My cat might have a thyroid nodule. What are the signs and next steps?

Thanks is for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Your veterinarian may be suspicious of a thyroid tumor. The next step before considering surgery would be proceeding with a CT scan to check on how invasive the tumor appears to be. Then the next treatment option can be determined. A FNA can be performed at the time to determine the tumor type. If not too invasive, surgery may be possible. If too invasive, and this is a thyroid carcinoma (the most common tumor in that region), radiation therapy or chemotherapy may be next best options. The prognosis with these tumors depends on the type which is why that needs to be tested. Also, it depends on how invasive it is and if it can be resected. If you think you have more information on the case that you did not describe in the question, feel free to request a consultation with me and I can continue to help. Best of luck and have a blessed day!

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

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.

Luv Bug is so very fortunate to have you as an owner. I am sure that you are one of the main reasons that she is going strong at 17 years of age. Kudos to you for your consideration and compassion for your pet. In terms of hyperthyroidism in cats, there are only three real treatments on the market today. These are methimazole treatment, thyroidectomy surgery, and radioactive iodine treatment. It is believed in the veterinary community that radioactive iodine is the gold standard treatment today. With the information you have provided, I can offer you a few possibilities for future treatment: 1. Perhaps you can get the math him is all in a tablet form to crush it into a fine powder and then mix it with any palatable substance that she likes and then squirt it in her mouth with a syringe. This, however, may cause some behavior problems because she may not like this either. 2. If you are willing to accept the costs and all of the different parts that go with the radioactive iodine treatment, I say go for it because the success rate for that specific treatment is excellent. Thank you very much for your question and I know you will make the right decision on her behalf. Have a great day.

The thyroid gland in cats is normally not palpable. The lump may be localized infection, inflammation, fatty tumor or a cyst just to name a few possibilities. You can monitor it for rapid change or growth. See your veterinarian for an exam if it causes discomfort or impedes motion, breathing or eating. A fine needle aspirate can be done in the clinic to collect a sample for pathology if necessary.

Consider having him seen by a different veterinarian. Request a comprehensive thyroid panel which should include a T4, T3, free T4 by equilibrium dialysis and TSH. All these, taken together, should be able to diagnose or rule out hyperthyroidism. Left untreated, he could develop other problems, so do not delay.

Hi there. Hyperthyroidism can cause symptoms like increased vocalization and irritability, weight loss, increased appetite, vomiting or diarrhea, and/or increased drinking and urination. It also contributes to high blood pressure, and is hard on the heart and kidneys long-term. If Midnite's thyroid levels are high, treatment would generally be recommended to address this.