Is radioiodine safe for cats with hyperthyroidism?
Clients frequently have the following 2 questions when considering radioiodine therapy for their cat's hyperthyroidism. 1.) What are the risks to my cat, because he/she was treated with radioactive iodine for its hyperthyroidism. and 2.) What are the risks to me or other individuals who share space with my cat following its treatment with radioactive
Why is my cat lethargic after radioactive iodine?
After Radio-Iodine After radio-iodine treatment, your cat should be cured of hyperthyroidism. But they’ll need careful handling for a while, to keep everyone safe. 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.
Can My Cat come into contact with other cats after radiation?
Jun 15, 2011 · Ingrid says: October 10, 2017 at 5:29 am. Some cats can become hypothyroid after the radioactive iodine treatment, which may be causing her lethargy and sluggishness. It’s usually temporary, although in rare cases, cats may need medication if it …
Can a cat become hypothyroid after thyroid treatment?
Radiation can be especially damaging to growing tissues. But the amount of radiation that you will be emitting is not expected to be harmful to an adult. The same should hold true for an adult cat (or dog for that matter). Chronic exposure to radiation could increase the chances of developing cancer.
Can I touch 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 pet my cat after radioactive iodine?
After Radio-Iodine. After radio-iodine treatment, your cat should be cured of hyperthyroidism. But they'll need careful handling for a while, to keep everyone safe. 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.
Can you be around 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
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
Can my cat be around other cats after radioactive iodine treatment?
The radioiodine is given as a single oral dose of radioiodine on the day that your cat is admitted. After the treatment is administered, your kitty is placed in a special, lead-lined radiation isolation ward (as required by law), away from other animals not receiving this treatment.
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.
Will my cat gain weight after radioactive iodine treatment?
Your cat's behavior will change within a few weeks. Some cats require 2-3 months for all the clinical signs to return to normal. Your cat will become calmer, gain weight, better grooming, vomiting will stop, and less drinking and less urinating.
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 happens if I stop giving my cat thyroid medicine?
Methimazole may produce side effects in cats including depression, vomiting and lack of appetite. These signs usually resolve without stopping the medication. A more serious side effect is the development of low blood cell counts which are more likely to develop during the first 3 months of treatment.Apr 5, 2021
How long can a cat live on thyroid medicine?
When cats with preexisting renal disease were excluded, median survival time for cats treated with methimazole alone (2.0 years; interquartile range [IQR], 1 to 3.9 years) was significantly shorter than median survival time for cats treated with 131I alone (4.0 years; IQR, 3.0 to 4.8 years) or methimazole followed by ...Feb 15, 2006
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 long does it take for a cat to show signs of hyperthyroidism?
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.
What happens when X-rays pass through the body?
When x-rays, or any ionizing radiation, pass through the body they cause electrons to be ejected from atoms, leaving behind positive ions. These positive ions, or free radicals, can cause damage to DNA. DNA can also be damaged directly by radiation. If DNA is damaged, there are three possible outcomes:
Can hyperthyroidism be diagnosed?
Ultimately of course, these conditions can be diagnosed. However once the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism has been made, and no other illnesses are identified, the motivation to perform further diagnostics, especially those that require the need for anesthetics or are invasive may be lost.
Is radioactive iodine dangerous?
The risks of ingesting radioactive iodine and the risks of being around a patient that has been treated with radioactive iodine are very different. 1.) Risk to the patient: Risks related to radioiodine: The radioiodine (I-131) used to treat thyroid disease in people and animals emits both gamma rays and beta particles.
What happens if DNA is damaged?
If DNA is damaged, there are three possible outcomes: The cell dies (only occurs with very high doses). The cell repairs itself perfectly (most common result). The cell repairs itself with mistakes (rare). The inaccurate repair of DNA is rare, but can cause a cell to act wildly or grow into a cancer.
Does radioactive iodine cause thyroid cancer?
Hence for a transient period following radioiodine therapy, the patient's urine contains excreted radioiodine which will emit beta particles as it continues to decay. The risks associated with low level ingestion of radioactive iodine relate to an increased risk of developing thyroid cancer.
Can cats have thyroid disease?
