In cats, an underactive thyroid is extremely rare. They will then need to take a thyroid supplement. Cats also sweat through their paws and the sweat will have trace amounts of radioactive iodine. TheCatSite.com participates in select affiliate advertising programs, including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Studies show that weight gain is inevitable after radioiodine-induced hypothyroidism. A treated cat has to remain hospitalized until its radiation level has fallen to within acceptable limits. This is very important meaning that cats rarely develop an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) after radioiodine therapy. Affected cats are often restless and may become cranky or aggressive. 1. The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field: What testing equipment and protective clothing do you recommend for a nontechnical person who will be giving home care to an 18-year-old blind cat after he has spent four days recovering in the animal hospital from 131I treatment? What Treats Can I Give my Dog with CalciumOxalateStones? These licenses establish the basis for the facilities compliance with federal regulations established by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. "The most common clinical sign of hyperthyroidism is weight loss due to the increased rate of metabolism despite an increased appetite.". Many times the only symptoms these other conditions cause are weight loss. Iodine-131, Hyperthyroidism, and Radioactive Iodine Therapy Iodine-131 (I-131) is a radioisotope of iodine with a physical half-life of 8.02 days; its primary decay emissions include a 606 keV - particle with 89.6% abundance and a 364 keV -ray with 81.5% abundance (Knolls Atomic Power Lab 2010). I'll be honest, the last thing I (or my vet) worried about with Sara was gaining weight. Ultimately of course, these conditions can be diagnosed. In some cats, anorexia develops as the disease progresses. The cell repairs itself perfectly (most common result). Another significant risk for hyperthyroid cats is not actually related to their thyroid disease. Only about 5% of hyperthyroid cats are younger than 10. Employees of facilities that utilize radioactive materials may be categorized as "radiation workers" depending on their role. Does radioactive iodine treatment cause weight gain? Scaly skin. Even after treatment it may take a long time to reverse weight loss and muscle loss that occurred before your cat's diagnosis. If this is the case with your cat, paying special attention to specific nutrients such as dietary phosphorus (a key player in chronic kidney disease) may be required. Cats may also continue to show signs of hyperthyroidism, including vomiting and diarrhea, for 3-4 weeks after the radioiodine therapy as the disease continues to resolve. Hence additional separation between the patient and children are unnecessary. Slater M.R., Geller S. and Rogers K., Long-Term Health and Predictors of Survival for Hyperthyroid Cats Treated with Iodine 131. Thank you! Because metabolism is altered in hyperthyroidism, its important to monitor your cats weight and muscle mass. If DNA is damaged, there are three possible outcomes: He rejected the Fancy Feast stuff and gobbled the baby food along with eating a little variety of the many dry foods we tried in an effort to find one that he really liked. Medications for hyperthyroidism in cats are prescribed on a case by case basis. Your doctor will order a test called a radioactive iodine uptake and scan to determine the dose you will need. If we restrict iodine, production of thyroxine decreases. In most cases, only enough radioiodine is given to destroy that part of the gland that is functioning . During treatment, radioactive iodine is administered as an injection and is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. It will take about a month for thyroid levels to return to normal in most cats. What is happening in this procedure is that a portion of the radioactive iodine is being taken up by the cat's thyroid to treat its condition (hyperthyroidism, I assume?). How does the risk from medical radiation compare to background radiation exposure? The advantages of radioactive iodine therapy are that the procedure most often cures hyperthyroidism, has no serious side effects, and does not require anesthesia. Gradual weight gain and return to healthy body condition are expected. In an effort to put some weight back on him we are still feeding him turkey and gravy baby food in the morning to supplement the dry food. Feeding Hyperthyroid Cats Iodine restriction may help; weight loss is a . It is best to perform a nuclear scan before surgery to rule out ectopic thyroid tissue. 5. An important take-away message about your newly-diagnosed hyperthyroid cat is that there is a wide range of treatment options, so you can likely find something that works for your family. 