Cat lethargic, not eating on Felimazole. Is the dose too high?

These signs could be consistent with methimazole related side effects. GI upset and facial itching are some of the most common acute side effects in the first few months of therapy. I would recommend stopping the medication until you can talk to your vet about your concerns. Some cats can not take this medication and thus require an alternate method of treatment. If still eating and drinking that is good. If any of the symptoms worsen an ER visit is advised. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Poor Willow! I'm sorry she hasn't been feeling well. Generally speaking, yes - it's perfectly fine for a cat to be on medication for hyperthyroidism as well as insulin for diabetes. These two illnesses are both common in older cats, so many cats are on treatment for both problems. But, it isn't normal for Willow to be acting tired and miserable since starting her thyroid medication - this indicates that something needs to be changed. Some cats get an upset stomach and don't feel well on the oral tablets, but may do better with a transdermal gel or other formulation. Other cats simply don't tolerate methimazole (the medication) well no matter what, so other treatment options may need to be discussed. In rare cases, we can see potentially serious side effects with this medication such as bone marrow suppression, which could also cause lethargy and weakness - so it would be a good idea to have blood work rechecked with your vet as well to make sure that this isn't the problem. I would recommend calling your vet today to discuss the issue and see what they would suggest as the next step.

Hi there. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism generally include things like weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive vocalization, and increased appetite or thirst. I would tend to agree with your veterinarian that if your kitty is not losing weight or having any other symptoms of a problem, there is no reason to change his medication dosage - although an increase may be needed in the future if he starts to have symptoms again.

Yes I would stop the methimazole until you can have him checked again by your veterinarian. If he feels better off the methimazole then the methimazole dose may have been too high. They will check his blood work again for the thyroid level and for the pancreatitis. When changing diets I try adding just a small amount of new food at each meal until he gets used to it. Cats are fussy eaters but if he's still not eating it may be that Jojo just doesn't feel well and it wasn't that he didn't like the food. Once cats get regulated on the thyroid medication usually things smooth out and you'll have less problems. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Jojo.

I'm sorry to hear that Cleo isn't eating as well as she normal does. Hyperthyroidism typically causes weight loss despite an increase in appetite, although rare cats may experience a decreased appetite. The change in Cleo's appetite alone may or may not be associated with hyperthyroidism. Other causes of this sudden lack of interest in food and lethargy could be related to a gastrointestinal virus, kidney disease, parasites, liver disease, among many other conditions. If she still isn't eating normally in the next day or two, Cleo should go to her vet for evaluation and likely blood testing. However, if she becomes experiences extreme lethargy, experiences profuse vomiting or diarrhea, or will not drink water, Cleo should go to the vet immediately. I hope this helps and that Cleo feels better soon!

Have you been giving him the buprenorphine? This could be making him very lethargic. If he doesnt seem really painful, you may consider stopping the pain meds or giving him a half dose to see if they helps to perk him up a bit. But if he is continuing to be lethargic despite not being on pain medication then I believe he needs to follow up with your vet to ensure nothing else is wrong. I hope he starts to feel better!

Hello, sorry to hear about Lir. It sounds like she could be suffering from unregulated hyperthyroidism if her Vidalta is not having a good effect or she could be dealing with underlying kidney disease. If she continues to be inappetent or develops vomiting, diarrhea, and severe lethargy then she may need to be evaluated by her veterinarian again. This to have repeat bloodwork and make sure that her hyperthyroidism is well regulated and that she does not have underlying kidney disease. Hope this helps and best of luck.