How to Diagnose High Thyroid Levels in a Cat
Determine the age of your cat., Look for weight loss combined with increased appetite., Look for increased thirst and urination., Notice increased activity., Check the coat for matting and greasy appearance., Be aware of vomiting or diarrhea., Know...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine the age of your cat.
Elevated thyroid levels in cats is most common as cats age.
In fact, most cats who develop hyperthyroidism are over the age of
13.
Only 5% of cats with hyperthyroidism are less than 10 years old.
If your cat is over 10, it is more likely that symptoms may indicate hyperthyroidism than in younger cats., If your cat is eating more than usual but is actually losing weight, this is a sign that the thyroid gland is over-producing.
Watch your cat’s food intake and their appearance.
If they are older cats and their ribs become visible even though they are eating you out of house and home, you probably have a symptom of hyperthyroidism on your hands.Hyperthyroidism causes weight loss because increased thyroid hormone speeds up the metabolism, and when an individual doesn’t consume enough calories to keep up with this metabolic increase, weight loss is the result., Although only half of cats with hyperthyroidism have increased thirst with increased urination, it is still a very clear sign that your older cat may have hyperthyroidism.
They are actually conditions in themselves; increased thirst is called “polydipsia” by veterinarians, and increased urination is called “polyuria.”The reason for polyuria and polydipsia is that thyroid hormone is a diuretic, which means it triggers the kidneys to excrete more water.
Cats with increased thyroid hormone levels then have to drink more to replace the lost water.
Kidney disease is also a common secondary condition to hyperthyroidism in cats. , As a result of the increased metabolism of hyperthyroidism, cats may become overly active and display signs of nervousness.
It can be hard to label a cat as overactive unless its usual behavior is especially sedentary, but since most older cats tend to settle down, an active older cat is a sign that something is wrong., Changes in the appearance of your cat’s fur is also a sign that they have increased thyroid levels.
As part of the increased metabolism, hair and nails increase their growth, and cats can’t keep up with the grooming.
As a result, the fur will look matted or greasy from lack of grooming., Hyperthyroidism in cats can also cause irritation to the digestive tract, resulting in vomiting and diarrhea.
Diarrhea can also occur because all the body’s systems have sped up, including the digestive system.
Neither symptom occurs in all cats with hyperthyroidism, but vomiting occurs more often., If you notice a combination of symptoms like weight loss, increased appetite, and increased thirst and urination in your cat that is older than 10 years, it is time to take them to the vet.
Your vet is the only one who can give a true diagnosis. , You vet will want to start with a physical exam to see if your cat shows signs of high thyroid levels.
The vet will feel along your cat’s neck for an enlarged thyroid gland.
Sometimes a cat will have hyperthyroidism without having these enlarged glands, and the vet will need to run blood tests., Even if your cat has obviously enlarged thyroid glands, the vet will most likely want to order blood tests to check your cat’s blood for an increased presence of thyroid hormone.
This hormone is also called T4, and should be apparent in the blood test results if the cat has hyperthyroidism., In some rare cases, the cat may have hyperthyroidism even if the levels of T4 are not elevated above normal.
If this is the case with your cat and hyperthyroidism is still a probability, the vet may order more tests to confirm that thyroid levels are too high.One extra blood test may look for something called “free T4” in the blood. , In most cases of hyperthyroidism, the cat will have increased blood pressure and heart rate due to increased metabolism.
Your vet will probably take the blood pressure and heart rate of your cat.
The vet or a vet tech will take blood pressure with a small cuff on one leg., Hyperthyroidism is caused by an increase of the thyroid hormone in the bloodstream.
The symptoms that you see in your cat are due to the extra thyroid hormone raising the cat’s metabolism and pushing all its organ to work faster than normal., Usually the thyroid gland swells and enlarges in cats because of a benign—a tumor that is cancerous, but not likely to spread—tumor called “adenoma.” Either one or both thyroid glands swell with extra thyroid hormone as a result., Keep in mind that raised thyroid levels in cats is more common in adults.
If your cat is very young, the symptoms you see are most likely related to something else, and you should take your cat to the vet for a confirmed diagnosis. -
Step 2: Look for weight loss combined with increased appetite.
-
Step 3: Look for increased thirst and urination.
-
Step 4: Notice increased activity.
-
Step 5: Check the coat for matting and greasy appearance.
-
Step 6: Be aware of vomiting or diarrhea.