1. Dry, dull coat. What is the biggest concern with nuclear meltdown and why? Once the correct dose of radioiodine has been determined and administered, most of the time the tumors responsible for causing the elevated thyroid levels resolve and the cats are cured. Prior to the onset of symptoms he was eating a high quality dry cat food but when he started losing weight and begging for food we were told we could give him some baby food and wet cat food. There are several hypothesized causes of hyperthyroidism. These include weight loss, increased activity, and kitten like behaviour. However, because your cat will be radioactive for several days after receiving the shot, precautions must be taken during and after the treatment. Methods: Therapy and body weight related data of 100 consecutive RITh-patients were retrospectively analysed from the time before up to three years after RITh. Your cat can receive methimazole, a medication that inhibits thyroid hormone production. Prior to the onset of symptoms he was eating a high quality dry cat food but when he started losing weight and begging for food we were told we could . The cell repairs itself with mistakes (rare). However, because your cat will be radioactive for several days after receiving the shot, precautions must be taken during and after the treatment. Weigh the pros and cons of various treatments and discuss options with your vet. As in the case of heart disease, after the hyperthyroidism has been successfully treated, high blood pressure will often resolve, and permanent treatment for it may not be required. Hyperthyroidism in cats is a commonly diagnosed endocrinopathy with an overall prevalence of 2.4% in England which increases to 8.7% in cats aged 10 years or older. Mean baseline age was 12.7 3.0 years and mean baseline BMI SDS was 0.003 1.18 kg/m 2. Upon discharge from PVESC (after an average of 4 to 7 days after treatment), treated cats will still be excreting radioiodine in their urine, saliva, and feces. 20.1301 Dose limits for individual members of the public. Natural background radiation exposure accounts for an average of 3.1 mSv/yr with variations depending on where you live. A seven hour airplane trip exposes passengers to 0.02 mSv of radiation, which is a fraction of the exposure of a standard Chest x-ray (0.1 mSv). Exposure limitations: After administration of 131 Iodine, your cat is . Design and methods: Five hundred and four patients over 40 years of age with diffuse toxic goiter were treated with MMI for 18 months. Because the radioactive iodine used (known as iodine 131) may expose those around you to the effects of radiation (and theoretically negatively affect their thyroid glands), you will be given guidelines on how to prevent such exposure. One study looked at patients with Graves' disease who were treated with RAI over five years. Not all veterinary facilities perform the procedure. Did she have stage 1 prior to treatment for hyperthyroidism or did the stage 1 unmask after treatment started and then jump to stage 4? They may have increased water consumption and urination. Hyperthyroidism may also cause vomiting, diarrhea, and hyperactivity. For the same reasons as surgical treatment, your cat will likely be started on methimazole for about a month before radioactive iodine therapy. Note that the reference above excluding licensee's from considering "exposure to individuals administered radioactive material" in their compliance with the NRC regulartions does not apply to animals. For comparison, the dose for a standard Chest CT is 7 mSv. Number of cases per 100,000 persons exposed to a single dose of 0.1 Gy. This means that our radioactive materials license requires our practice ensure that our clients receive less than 1 mSv of radiation exposure as the result of our treatment of their hyperthyroid cat with radioiodine. No individual breed is known to have a greater risk, although Siamese, Burmese, Persian, Abyssinian, Tonkinese, and British shorthair breeds appear to have a somewhat decreased incidence of hyperthyroidism compared to other breeds. Radioactive iodine therapy. Domestic airline pilots are exposed to an additional 2.2 mSv per year, about the same dose as a brain CT. As you can see from the table below, the estimated risk of developing cancer from exposure to 0.1 Gy (= 100mSv), while it varies with the age of the individual, is something less than 1% for adults. Finally, thyroid hormone has a role in kidney function and blood flow that may result in either directly damaging the kidney or obscuring underlying kidney disease that your cat may already have. This single treatment will cure 95-98% of cats. Hyperthyroidism is too much thyroid hormone that causes weight loss so kitty should gain some weight back to a normal amount after treatment. Of 247 patients receiving RAI for GD, 157 (79.6% female) had complete data and were included in the analysis. Annual blood and urine tests are important in all cats seven years and older to detect hyperthyroidism before potentially irreversible damage occurs. Medication and radioactive iodine therapy are just as effective at treating hyperthyroidism in cats as surgery and are less invasive, so surgical treatment is rarely chosen for treating this condition. So in this case the targeted radiation exposure is actually increasing survival for these patients. Why is the average risk of developing cancer so high? The radioactive iodine is administered as a single injection . However, it may not be the best treatment for your particular cat. This can best be done by monitoring your cat's body condition, muscle condition, and weight. Since hyperthyroid cats are usually over eight years of age, there is a degree of risk involved. . What is not taken up by the thyroid will be present in the cat's bodily fluids and will primarily be voided in the cat's urine (in those first four days at the vet hospital). At the time of discharge, exposure levels measured at 6 feet from the patient are virtually indistinguishable from background levels. In some cases, a decrease in blood platelets (thrombocytopenia) may also occur. The outcomes following most hyperthyroid therapies are usually excellent, and most cats have a very good chance of returning to a normal state of health. Dietary Therapy We were told that 90% of the Radioactive Iodine is gone from the cat in two days. The radioiodine (I-131) used to treat thyroid disease in people and animals emits both gamma rays and beta particles. How does airline travel expose me to radiation? Before treatment he was ravenous and losing weight -- typical of cats with that disorder I'm told. Medication typically. I-131 is normally a health concern after the . The radioiodine is eliminated in urine and feces. Clinical signs include lethargy, dullness, obesity, oily skin, and matted fur. For the first two weeks after I-131: Keep your cat indoors or supervised when outside to prevent contact with other people. Treatment usually requires one or two weeks of hospitalization at a veterinary hospital licensed to administer radiation therapy. If these tests are not diagnostic, athyroid scan (thyroid scintigraphy)can be performed at a veterinary referral center, or the TT4 can be measured again in a few weeks. All rights reserved. Cats afflicted with hyperthyroidism usually develop a variety of signs that may be subtle at first but that become more severe as the disease progresses. and Turrel J.M., A Multicompartmental Model for Iodide, Thyroxine, and Triiodothyronine Metabolism in Normal and Spontaneously Hyperthyroid Cats. In addition to reporting for a major newspaper chain, she has been published in "Horse News," "Suburban Classic," "Hoof Beats," "Equine Journal" and other publications. Will he come around at some point or have we created a monster who will run off to the food dish every time we get up from the chair. The risks of ingesting radioactive iodine and the risks of being around a patient that has been treated with radioactive iodine are very different. Prognosis This isnotan iodine-free diet but a diet with a controlled iodine content of 0.2ppma minimal amount. Fluffy might be a candidate for a thyroidectomy, surgery to remove the thyroid glands, which usually results in a cure. I am certain that your veterinarian probably told you to take care when handling the litter and to wash your hands thoroughly after handling litter, the cat, and items that the cat came into contact with. Hyperthyroidism is a common condition in older cats. Some people may have a feeling of tightness or swelling in their neck for a few days after treatment. Radioactive iodine therapy is becoming the treatment of choice for felines with hyperthyroidism. Elevated thyroid hormones stimulate an increased heart rate and a stronger contraction of the heart muscle, and can cause thickening of the left ventricle of the heart over time. Because of the short distances they travel they never exit the patient and as a result no one other than the patient is at risk from exposure to the beta particles unless they internalized the radioiodine excreted by the patient. If your cat does not have elevated T4 levels but your veterinarian still suspects your cat has hyperthyroidism, additional tests may be recommended. 1 INTRODUCTION. It does, however, involve the handling and injection of a radioactive substance that is only permitted at facilities specially licensed to use radioisotopes. This can best be done by monitoring your cats body condition, muscle condition, and weight. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists, on Long Island, Cornell Veterinary Experts Address Feline Nutrition. Hypothyroidism, is a condition resulting from a deficiency of thyroid hormone. In most cases, enlargement of thyroid glands is caused by a non-cancerous tumor called an adenoma. We love them, too! Our cat was treated for hyperthyroidism and has been back home for about two weeks. Slater M.R., Komkov A., Robinson L.E., et al., Long-Term Follow-up of Hyperthyroid Cats Treated with Iodine-131. Radioactive iodine therapy is a very effective way to treat hyperthyroidism (I-131). Gained over three pounds! At 1 and 3 months after the treatment, a blood test for thyroid and kidney function should be done by your veterinarian. Risks related to radioiodine: When x-rays, or any ionizing radiation, pass through the body they cause electrons to be ejected from atoms, leaving behind positive ions. As with surgery, you may need to take thyroid hormone . Limit close contact (closer than 1 foot) to one hour per day. Usually, the TT4 level is so high that there is no question about the diagnosis (see the handout "Thyroid Hormone Testing in Cats"). Recurrence of hyperthyroidism is rare after I-131 therapy. Treatment for hypothyroidism in cats is . Jane Meggitt has been a writer for more than 20 years. Having lost my 18-year-old feline member of the family a few years ago, I completely understand the attachment and your desire to not stress the cat. Therefore, by using the veterinary therapeutic diet that is currently available and restricted in iodine (the only source the body has of iodine) this will prevent the thyroid from making thyroid hormone. Your cat may be hospitalized for one to two nights following surgery and should begin to eat and behave normally after returning home. You should talk with your veterinarian about what diets may be best for him in this case. The three ways that we control exposures to external sources of radiation are time, distance, and shielding. Although it has a slightly higher iodine