on your own. You need good and continual veterinary support.
WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT AT THE VET CLINIC?
Several things are used to diagnose hyperthyroidism. Your vet may be able to feel the thyroid glands. She'll ask about the cat's history and daily habits, and any unusual symptoms. About 90% of cats have the typical hyperactive symptoms along with vomiting, increased thirst and urination. About 10% of cats have opposite symptoms.
Next will come a blood test to measure T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine) levels. T3 and T4 are hormones that the thyroid produces, and excessive levels indicate hyperthyroidism. "High" values vary depending on the blood test. Your vet may also want to do an ultrasound or X-ray to look at your cat's heart, and may want to rule out other diseases such as diabetes and kidney problems. The next stage, the treatment stage, can be the tricky part.
WHAT ARE THE STANDARD TREATMENT OPTIONS?
Allopathic options include medications, surgery to remove the thyroid, and radioiodine treatment, which targets the abnormal cells with radioactive iodine. I'm going to avoid a long description of each, as these can be found on other sites (see below for links) along with pros and cons for each treatment. I only urge you to work with your vet and don't rush into anything!
Some cats, like Kashmir, turn out to be poor candidates for all of these options. What then?
[Note: I recommend a holistic approach in the treatment of all disease, not just the "easy" stuff. If you and your vet have explored the holistic options, and if allopathic options seem like your best bet, more power to you. I do believe, however, that a combination of allopathic and holistic methods are probably the best way to manage hyperthyroidism, and my Personal preference with Kashmir has been to use strictly holistic treatments, as she simply cannot tolerate the allopathic options.]
OK - SO WHAT ARE THE HOLISTIC OPTIONS?
Diet, herbs, homeopathy, massage, flower essences, and acupuncture are just a few that come to mind. It seems to me that diet and homeopathy are the two best bets for managing hyperthyroidism. For any sort of homeopathic treatment, work with someone who knows what she's doing!
Any treatment of any disease must begin with nutrition. I recommend
a good raw diet (see my Recipes page for ideas). I have seen diets for
hyperthyroid kitties that recommend a relatively high amount of grains.
And I have read that cats with hyperthyroidism should have a reduced-fat
diet, and that they should eat food that is easy to digest. On the other
hand,
I've also read that extra oils can benefit a hyperthyroid cat. Ask
your vet about these options. Kashmir has eaten a standard raw food diet
since even before she was diagnosed, and I haven't seen the need to change
her food thus far. But I am investigating these ideas, and will update
with new information if / when I find it.
Some of the following herbs and supplements may be useful for hyperthyroidism:
A constitutional remedy is the best choice here. There are some remedies that are useful for the treatment of hyperthyroid disease, but the more I learn, the more I believe that a constitutional remedy is the only real option. Still, there are some remedies worth investigating: Thyroidinum, Iodatum, Lycopus, Nat Mur., Kali phos.
WHAT ABOUT KELP AND BUGLEWEED?
I left these out purposely. These are two widely discussed herbs for thyroid treatment, but I have serious reservations about both of them.
Kelp is very high in iodine. Iodine is essential for proper thyroid
health, but too much of it can cause an overactive thyroid. Many
practitioners and researchers claim that kelp is a regulator, ie that
it can regulate hyper- and hypo-thyroid conditions. I personally am not
convinced. I believe that you can get all the benefits of kelp in liquid
trace minerals, without the iodine that a hyper thyroid doesn't need.
As for bugleweed, a.k.a. lycopus, there is no research (that I'm aware of) about its use in cats. Bugleweed is a vasoconstrictor (which I wouldn't want to use for someone with high blood pressure), and it affects the production of hormones, which I wouldn't want to mess around with. You'll note that lycopus is included in the homeopathic remedy list. This is because the homeopathic has been potentized, and will act differently on the body. Here is a comment from Mary Wulff-Tilford about Bugleweed for pets:
"Cautions & Comments: Like all members of the mint family, this is a very safe herb, with no known toxicity realtive to its sensible use. However, since bugleweed is a vasoconstrictor and may have hormonal properties, common sense dictates that it should not be used in pregnant or nursing animals. For obvious reasons, bugleweed should not be used in animals with depressed thyroid function. Another point to consider before using bugleweed in your pet is that very little research has been done into the attributes and side-effects of bugleweed in animals. Although it can be safely used in most dogs, cats, and equines, its effects in birds, rodents, and other animals are largely unknown. If in doubt, contact a professional who is familiar with the specific applications of this herb."Here are some websites that deal with bugleweed, and as with everything else, I urge you to do your research and then decide for yourself:
A good site with descriptions of its use and possible remedy combinations A very technical site Another technical site, more discussion of hormonal influence
WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT HYPERTHYROIDISM?
What You Should Know About Feline Hyperthyroidism
*Note that these are all allopathic sites, but will explain the condition of hyperthyroidism very well.Hyperthyroidism in Cats (from the Feline Advisory Bureau) Winn Feline Foundation The Cat Network Cat Fancy Library, Thyroid Feline Index Feline Hyperthyroidism
And if you have any questions about the disease, please feel free to write me anytime! I can't promise that my suggestions will be useful, but I can share what I've done for Kashmir and how she's handling the disease.
Looking for a supplement or remedy mentioned above? Check out MotherNature.com's
Home Page - a portion of your sale will be donated to the Holisticat
List Fund for kitties in need