-
Step 7: Know when to take your cat to the vet.
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Step 8: Expect the vet to do a physical exam.
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Step 9: Let the vet order blood tests.
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Step 10: Allow the vet to order more tests if needed.
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Step 11: Let the vet check blood pressure and heart rate.
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Step 12: Note that it is caused by an increase in thyroid hormones.
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Step 13: Be aware that there may be a cancerous tumor.
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Step 14: Know that cat hyperthyroidism is common in older cats.
Detailed Guide
Elevated thyroid levels in cats is most common as cats age.
In fact, most cats who develop hyperthyroidism are over the age of
13.
Only 5% of cats with hyperthyroidism are less than 10 years old.
If your cat is over 10, it is more likely that symptoms may indicate hyperthyroidism than in younger cats., If your cat is eating more than usual but is actually losing weight, this is a sign that the thyroid gland is over-producing.
Watch your cat’s food intake and their appearance.
If they are older cats and their ribs become visible even though they are eating you out of house and home, you probably have a symptom of hyperthyroidism on your hands.Hyperthyroidism causes weight loss because increased thyroid hormone speeds up the metabolism, and when an individual doesn’t consume enough calories to keep up with this metabolic increase, weight loss is the result., Although only half of cats with hyperthyroidism have increased thirst with increased urination, it is still a very clear sign that your older cat may have hyperthyroidism.
They are actually conditions in themselves; increased thirst is called “polydipsia” by veterinarians, and increased urination is called “polyuria.”The reason for polyuria and polydipsia is that thyroid hormone is a diuretic, which means it triggers the kidneys to excrete more water.
Cats with increased thyroid hormone levels then have to drink more to replace the lost water.
Kidney disease is also a common secondary condition to hyperthyroidism in cats. , As a result of the increased metabolism of hyperthyroidism, cats may become overly active and display signs of nervousness.
It can be hard to label a cat as overactive unless its usual behavior is especially sedentary, but since most older cats tend to settle down, an active older cat is a sign that something is wrong., Changes in the appearance of your cat’s fur is also a sign that they have increased thyroid levels.
As part of the increased metabolism, hair and nails increase their growth, and cats can’t keep up with the grooming.
As a result, the fur will look matted or greasy from lack of grooming., Hyperthyroidism in cats can also cause irritation to the digestive tract, resulting in vomiting and diarrhea.
Diarrhea can also occur because all the body’s systems have sped up, including the digestive system.
Neither symptom occurs in all cats with hyperthyroidism, but vomiting occurs more often., If you notice a combination of symptoms like weight loss, increased appetite, and increased thirst and urination in your cat that is older than 10 years, it is time to take them to the vet.
Your vet is the only one who can give a true diagnosis. , You vet will want to start with a physical exam to see if your cat shows signs of high thyroid levels.
The vet will feel along your cat’s neck for an enlarged thyroid gland.
Sometimes a cat will have hyperthyroidism without having these enlarged glands, and the vet will need to run blood tests., Even if your cat has obviously enlarged thyroid glands, the vet will most likely want to order blood tests to check your cat’s blood for an increased presence of thyroid hormone.
This hormone is also called T4, and should be apparent in the blood test results if the cat has hyperthyroidism., In some rare cases, the cat may have hyperthyroidism even if the levels of T4 are not elevated above normal.
If this is the case with your cat and hyperthyroidism is still a probability, the vet may order more tests to confirm that thyroid levels are too high.One extra blood test may look for something called “free T4” in the blood. , In most cases of hyperthyroidism, the cat will have increased blood pressure and heart rate due to increased metabolism.
Your vet will probably take the blood pressure and heart rate of your cat.
The vet or a vet tech will take blood pressure with a small cuff on one leg., Hyperthyroidism is caused by an increase of the thyroid hormone in the bloodstream.
The symptoms that you see in your cat are due to the extra thyroid hormone raising the cat’s metabolism and pushing all its organ to work faster than normal., Usually the thyroid gland swells and enlarges in cats because of a benign—a tumor that is cancerous, but not likely to spread—tumor called “adenoma.” Either one or both thyroid glands swell with extra thyroid hormone as a result., Keep in mind that raised thyroid levels in cats is more common in adults.
If your cat is very young, the symptoms you see are most likely related to something else, and you should take your cat to the vet for a confirmed diagnosis.
About the Author
Jonathan Henderson
Enthusiastic about teaching pet care techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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