Albuquerque Journal Articles
Feline hyperthyroidism (benign thyroid tumors) continues to advance among our pet cat population so I thought I’d share some useful research. The big bad guy in the blogosphere has been a chemical coating on the inside of pop-top cat food cans called bis phenol A. But there have also been links to certain types of cat litter, flea preventatives, and even chemicals in the environment that affect hormone levels. Flame retardants are also suspect. Research, I am learning from direct experience, is often complicated by multiple factors. Feline hyperthyroidism, first recognized in 1979, has become more common. At the…
Cat Food in Pop Top Cans & other possible Risk Factors Question: I just heard about the possible link between bisphenol-A in pop-top canned cat food and hyperthyroidism. How can I safely feed canned food to my cats? From another reader: I heard that tuna can cause hyperthyroidism in cats. Dr. Nichol: There is evidence that food from pop top cans may put cats at risk of hyperthyroidism (benign thyroid tumors) but other factors are clearly at work. A disease of older cats that causes weight loss, voracious appetites, and potentially fatal heart and kidney disease, hyperthyroidism is curable,…
Methimazole Helps Many. Consider the Cures Carefully Question: My 10 year old female cat was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism 2 years ago and placed on oral methimazole 10mg. The dose was too high (she wouldn’t eat or play and she was always cold) so she has been taking 5mg. for the past year. Now our vet is saying that her dose needs to be increased again even though neither her behavior nor weight have changed. I am very concerned about the increase, but I certainly don’t want to shorten her life span. Is a surgical option worth the risks involved? Dr. Nichol:…
Symptoms are Red Flags; there is Help for Financial Constraints Question: Gritz is an 8 year old cat, weighs 14 lbs. His urine has an overwhelming odor. When he uses the litter box it sounds like a fire hose. It seems sticky. He has a good appetite and drinks plenty of water. He was very sick 1 month ago with severe dehydration, not eating, drinking, or going to the bathroom. He also had a very sticky clear substance that he was drooling. The only thing the vet could find was a high protein level in his urine. He now seems…
New Insulin & Better Diets Question: Please write about feline diabetes and its management. Every owner I meet has been told something different by his/her vet. Food is a biggy, but what brands? Wet? Dry? Carbs vs. protein? What types of insulin are best? Dr. Nichol: There are good reasons for the differing information. Some diabetics require a change in treatment because they stop responding. To further muddy the waters some reliable forms of insulin are recently no longer available. We still have good choices. Many newly diagnosed cats with uncomplicated diabetes do very well on glargine insulin.…
Many Feline Diabetes can do Fine Without Expensive Insulin Question: I have a 14 year old diabetic cat. We’ve always used Humulin U insulin. We now use PZI-Vet at a cost of $100 versus $30.00 for the Humulin that we can’t get anymore. Are there less expensive alternatives? I’m not putting a dollar amount on my kitty’s life-she’s priceless. I’m frustrated and worry about those unfortunate kitties whose owners can’t afford it. Once again the drug manufactures have seen a golden opportunity to increase their profits. Dr. Nichol: Diabetes is no fun for anybody but for many cats it…
When to Feed, What type of Insulin Question: My 14 year old cat has just been diagnosed with diabetes. She is getting 2 units of insulin once a day in the morning. Everything I read on the internet says it should be given after she eats. She nibbles her dry food all day and gets canned food at night. She does not like any change in her routine. If I feed her the can in the morning, she will expect another at night, and she is already overweight. If I don’t give it to her, she will be spiteful, and…
Learn about this difficult disease & how best to control it. Question: My 13-year-old cat has recently been diagnosed with diabetes. My doctor has me injecting him twice a day with insulin before his meals. I feed him 1/4 small can of W/D in the morning and 1/4 can at night with some crunchy food on the side. I have talked with another cat owner who only gives her cat one shot a day and less food at night. Do you recommend one method over the other? I would much rather only have to give him one shot a…
Potentially devastating, it’s nearly always treatable. Question: I have a male cat about 7 years old who was just diagnosed as diabetic. He has been slowly losing weight and has great thirst. Are you aware of any medications for cats to control the diabetes as with humans? Dr. Nichol: While some diabetic cats can be challenging the majority do well with treatment. But if you plan to move ahead with management of his disease you need to proceed with your eyes open. Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) is caused by an inability to get the essential sugars in our…
Cats who drink & urinate a lot may have diabetes. Some cases are complicated by an additional hormone disorder called Cushings. Both are treatable. Question: My 9-year-old cat was diagnosed with diabetes in May. Now, additionally, she has Cushings Disease. What is it and what is the prognosis? I understand it is rare in cats. Dr. Nichol: You’re smart to ask questions. These two diseases are separate problems for your kitty but they are related. It’s complicated but if treated properly she has a strong chance of doing OK. Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) is common in cats and…