Another significant risk for hyperthyroid cats is not actually related to their thyroid disease. Once the correct dose of radioiodine has been determined and administered, most of the time the tumors responsible for causing the elevated thyroid levels resolve and the cats are cured.
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 long do cats live?
However, as humans usually live on average 75-80 years and cats will live on average 13-15 years. The chances of developing a cancer because of radiation exposure is much smaller for an animal than for a human.
Is radiation harmful to cats?
Radiation can be especially damaging to growing tissues. But the amount of radiation that you will be emitting is not expected to be harmful to an adult. The same should hold true for an adult cat (or dog for that matter). Chronic exposure to radiation could increase the chances of developing cancer.
How to avoid radiation?
Here are some ways to minimize radiation risks to other people (and pets) after you have had RAI treatment: 1 Stay at least six feet away from other people, including members of the public, family members, and co-workers, for three to 11 days. This means avoiding public transportation, hotels, carpools, and in some cases, your workplace. 2 Sleep apart from adults by at least six feet (a separate bedroom is recommended) and avoid sexual activity. 3 Avoid sleeping in the same bed with a pregnant woman, infant, or child for a period of six to 23 days. According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, infants and children should ideally stay outside the home for the recommended period. 1 4 To protect family pets, do not sleep with them for up to 21 days.
How to minimize radiation risks?
Keep Your Distance. Here are some ways to minimize radiation risks to other people (and pets) after you have had RAI treatment: Stay at least six feet away from other people, including members of the public, family members, and co-workers, for three to 11 days. This means avoiding public transportation, hotels, carpools, and in some cases, ...
Can you travel on an airplane after radiation?
If you will be traveling via airplane or crossing an international border in the period following RAI treatment, you must be provided with a written document from your doctor stating they you have been given a medical treatment involving radiation, as security monitoring devices can detect it. 3
Does iodine affect thyroid?
Because the radioactive iodine used (known as iodine 131) may expose those around you to the effects of radiation (and theoretically negatively affect their thyroid glands), you will be given guidelines on how to prevent such exposure. Laura Porter / Verywell.
Can cats be cooped up in their carriers?
Most cats dislike traveling and resent being cooped up in their cat carriers, but a free-range cat in a moving vehicle can become a terrified, furry missile. An unconfined cat is distracting to the driver, and vulnerable to injury or escape.
Is my cat healthy?
Your cat seems healthy. She eats well, looks good, and hasn’t changed her activity level. But cats, like the rest of us, can experience subtle health shifts, from poor vision to kidney dysfunction. Felines are masters at concealing their ills and compensating for problems.
Can fleas get into my house?
Believe it or not , fleas and the mosquitos that carry heartworms can easily enter your home and cause big problems for cats. You may walk fleas into your home after visiting a friend with a dog or cat, and mosquitos can zip through a door or window that is left open for just a few seconds.
How to take over ownership of a cat after you die?
The first thing you’ll need to do is find someone who’s willing to take over ownership of your cat after you die. Think about your friends and family members and determine which home would be best for your cat.
What to do if your cat has a favorite toy?
If your cat has a favorite toy or brand of catnip, you’ll also want to make sure these are included in the instructions. There are also additional decisions to be made when a pet trust is in place as to how the money is provided to the caregiver and how much the caregiver is overseen in their care.
What is a pet trust?
A pet trust gives you the most control, which includes allowing a certain amount of money to be released every month to care for your cat.
What to say in a trust for a cat?
Something else you can specify in a pet trust to ensure your cat is well-cared for is what supplies the caregiver provides for them. If your cat loves her floor-to-ceiling cat tree, you can say that one must be provided for her.
Do cats like to have their own space?
However, cats do like to have at least one area to call their own . So, if there are too many other people and pets to allow your cat to have her own space, you may want to move on to other candidates.
Do cats have their own environment?
No matter how many people and pets are in a home, every home has its own environment. Some are louder, with people constantly coming and going. Others are quieter with much more consistency. Make sure your cat’s personality is matched to the home environment they’re going into. Otherwise, she’ll end up being over- or understimulated.
What is a trust protector?
This is an independent third party (often the attorney who drafted the trust) who has special fiduciary power. For example, the trust protector may remove a bad trustee or change the withdrawal rates of beneficiaries. This person may also amend the trust after the trust maker has passed away, in case the law or certain circumstances change.