Should my cat have a radioactive iodine treatment?
Jan 29, 2020 · Cats who have been treated with radio-iodine therapy will remain radioactive for a period of time, and that’s why great care needs to be taken. Cosmo is happy to be home and back on his owners lap, now he is no longer radioactive.
How much does radioactive iodine treatment for cats cost?
Can I Be Around My Cat After Radioactive Iodine Treatment? After treatment, the radioactivity is essentially gone and you can handle your cat and litter normally within 14 days. Radiation contamination with the litter box can be avoided by taking special care …
Is radiocat ethical?
Can I Be Around My Cat After I Have Radioactive Iodine Treatment? After treatment, the radioactivity is essentially gone and you can handle your cat and litter normally within 14 days. Radiation contamination with the litter box can be avoided by taking special care with it for 14 days after treatment.
What are the long term side effects of radioactive iodine?
Mar 30, 2019 · In a cat treated with radioactive iodine, the drool will contain radioactive materials. Cats also sweat through their paws and the sweat will have trace amounts of radioactive iodine. Further, the litter will be radioactive as most of the radioactive iodine …
Can I be around my cat after radioactive iodine treatment?
By 14 days after treatment radioactivity is essentially gone and you can safely handle your cat and the litter as usual. Special care should be taken with the litter box for 14 days after treatment to avoid environmental contamination with radioactivity.
Can I be around my pets after radioactive iodine treatment?
It is safe to be around your cats after you are treated with radioiodine therapy because even if they are in your lap, the exposure is low. People do sweat out the radioiodine, but if you wash your hands regularly, that is very effective in washing away the small amount of contamination on your hands.Mar 19, 2010
How long to stay away from pets after radioactive iodine?
1. To protect family pets, do not sleep with them for up to 21 days.Nov 19, 2020
What are the long term side effects of radioactive iodine for cats?
Cats may also continue to show signs of hyperthyroidism, including vomiting and diarrhea, for 3-4 weeks after the radioiodine therapy as the disease continues to resolve. The risk to these cats is the simple fact that many cats in the age range when cats develop hyperthyroidism (8+ years) also develop other diseases.
How long can a cat live after radioactive iodine treatment?
“Studies have shown that cats treated with I-131 live longer than those treated with pills,” added Mosenco, citing a study where I-131-treated cats lived an average of four to five years following treatment, versus an average of only two years for cats on medication.Dec 19, 2016
Is radioactive iodine treatment painful for cats?
There are virtually no side effects, and there is no pain associated with 131I treatment. The delivery of iodine is targeted to the overactive thyroid gland(s), the cat does not experience any radiation side effects at the normal therapy doses used to treat hyperthyroidism.
How long does it take for radioactive iodine to work in cats?
How long does it take to work? Radio-iodine kills thyroid tumours over time; most cats go back to normal thyroid hormone levels within a couple of weeks, but it can take up to 6 months.
Why do hyperthyroid cats meow so much?
Signs of anxiety in a cat – including pacing, yowling for no apparent reason, and restlessness – are a common symptom of feline hyperthyroidism. This is due to increased stimulation in the nervous system which is a common occurrence in cats with feline hyperthyroidism.
How much does radioactive iodine treatment cost for cats?
The cost for radio iodine therapy is generally a total fee of $1500- $1550, depending on the I131 dosage required for your cat's treatment. This includes the radio iodine itself, the cost of hospitalization, food, litter, and monitoring. This is comparable to the cost of surgical removal.
Is my cat too old for radioactive iodine?
Q5. Is my cat too old for radioiodine treatment? Hyperthyroidism in cats can be treated at any age as long as there are no other life-threatening diseases present.
What is the average lifespan of a cat with hyperthyroidism?
The average age of cats with hyperthyroidism is approximately 12 years and about 5% of hyperthyroid cats are younger than 10 years of age.
How long can a cat live on thyroid medicine?
Most cats that are diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and are treated only with medical management will live an average of 3-5 years before dying of either heart failure or kidney failure.
How will your cat respond to treatment?
