Question:
> I haven’t yet located a place that >does the radiation treatment in my area, besides which it runs about $1000, I >understand.
Check around a bit. The cost varies by region. Our cost last year was $750. Two years prior to that, my cat had surgery to remove one thyroid. That cost about $500, totaling all pre- and post-surgery costs. If the radiation treatment had been offered when my cat had her first bout with hyperthyroidism I would have chosen that instead of the surgery. FYI: I have since read that some cats who undergo surgery to remove a thyroid [as mine did] will develop tumors in their remaining thyroid 1-2 years later and need treatment again. This is exactly what happened with my cat. Talk to your vet about the treatment options. We had to spend over $1200 to treat my cat twice, when the radiation therapy probably would have cured her with one treatment. Good luck.
Response:
Dear Barbara & Group; I have had a thyroidectomy done on two of my feline companions over the years. One when the cat was 13 and one when the cat was 11. If your cat is a good candidate for the surgery, and your vet is competent with the knife, the outcome should be excellent, (in the long term easier on both you and the cat as compared to trying to stuff a foul-tasting Tapazol tablet down the cats’ gullet every day, or having the radioactive iodine treatment… unless you want to use the cat as a reading light at night). Cats come equiped with two thyroid glands and two parathyroid glands per customer. The surgery removes the two thyroid glands. There is usually enough other glandular sites in the cats body to produce enough hormone so that the removal of the thyroids is not a problem. As far as long-term results; one of my cats that had the surgery survived to 15.5 years and succumbed to renal failure… the other is still doing well at 13.5 years. Your cat and your milage may vary. Regards, Pat Kansoer – Certified Feline Specialist for more useful, (and some useless) feline information check out my website at; http://www.cats-by-pat.com – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > would like to hear from folks who have had this surgery > for their kitty. What was your experience like? Thanks!
Response:
>or having the radioactive iodine >treatment… unless you want to use the cat as a reading light at >night).
Awwww, that’s not fair… my James Cat only glowed the first week after he came home, and really wasn’t bright enough to read by! 
Layna PS I’m kidding. He never glowed a bit, and he’s doing GREAT. 
Response:
We did the Tapazone route, and the side effects were bad. We considered surgery but were told it only has about a 50% success rate and after that another surgery might be necessary to try it again. We opted for the radioiodine treatment and my Toby is doing great. He has gained weight back to his normal self in 2 months time. It cost $1,000. Surgery was about 1/2 that, but if a 2nd surgery would be needed it would have cost the $1,000 anyways; and more personal trauma in my opinion. www.radiocat.com is where we had it done by the way. I’ve only heard great success stories about them. "Chris from Chicago"
Response:
would like to hear from folks who have had this surgery for their kitty. What was your experience like? Thanks!
Response:
>or having the radioactive iodine >treatment… unless you want to use the cat as a reading light at >night).
This is the current recommended treatment. You can see for yourself in any vet book. It is just limited in many areas.
Response:
I’m new to this group, so forgive me if I’m repeating something you’ve just dealt with. One of my beloved cats has hyperthyroidism (or is hyperthyroid – whatever one says). Tapezole doesn’t seem to be doing much good, and she’s way too fragile for surgery. I know radiation is currently recommended by most vets, but are there any alternative medicine treatments? I haven’t yet located a place that does the radiation treatment in my area, besides which it runs about $1000, I understand. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->or having the radioactive iodine >>treatment… unless you want to use the cat as a reading light at >>night). > This is the current recommended treatment. You can see for yourself in any vet > book. It is just limited in many areas.
Response:
> I haven’t yet located a place that >does the radiation treatment in my area, besides which it runs about $1000, I >understand.
Check around a bit. The cost varies by region. Our cost last year was $750. Two years prior to that, my cat had surgery to remove one thyroid. That cost about $500, totaling all pre- and post-surgery costs. If the radiation treatment had been offered when my cat had her first bout with hyperthyroidism I would have chosen that instead of the surgery. FYI: I have since read that some cats who undergo surgery to remove a thyroid [as mine did] will develop tumors in their remaining thyroid 1-2 years later and need treatment again. This is exactly what happened with my cat. Talk to your vet about the treatment options. We had to spend over $1200 to treat my cat twice, when the radiation therapy probably would have cured her with one treatment. Good luck.
Response:
Dear Barbara & Group; I have had a thyroidectomy done on two of my feline companions over the years. One when the cat was 13 and one when the cat was 11. If your cat is a good candidate for the surgery, and your vet is competent with the knife, the outcome should be excellent, (in the long term easier on both you and the cat as compared to trying to stuff a foul-tasting Tapazol tablet down the cats’ gullet every day, or having the radioactive iodine treatment… unless you want to use the cat as a reading light at night). Cats come equiped with two thyroid glands and two parathyroid glands per customer. The surgery removes the two thyroid glands. There is usually enough other glandular sites in the cats body to produce enough hormone so that the removal of the thyroids is not a problem. As far as long-term results; one of my cats that had the surgery survived to 15.5 years and succumbed to renal failure… the other is still doing well at 13.5 years. Your cat and your milage may vary. Regards, Pat Kansoer – Certified Feline Specialist for more useful, (and some useless) feline information check out my website at; http://www.cats-by-pat.com – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > would like to hear from folks who have had this surgery > for their kitty. What was your experience like? Thanks!
