Dietary Iodine Level and Thyroid Function in the Cat

Feline hyperthyroidism was rarely reported until 1979 (Peterson 1984), but is now diagnosed frequently and is considered a common clinical condition in the cat. Hyperthyroidism is usually associated with    nodular goiter and is not considered to be autoimmune in origin. Reasons for the sudden emergence of this condition have been sought. Because a large proportion of cats in the Western world are fed commercially produced rations, various investigators (Mumma et al.1986) have focused on possible dietary causes. In particular, inappropriate dietary iodine concentrations have been examined.