Hyperthyroidism affects around 10% of senior cats and is usually straightforward to diagnose and manage. Typical clinical signs of hyperthyroidism include weight loss often in spite of a normal or even increased appetite. Routine lab tests often reveal erythrocytosis, leucocytosis and elevation of liver enzymes and more than 90% of patients’ hyperthyroidism is confirmed with a single total thyroxine (T4) measurement. Management options include reversible/life long treatment with anti-thyroid medication or feeding an iodine restricted food versus potentially curative surgical thyroidectomy or radioiodine. The ‘best’ treatment will depend on the patient, owner and location. Not all cases are easy to diagnose or treat, however, and Sarah will highlight tips and tricks for these more challenging cases. This will include discussion of how to approach cases that 'look' hyperthyroid but have normal lab results and how to manage patients with complex comorbidities.
- Define hyperthyroidism
- List common clinical signs of hyperthyroidism
- List diagnostic tests available to assist in the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism and their relative sensitivity and specificity
- State available treatment options
- Discuss potential advantages and disadvantages of each of the different treatment options
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Presented at BVA Live 2023
Clinical Theatre 2
Thursday, 11 May at 4:45 PM
Please note this session is not RACE-approved but you can still earn a CPD certificate