Response:
>or having the radioactive iodine >treatment… unless you want to use the cat as a reading light at >night).
Awwww, that’s not fair… my James Cat only glowed the first week after he came home, and really wasn’t bright enough to read by! Layna PS I’m kidding. He never glowed a bit, and he’s doing GREAT.
Response:
We did the Tapazone route, and the side effects were bad. We considered surgery but were told it only has about a 50% success rate and after that another surgery might be necessary to try it again. We opted for the radioiodine treatment and my Toby is doing great. He has gained weight back to his normal self in 2 months time. It cost $1,000. Surgery was about 1/2 that, but if a 2nd surgery would be needed it would have cost the $1,000 anyways; and more personal trauma in my opinion. www.radiocat.com is where we had it done by the way. I’ve only heard great success stories about them. "Chris from Chicago"
Response:
would like to hear from folks who have had this surgery for their kitty. What was your experience like? Thanks!
Response:
>or having the radioactive iodine >treatment… unless you want to use the cat as a reading light at >night).
This is the current recommended treatment. You can see for yourself in any vet book. It is just limited in many areas.
Response:
I’m new to this group, so forgive me if I’m repeating something you’ve just dealt with. One of my beloved cats has hyperthyroidism (or is hyperthyroid – whatever one says). Tapezole doesn’t seem to be doing much good, and she’s way too fragile for surgery. I know radiation is currently recommended by most vets, but are there any alternative medicine treatments? I haven’t yet located a place that does the radiation treatment in my area, besides which it runs about $1000, I understand. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->or having the radioactive iodine >>treatment… unless you want to use the cat as a reading light at >>night). > This is the current recommended treatment. You can see for yourself in any vet > book. It is just limited in many areas.
Response:
> I haven’t yet located a place that >does the radiation treatment in my area, besides which it runs about $1000, I >understand.
Check around a bit. The cost varies by region. Our cost last year was $750. Two years prior to that, my cat had surgery to remove one thyroid. That cost about $500, totaling all pre- and post-surgery costs. If the radiation treatment had been offered when my cat had her first bout with hyperthyroidism I would have chosen that instead of the surgery. FYI: I have since read that some cats who undergo surgery to remove a thyroid [as mine did] will develop tumors in their remaining thyroid 1-2 years later and need treatment again. This is exactly what happened with my cat. Talk to your vet about the treatment options. We had to spend over $1200 to treat my cat twice, when the radiation therapy probably would have cured her with one treatment. Good luck.
Response:
Dear Barbara & Group; I have had a thyroidectomy done on two of my feline companions over the years. One when the cat was 13 and one when the cat was 11. If your cat is a good candidate for the surgery, and your vet is competent with the knife, the outcome should be excellent, (in the long term easier on both you and the cat as compared to trying to stuff a foul-tasting Tapazol tablet down the cats’ gullet every day, or having the radioactive iodine treatment… unless you want to use the cat as a reading light at night). Cats come equiped with two thyroid glands and two parathyroid glands per customer. The surgery removes the two thyroid glands. There is usually enough other glandular sites in the cats body to produce enough hormone so that the removal of the thyroids is not a problem. As far as long-term results; one of my cats that had the surgery survived to 15.5 years and succumbed to renal failure… the other is still doing well at 13.5 years. Your cat and your milage may vary. Regards, Pat Kansoer – Certified Feline Specialist for more useful, (and some useless) feline information check out my website at; http://www.cats-by-pat.com – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > would like to hear from folks who have had this surgery > for their kitty. What was your experience like? Thanks!
Response:
>or having the radioactive iodine >treatment… unless you want to use the cat as a reading light at >night).
Awwww, that’s not fair… my James Cat only glowed the first week after he came home, and really wasn’t bright enough to read by! Layna PS I’m kidding. He never glowed a bit, and he’s doing GREAT.
Response:
We did the Tapazone route, and the side effects were bad. We considered surgery but were told it only has about a 50% success rate and after that another surgery might be necessary to try it again. We opted for the radioiodine treatment and my Toby is doing great. He has gained weight back to his normal self in 2 months time. It cost $1,000. Surgery was about 1/2 that, but if a 2nd surgery would be needed it would have cost the $1,000 anyways; and more personal trauma in my opinion. www.radiocat.com is where we had it done by the way. I’ve only heard great success stories about them. "Chris from Chicago"
Response:
would like to hear from folks who have had this surgery for their kitty. What was your experience like? Thanks!
Response:
>or having the radioactive iodine >treatment… unless you want to use the cat as a reading light at >night).
This is the current recommended treatment. You can see for yourself in any vet book. It is just limited in many areas.
Response:
I’m new to this group, so forgive me if I’m repeating something you’ve just dealt with. One of my beloved cats has hyperthyroidism (or is hyperthyroid – whatever one says). Tapezole doesn’t seem to be doing much good, and she’s way too fragile for surgery. I know radiation is currently recommended by most vets, but are there any alternative medicine treatments? I haven’t yet located a place that does the radiation treatment in my area, besides which it runs about $1000, I understand. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->or having the radioactive iodine >>treatment… unless you want to use the cat as a reading light at >>night). > This is the current recommended treatment. You can see for yourself in any vet > book. It is just limited in many areas.