Is my old, skinny, aggressive cat with hyperthyroidism suffering?

I would recommend the bloodwork if possible. Many of the symptoms your describe could be due to hyperthyroidism which can often be managed with diet or medication. Renal disease diabetes are also concerns. Speak with your vet to determine what they suspect is most likely and find out if it is possible to test for one thing at a time instead of running a full panel at once. The vet will suggest the best options but often if you explain financial constraints we can work with owners. If unable to do the diagnostic testing then euthanasia is a reasonable option to prevent her from suffering. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

CJ really needs a vet visit when you can manage it. In older cats hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel disease are possibilities and require bloodwork to diagnose. The good news is many of the conditions can be treated or managed but you need a diagnosis in order to determine the best treatment. Some areas may have low cost clinics or many vets accept Care credit http://www.carecredit.com/apply/ I would contact local humane societies to see if they can offer any suggestions. Some have programs that may help with vet bills. Good luck and thank you for using PetCoach.

If he does have a lump in his throat and has lost weight in the past year, then hyperthyroidism is a possibility. Costs will very from clinic to clinic and area to area, but as a ballpark, a blood test for thyroid function alone could be around 47 pounds, where a blood test for an old thin cat (that should cover the thyroid as well) could be around 100 pounds. There are three treatment options for hyperthyroidism: medication, surgery, or radioactive iodine. Each treatment has advantages and disadvantages, and the treatment choice depends on your cat's health, including heart and kidney function. Again, the cost will vary for each treatment, and your vet can let you know how much it could all potentially cost. There is nothing you can do for him at home to slow the disease, it's best that he's seen by a vet as soon as you can get him to one. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Carefree Credit online. http://www.carefreecredit.co.uk https://www.rspca.org.uk/whatwedo/vetcare http://www.easipetcare.com

The signs of death can vary greatly from pet to pet. Often they will stop eating or drinking (and if you do not plan to treat, it can be uncomfortable for them if you force food or water since their body is shutting down). They will become profoundly lethargic. They may vocalize more or find a hiding place. I would not say hyperthyroidism itself is painful, but the side effects of it can be quite uncomfortable. Imagine eating everything in sight and still being hungry. Constant vomiting or diarrhea. No energy to do anything. There are medications your doctor can prescribe to treat hyperthyroidism. If you cannot afford topical or oral medications or a prescription food (like Hill's y/d), then you should watch Callie closely for signs of discomfort, and schedule time to talk with your vet about humane euthanasia so that she is not forced to suffer the consequences of her disease. I know that will be a very hard decision. Here is some more information you may find helpful: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=516 http://www.lapoflove.com/diseases/feline/Hyperthyroidism_in_Cats.pdf

I'm sorry you lost your other cat and that Bird is now showing symptoms of another disease. The most common diseases in older cats are renal failure, hyperthyrodism and diabetes. It is really not a wise decision to give Bird any of the other cats medications. Just because you think she looks like she has symptoms of hyperthyroidism doesn't mean she actually has it. As a vet, I have been fooled many times. You could certainly kill her by doing this or make things worse. Even if she is hyperthyroid she may not need the same dose that the other cat was on. If she is that stressed getting to the vet I would ask your vet if they would be willing to make a house call to draw blood as that is the way to diagnose this issue. The other option is to find a mobile vet in your area that could come to your house. I hope this helps. If you have any additional questions please feel free to ask!

I am sorry to hear that you and Ricochet are having a hard time. Unfortunately, the only way to see if the dose needs to be increased is to do bloodwork to evaluate his thyroid level. It is important to remember that there are other possible causes for him to be yowling at night, besides hyperthyroidism, including behavioral causes, cognitive dysfunction and potentially other metabolic causes and that increasing his methimazole too much will be harmful to Ricochet. I would recommend continuing the dose as prescribed by your vet and talking to them about what can be done to get Ricochet in for a blood test. Some clinics will accept payment plans or work with you to make sure that Ricochet gets the care he needs without putting you guys out of house and home. Again, so sorry you and Ricochet are going through this - you clearly care a lot about him and I hope he feels better soon! Also, to answer your question, the signs you may notice will be resolution of his signs of hyperthyroidism (typically, hyperthyroid cats exhibit weight loss despite voracious appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, among other possible signs). Hyperthyroidism can also affect other organs in the body like the kidneys, heart, brain and eyes, so sometimes we can see secondary disease in these organs with hyperthyroidism.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Symptoms of hyperthyroidism (over active thyroid) in cats are: weight LOSS not gain, increased thirst and urination, increased hunger and vocalizing especially at night. They can have heart murmurs and arrhythmia. The side effects on not treating is heart disease and weight loss. I recommend treating if her T4 is above the high end of the reference range. Please feel free to post her blood work results. I hope this helps and I wish Sofi the best!