Cats with hyperthyroidism can live happier, healthier lives if their owners are well informed about the disease and its dietary management.
Here are some tips on managing hyperthyroidism, what to include in your hyperthyroid cat’s diet and why it’s so important in managing the disease.
Treatment of Hyperthyroidism in Cats
The goal of treating hyperthyroidism is to lower the levels of thyroid hormone in the body. This can be accomplished in a few ways.
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Radioactive iodine therapy
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Antithyroid drugs such as methimazole
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Special diets for hyperthyroid cats
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Thyroidectomy (largely replaced by radioactive iodine therapy)
You and your veterinarian can work together to determine the best treatment for your cat, but whatever approach you choose, diet is a key component of all treatments.
Prescription Food for Hyperthyroid Cats
Hyperthyroidism can often be managed with an iodine-restricted diet without the need for other medical treatment, although the effects of long-term iodine restriction on your cat’s health are still being studied.
Iodine levels in the diet of hyperthyroid cats should be limited to 0.32 ppm or less. The idea behind iodine restriction is that thyroid hormone production requires adequate iodine intake, so severely reducing iodine in the diet will limit the amount of thyroid hormone produced.
Hill’s® Prescription Diet Y/D Thyroid Care Canned Cat Food This is a commonly prescribed food that meets the above criteria. Dry food versions are also available.Hill’s® Prescription Diet y/d Thyroid Care Original Dry Cat Food.
It has been clinically proven that within three weeks of starting this type of hyperthyroidism diet, levels of T4 thyroid hormone begin to decline and often return to normal within a few months.
Important: Cats on an iodine restricted diet for the treatment of hyperthyroidism should not be fed anything other than the prescription diet.
This means no treats, no human food, and no scavenging or hunting for food, as any food outside of their prescribed diet can upset the careful balance of iodine intake needed to improve hormone levels.
Diet as part of other treatments for hyperthyroid cats
Many hyperthyroid cats who have been treated with radioactive iodine, methimazole or have had a thyroidectomy can benefit from eating a high protein, high energy food such as: Instinct® Original Grain Free Chicken Recipe Wet Cat Food or TikiCat® Hanalei Luau Wild Salmon Grain-Free Wet Cat FoodThese foods can help your cat regain weight and muscle mass lost due to hyperthyroidism.
However, if your cat has impaired kidney function, a more moderate amount of protein is recommended, as too much protein can worsen the condition of cats with kidney disease.
Canned food is ideal as it has a high water content, which helps to counterbalance the tendency of your cat to over-urinate due to high thyroid hormone levels. It’s also important to ensure your cat has access to clean water at all times.
Once your cat’s thyroid levels have been normalized through radioactive iodine therapy, methimazole, or thyroidectomy, and your cat has regained a healthy weight, its diet will need to be adjusted to meet its maintenance needs.
Your veterinarian can help you choose the right diet for your pet at every stage of treatment.
