Peterson M.E.
Conference Proceedings, (2011). American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine: p.104-106
Most hyperthyroid cats, at least in the early stages of their disease, can be readily controlled with antithyroid drugs. Similarly, most cats with mild to moderate hyperthyroidism are cured quite easily with standard “low” doses of radioiodine or by use of surgical thyroidectomy. Occasionally, the practicing veterinarian will see hyperthyroid cats that become unresponsive to antithyroid drug treatment, generally after months of satisfactory control. Other cats treated with either thyroidectomy or radioiodine remain persistently hyperthyroid or experience relapse shortly after treatment. Such problematic hyperthyroid cats can be frustrating to manage, especially as their disease becomes more severe and they develop complications of advanced and/or poorly controlled hyperthyroidism.