Hi Everyone,
 
Well, thought I might give a very very basic outline of thyroid problems.
I have medically induced hypothyroid myself (took radiation to kill off my
thyroid/Graves Disease).  I have also had a cat go through this.
 
Hyperthyroid is when the thyroid produces too much hormone.  It causes
symptoms such as losing weight, hyper-activity, reduced sleep, oily skin,
bulging eyes.  When I first got Graves Disease I couldn't even shut my eyes
from the twitching.  It is like lots and lots of caffine or speed.  It will
also cause fast heartbeats and pulse.  It can be treated three ways:
surgical removal of the thyroid gland, chemical removal (the patient
ingests radioactive iodine, the thyroid gland is the only thing in the body
that will absorb it) or trying to mediate the disease with medicine.  The
last is hard and largely no good.  The second is now governed under osha
rules and an animal receiving this will have to be isolated for a couple of
weeks until it is no longer radioactive.  (yes seriously, when I had this
done it was before the new osha rules and I would literally make grocery
store registers go bonkers when I got too close.  Alan said we should have
just flown me over Chernobyl instead.)
 
The result of surgical and chemical removal is either no or a very
under-functioning thyroid.  Some individuals have low thyroid function
naturally.  You test the levels of thyroid with two tests, called T3 and
T4.  It is important to do both, as one cannot always accurately measure
thyroid levels.  They basically measure two differing hormones produced by
the thyroid.
 
Hypothyroid symptoms include dry skin, weight gain, depression, fatigue and
increased appetite.
 
Hypothyroid (low functioning) can be supplemented by artificial or natural
thyroid hormones.  Everyone reacts differently to the various brands.  I
only feel good with one particular brand.  Also there are different meds to
react as differing hormones.  You must test regularly for hormone levels as
this is not a measure and take a pill and forget it thing.  I have my
thyroid tested every 6 months and often have to adjust my dose of meds.
Meds are given daily, sometimes twice a day and yes, a few hours can make a
difference.
 
My cat that had this was treated successfully for the thyroid, however, he
had a genetic defect in one of his heart valves.  Since the thyroid was
killed off, they could not get his heart function back to normal and he
died.  The vets were well aware of this and we were told before any
procedure took place.  We knew of this very possible outcome.  However,
having been hyperthyroid myself and seeing this elderly cat lose over 5
pounds and become constantly agitated, I knew it was the only option
available.  I would do the same thing again.
 
If you do suspect a problem, get thee to a vet.  In fact, unless you are
positively sure of the nature of any illness, get thee to a vet.  No one on
this list can diagnose or tell you how to treat anything.  The best we can
do is offer experience.  We can't see the animal in question or even so,
would know how to test it.
 
Mother Margaret
[Posted in FML issue 2620]