Most hyperthyroid cats respond fully to a single injection with radio-iodine. Their hyperthyroidism won’t come back, and they don’t need ongoing medication. Most cats respond to treatment within weeks, although some take up to 6 months to gain the full benefit. However, that may not be the case in a very small number of cats.
What about taking your cat home?
For the homeward journey, we’ll use Feliway Transport or Pet Remedy ahead of your discharge appointment. We can also starve your cat if it’s likely to get car sick; just let us know.
How long will your cat be radioactive?
The overwhelming majority of cats are no longer radioactive by 6 weeks’ after treatment, although many get there sooner.
What should you do when you get home?
We give much more detailed guidance in our free booklet, Hyperthyroidism in Cats, but in summary, for the first 2 weeks:
What about later on?
After you’ve followed the above guidelines for 2 weeks, the same advice applies for a further 2 weeks – but it’s advisable, rather than compulsory.
What about follow-ups with your vet?
After their radio-iodine treatment, your cat will need some monitoring from your own vet – such as periodic clinical examinations, blood and urine tests, and blood pressure estimation. Typically we’d recommend these at 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after treatment, but they can vary between cats (and vets!) and aren’t compulsory.
How to treat hyperthyroidism in cats?
Feline Hyperthyroidism may be treated with medicine, surgery, or radioactive iodine: 1 Medical therapy for feline hyperthyroidism (methimazole - Tapazole®) is required daily, is a life-long treatment, and does not cure the cat's hyperthyroid condition. The difficulties associated with giving pills to cats often causes stress to both the animal and owner. Tapazole may have side effects, especially relative to the liver and blood system. The drug therapy must be adjusted, based on periodic blood tests, and the cost of therapy and tests is usually over $800 per year. 2 Surgical therapy for feline hyperthyroidism requires anesthesia, may need to be repeated, and may result in a deficiency of parathyroid hormone if these glands are inadvertently removed. Surgery may not be effective in removing all of the affected thyroid tissue causing feline hyperthyroidism. 3 Radioactive Iodine (I-131) therapy for feline hyperthyroidism is very effective, has few side effects, is a one-time treatment in over 95% of cats with hyperthyroidism, and does not require administration of pills or anesthesia. One injection under your cat's skin is all that is needed! The cost of radioactive iodine therapy is similar to the other forms of therapy, and is often less expensive when compared to long term medical therapy or the higher probability of a required second surgery.
What is the cause of cat hyperthyroidism?
Cat hyperthyroidism is a commonly diagnosed endocrine pathology in older cats. It is caused by a tumor that produces too much feline thyroid hormone. The disease is usually fatal if left untreated.
Can Iodine be used for hyperthyroidism in cats?
Surgery may not be effective in removing all of the affected thyroid tissue causing feline hyperthyroidism. Radioactive Iodine (I-131) therapy for feline hyperthyroidism is very effective, has few side effects, is a one-time treatment in over 95% of cats with hyperthyroidism, and does not require administration of pills or anesthesia.
Does tapazole help cats?
Medical therapy for feline hyperthyroidism (methimazole - Tapazole®) is required daily, is a life-long treatment, and does not cure the cat's hyperthyroid condition. The difficulties associated with giving pills to cats often causes stress to both the animal and owner.
Plan A: Flushable cat litter
To understand the default recommendation for litter box management following radioiodine therapy for hyperthyroidism there are a few concepts that one needs to understand.
Plan B: Alternative litter box management option
Lets face it, some cats are more particular about their litter box accommodations than others. Some cats have spent over a decade fine tuning their litter box material preferences and will react negatively, read eliminate elsewhere, if a sudden change in litter box filler (e.g., flushable litter) is forced on them.
Multiple pets
How does having another pet at home complicate the management of my hyperthyroid cat upon its return home from its radioiodine therapy?
Additional Resources
Looking for a good resource to help you understand your cat's behavior regarding its use of the litter box or anything else? Please consider purchasing Cat Mastery by Tony Buffington. This wonderful ebook is available for download at the iBooks bookstore.
