Don't Forget Your Pets - they can have thyroid problems too.

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Thyroid may be culprit in elder pets' maladies

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/thesunherald/living/10480656.htm

Sparky appeared to her owners to be dying.

While it was understood the 17-year-old cat was not going to live forever,

she had enjoyed the best of health until these last few months. Once a

robust, playful, nine-pound cat, Sparky now was restless, periodically

vomiting and having diarrhea, her haircoat was unkempt and she weighed

barely five pounds - despite a superb appetite.

In another household, Maggie seemed to have aged overnight. Gone was the

energetic, constant-motion, shiny-coated seven-year-old Irish setter. She

now had become a serious couch potato with a weight problem, in spite of

eating a low-calorie dog food. Maggie's haircoat looked as though a moth had

eatenthrough it: the hair was dry, dull and brittle, with patchy areas of

hair loss. Her skin had an odor and she seemed to live with ear infections.

Both Sparky's and Maggie's problems can be traced to a malfunction of one or

both of the bean-sized thyroid glands in the neck. Sparky's disease, caused

by an overproduction of thyroid hormone, is called hyperthyroidism. Maggie

has the opposite problem - an insufficiency of thyroid hormone, called

hypothyroidism.

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is a disease found occasionally in dogs but is the most

common endocrine-related disease of older cats. Although it can affect cats

as young as 4 years old, the average age for cats with this disease is 13.

The overproduction of thyroid hormone in cats is generally attributed either

to abnormal " thyroid-cells-gone-wild " (called adenomatous hyperplasia) or to

a benign thyroid tumor known as an adenoma. Regardless of the cause, when a

cat produces too much thyroid hormone, its metabolic rate soars to the point

where it can burn off more than half of its body weight. If left unchecked,

cardiac and liver problems develop and the cat dies.

Because it is such a common disease in cats and because of the seriousness

of hyperthyroidism, many veterinarians recommend screening cats above the

age of eight for elevated thyroid levels.

Weight loss is the most common sign of hyperthyroidism in the cat despite

the presence of a normal or increased appetite. Other signs may include

hyperactivity and hyperirritability, temperature elevations, increased heart

rate, panting, vomiting and diarrhea. Physical examination by your pet's

doctor may lead him or her to suggest a blood test to measure the level of

thyroid hormone. This quick, relatively inexpensive and simple blood test

will often confirm the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism.

Treatment of hyperthyroidism is one of the bright spots of feline geriatric

medicine because treatment is so successful and straightforward. There are

three methods of treatment: radioactive iodine therapy, surgical removal of

the offending parts of the thyroid gland, or daily use of an antithyroid

drug. Each treatment has advantages and disadvantages; your veterinarian can

help you determine which is best suited for you and your cat. If the thyroid

hormone levels are controlled, many of these older, " going down the tubes "

cats can be rejuvenated and can provide added years of companionship.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is an endocrine disease caused by an insufficiency of thyroid

hormone, often as the result of an immune system malfunction that destroys

the thyroid gland or because the glands simply just become worn out. Rarely

observed in cats, hypothyroidism primarily occurs in middle-aged or elderly

dogs, especially in the Doberman pinscher, the golden retriever, the Irish

setter, the Great Dane, the dachshund and the boxer.

The importance of appropriate thyroid hormone levels in the body can best be

shown by the variety and seriousness of problems an insufficiency of the

hormone can cause: lethargy, disorientation, weight gain/obesity,

unwillingness to exercise, cold intolerance, dry, scaly skin, hair loss,

recurring smelly skin infections, pigmentation in the skin, changes in

haircoat quality or color, reproductive problems, seizures and other nervous

system malfunctions, heart abnormalities and eye disorders.

Unfortunately, diagnosing hypothyroidism is not a simple blood test as it

was in diagnosing hyperthyroidism - there is no single test for determining

if a thyroid gland is functioning properly. With hypothyroidism, many other

factors can artificially lower thyroid hormone - even when the thyroid gland

is perfectly normal. For example, liver and kidney diseases, other

endocrine-related diseases, and many medications can lower thyroid hormone

levels and thus cause a misdiagnosis of hypothyroidism. Because of this, the

current recommendation by most veterinary dermatologists is to consider not

only two blood values (free-T4 and TSH levels) but also to base the

diagnosis on your pet's history, clinical signs, medication history and

evidence of other diseases.

Dogs that are thought to have hypothyroidism can be treated with a thyroid

supplement for as long as the thyroid hormone levels are inadequate. This

oral medication is easy to administer, safe, readily available, and

inexpensive. Your pet's doctor may recommend that periodical blood test be

performed to determine if enough hormone is being given or if it is possible

to discontinue the medications altogether.

Thyroid diseases are common in our pets and most can be successfully treated

Sparky and Maggie now enjoy their golden years, filled with the love and

care of their owners.

Dr. Dennis Selig is a veterinarian at Northwood Hills Animal Hospital in

Gulfport. Questions for this column are encouraged. Write to South

Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association, 20005 Pineville Road, Long Beach

MS 39560 and include a self-addressed stamped envelope.

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