The most common sign in a cat with hyperthyroidism is weight loss even though the cat might have a seemingly ravenous appetite; this is due to their body’s rate of metabolism being increased. You may also notice that your cat will eat more frequently and more greedily. If you have an outdoor cat, he or she might hunt and catch mice and small birds more often.

However, this is not always the case and in some cats will actually display signs of lethargy and weakness and have no appetite at all.

Other common signs of hyperthyroidism in cats are diarrhea, vomiting, excessive drinking and urinating. Cats with hyperthyroidism may also become rather vocal virtually overnight.

These cats will also lose the desire to keep themselves well groomed and will need to rely on their owners to regularly groom them. Conversely, there are a few cats who will over-groom themselves to the extent of losing their hair caused by excessive licking. Their nails may also grow faster and longer than usual.

Regardless of the season, cats with hyperthyroidism will usually try to find the coolest place in the house to nap. This is because they are not able to withstand high heat.

Another sign of hyperthyroidism is a rapid heartbeat as well as murmurs and arrhythmias. Your cat may also show difficulty with breathing normally and and may not be able to tolerate stress or playtime like they used to. Sadly, nearly 15% of cats with hyperthyroidism will suffer from congestive heart failure because the hyperthyroidism literally wreaks havoc on a poor cat’s hear.

Since hyperthyroidism has the ability to affect every organ and system in the feline body, early detection is vitally important to the continued health and wellbeing of your cat.

There are quite a few different courses for treatment and your veterinarian will help you in deciding the best course of action for your cat. Your veterinarian will be able to thoroughly test your cat to determine the extent of the illness. Armed with that information you can figure out the best treatment plan for your cat.

However, besides all the surgical and medicinal treatments that your veterinarian may recommend, you should also consider adding an all-natural medication, like Resthryo for Feline Hyperthyroidism. Being that it was painstakingly formulated by a naturopathic veterinarian, Resthyro is a great herbal compliment to any treatment plan.

Resthryo contains a mixture of seven powerful herbs which work together to inhibit the over-production of thyroid hormones whilst also improving a cat’s cardiovascular functions and improving digestion.

Since most cats are often nervous and irritable, Resthyro’s herbs will help to keep your cat calm and relaxed with no adverse side effects.  Resthryo is also safe for long term use.

When prescribing treatment, veterinarians have only three choices:

Prescription Medication

Some vet’s will prescribe an oral drug called methimazole to your cat to help treat hyperthyroidism. Methimazole is used to control the effects of a cat’s overactive thyroid gland. Less than 20% of all cats have a reaction to Methimazole, such as lethargy, vomiting, fever, anemia and anorexia. These side-effects can present themselves at least 6 months after the cat has started taking the oral medication.

Methimazole works by preventing the production of any excess thyroid hormones and will need to be given to the cat for the rest of its life. In order to make sure that the cat is receiving the correct amount of Methimazole, the veterinarian will conduct periodic blood tests.

This oral drug is better suited to those cats that are poor surgical candidates due to other health problems or age.

Surgery

Surgery to remove the affected thyroid lobe has proven to be very effective. However, since most cats with hyperthyroidism are over the age of 8 years, there are some risks involved with such a surgery; although if the cat is relatively healthy, then such a risk is considered to be rather minimal.

Seven weeks prior to the surgery, the cat is usually treated with an anti-thyroid medication. Whilst on this medication, the cat will most probably gain some weight as the medication will cause their somewhat ravenous appetite to subside.

Following the surgery, the cat is usually hospitalized for an additional night, before returning home. Once home, the cat should resume its regular eating patterns before becoming ill.

Radioactive Iodine

Another successful treatment for hyperthyroidism in cats is with the use of radioactive iodine therapy. The iodine is administered via injection and is used to destroy any abnormal thyroid tissues without causing harm to any other bodily organ.

However, such treatment will require that the cat remain hospitalized for one to two weeks at a veterinary hospital that is licensed to administer radiation therapy. Because there are so few of these veterinary hospitals, the cost for radioactive iodine therapy can be extremely expensive.

Recurrence

Hyperthyroidism can still reoccur in some cats. Although uncommon after receiving radioactive iodine therapy, hyperthyroidism can reoccur after surgery, especially if any abnormal thyroid cells were left behind. This is because the remaining cells will continue to grow. However, this usually happens in 5% of all cases.

Other Options

However, if you prefer a non-surgical treatment option without administering any harsh medications, you could opt instead for Resthyro. Formulated by a leading naturopathic veterinarian, Resthyro is an all-natural product that is infused with a potent combination of 7 different herbs that together, have proven effective in treating feline hyperthyroidism.

Resthyro helps balance thyroid function, improves cardiovascular function and digestion.

Resthyro is also very safe for long-term use.