content than the previous option, Tiki Cat Hanalei Luau Wild Salmon is the best value for money. Before deciding the form of treatment, several tests are performed, including additional blood tests, a urinalysis, chest radiographs (X-rays), an ECG, and blood pressure measurements. Some cats develop side effects from methimazole, such as vomiting, lethargy, anorexia, fever, liver damage, anemia, and a decrease in white blood cells. The estimates of risk currently used are extrapolated from patients that have received much higher doses (e.g., atomic bomb survivors) using the linear, no-threshold model of radiation exposure risk. Thus, individuals who opt for . You must log in or register to reply here. Calabrese E.J., Hormesis: From Marginalization to Mainstream: A Case for Hormesis as the Default Dose-Response Model in Risk Assessment. You can't visit Fluffy during his stay at the veterinary facility. After initial stabilisation with oral medications, a number of curative treatments are also available. Prominent in the regulations established by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for radioactive materials users are guidelines that limit exposure to radiation workers, and members of the general public. Weight gain after RAI is typical. Overall, weight gain was associated with development of hypothyroidism despite levothyroxine replacement . Since hyperthyroidism can predispose a cat to other conditions, it is important to evaluate general health, with particular focus on the heart and kidneys. However, once the underlying hyperthyroidism has been controlled, the cardiac changes will often improve or may even resolve completely. Most cats with hyperthyroidism have elevated levels of the thyroid hormone T4 in their bloodstream, but a small percentage of cats with hyperthyroidism have T4 levels within the normal range. I might even suggest using disposable gloves when handling the litter box duties and when caring for the cat during the isolation time. Hyperthyroid cats suffer overactive thyroid glands, circulating too much thyroid hormone through their system and affecting nearly every organ. . Radioactive iodine may also affect a woman's ovaries, and some women may have irregular periods for up to a year after treatment. The treatment you and your vet choose depends on several factors including how severe the disease is, your cats health, and what works best for your family. A small number of cats will remain hyperthyroid after treatment, if this is the case your cat will need . Therefore if you adhere to the release instructions we provide you with (copies provided on admission and again at discharge), you should be assured of getting less than 1 mSv exposure from interacting with your cat. For some cats, a veterinary therapeutic diet low in iodine may be all thats required to control symptoms. NRC Regulations This helps us offset the costs of running this site, so thank you for your support! A veterinarian who suspects a cat has a thyroid problem will conduct a physical examination and palpate the cats neck area to check for an enlarged thyroid gland (see Figure 2). No ill effects have been noted in the children born to parents who received radioactive iodine in the past. . When this occurs, a second test, usually afree T4 by equilibrium dialysis (FT4 by ED)or aT3 suppression test,is performed. Purraise. Category: Nuclear Medicine Patient Issues Questions Concerning Domestic Animals. Answer posted on 30 March 2019. By 14 days after treatment, the radioactivity will have decayed to a very low level. DNA can also be damaged directly by radiation. There are no studies that directly link cancer to the low dose radiation used in current medical imaging. Despite the extensive blood and urine tests, chest x-rays and physical exams that we require before . Your cat will not experience nausea, hair loss, lethargy, or decreased appetite as a result of the procedure. Hyperthyroidism is a common disease in cats, and mostly afflicts cats middle-aged and older. It is given one to three times daily and must be continued for the remainder of the pet's life. The study followed people for 26 years after two or more treatments. Already have a myVCA account? The veterinarian's recommendations are to isolate my cat for at least two weeks. Once his radiation levels come down and you can bring him home, you still have to keep him away from young children and pregnant women, as he'll pass small amounts of radioactive iodine through his urine for approximately two weeks. What is taken up by the thyroid will be released slowly over the next days/weeks to the other bodily fluids which is why they have the precautions that you describe. As stated above, it may also be used for a few weeks to stabilize a cat at increased surgical risk because of cardiac complications. 2007 07/19/2011; Available from: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/. The inaccurate repair of DNA is rare, but can cause a cell to act wildly or grow into a cancer. The total effective dose equivalent to individual members of the public from the licensed operation does not exceed 1 mSv in a year, exclusive of the dose contributions from background radiation, from any administration the individual has received, from exposure to individuals administered radioactive material. Do not allow your cat to sleep against your body. Let's tackle the external exposure first as it is the simplest concept.
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