J Am Vet Med Assoc, 2006. Exposure limitations: While in radiology we use radiation shielding garments (lead aprons) to reduce gamma and x-ray exposure, the energy of the 131I gamma is four to five times higher and those garments are ineffective as a shield. Malcolm Weir, DVM, MSc, MPH; Krista Williams, BSc, DVM; Robin Downing, DVM, CVPP, CCRP, DAAPM; Ernest Ward, DVM. Thyroid hormones affect nearly all of the organs in the body; therefore, thyroid disease often causes secondary problems. Although it has a slightly higher iodine content than the previous option, Tiki Cat Hanalei Luau Wild Salmon is the best value for money. A swollen or tender neck and feeling flushed. Copyright 2019 Advanced Veterinary Medical Imaging. Cats receive a single dose of radioactive iodine by either subcutaneous injection or by a capsule given by mouth. The three ways that we control exposures to external sources of radiation are time, distance, and shielding. There are fundamental differences between a continuous dose over a year (background radiation) and a dose that occurs over a few seconds like in CT, but these are helpful comparisons. The radioactive iodine is useful in treating the condition that your veterinarian has diagnosed in your cat. One way to treat a cat with hyperthyroidism is with an oral medication that contains methimazole. To convert these to traditional units we have prepared a. A standard Chest x-ray is 0.1 mSv. Subpart D-Radiation Dose Limits for Individual Members of the Public Radioactive iodine. The risk to these cats is the simple fact that many cats in the age range when cats develop hyperthyroidism (8+ years) also develop other diseases. Due to the damaging effects of hyperthyroid-induced hypertension on your cats kidneys, blood kidney values must be reassessed once the thyroxine level has normalized, even if they were normal on initial blood tests. . Prominent in the regulations established by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for radioactive materials users are guidelines that limit exposure to radiation workers, and members of the general public. The thyroid takes up the radioactive iodine, which destroys cells in the thyroid. For this prescription diet to work, it must be the only food fed, which means no cheating with treats. Many doctors recommend that women avoid becoming pregnant for 6 months to a year after treatment. As for equipment for tracking radioactive contamination, there really is no readily available "home-testing" equipment. Because of the important role the thyroid gland plays in the body, some cats with hyperthyroidism develop secondary problems, including heart disease and high blood pressure. Many owners of cats with hyperthyroidism are hesitant to have radiation therapy or surgery because of their cat's advanced age. Cats also sweat through their paws and the sweat will have trace amounts of radioactive iodine. Before treatment he was ravenous and losing weight -- typical of cats with that disorder I'm told. A medication called methimazole, which interferes with thyroid hormone production, is less expensive but requires daily administration. The radioactivity carries no significant risk for the cat, but precautionary protective measures are required for people who come into close contact with the cat. Having lost my 18-year-old feline member of the family a few years ago, I completely understand the attachment and your desire to not stress the cat. Radioactive iodine therapy offers a cure through a simple injection that returns thyroid function to normal levels. And not only do we love the pets, we also love their people, and you are our reason for making this site. What this means is that occasionally we invest clients economic and perhaps more importantly, emotional resources in treating and resolving hyperthyroidism is cats with other, currently unknown diseases. This can best be done by monitoring your cat's body condition, muscle condition, and weight. The more common symptoms are an increase in thirst, urination, and appetite, as well as weight loss. No ill effects have been noted in the children born to parents who received radioactive iodine in the past. Additionally, diet may play a significant role in managing the disease, whether as a sole treatment or as an adjunct tool to address changes in your cats body related to hyperthyroidism. Natural background radiation exposure accounts for an average of 3.1 mSv/yr with variations depending on where you live. However, because your cat will be radioactive for several days after receiving the shot, precautions must be taken during and after the treatment. Answer posted on 30 March 2019. This helps us offset the costs of running this site, so thank you for your support! Iodine-131, Hyperthyroidism, and Radioactive Iodine Therapy Iodine-131 (I-131) is a radioisotope of iodine with a physical half-life of 8.02 days; its primary decay emissions include a 606 keV - particle with 89.6% abundance and a 364 keV -ray with 81.5% abundance (Knolls Atomic Power Lab 2010). Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is another potential complication of hyperthyroidism, and can cause additional damage to several organs, including the eyes, kidneys, heart, and brain. Many older cats with overactive thyroids have actual enlargement of the gland which can be felt in the neck by your veterinarian. Why is the average risk of developing cancer so high? He rejected the Fancy Feast stuff and gobbled the baby food along with eating a little variety of the many dry foods we tried in an effort to find one that he really liked. Your cat can receive methimazole, a medication that inhibits thyroid hormone production. Other therapeutic monitoring. It has the advantage of being curative in most cases with no ongoing treatment. Anti-thyroid drugs act by reducing the production and release of thyroid hormone from the thyroid gland. Because the radioactive iodine used (known as iodine 131) may expose those around you to the effects of radiation (and theoretically negatively affect their thyroid glands), you will be given guidelines on how to prevent such exposure. Symptoms include weight loss, muscle wasting, increased appetite, increased thirst and urination, vomiting, unkempt appearance, and sometimes hyperactivity. The estimates of risk currently used are extrapolated from patients that have received much higher doses (e.g., atomic bomb survivors) using the linear, no-threshold model of radiation exposure risk. This isnotan iodine-free diet but a diet with a controlled iodine content of 0.2ppma minimal amount. This can be accomplished in several ways: Radioactive iodine therapy. In cats, an underactive thyroid is extremely rare. Within one year after discontinuation of MMI, hyperthyroidism recurred in 104 patients. As to your question about "home-testing equipment" and "something else to monitor and determine (your) exposure," there really are no good options for that. She gained and ate a lot and we were more than happy. 2 The goal of RAI treatment is to restore euthyroidism while avoiding the development of hypothyroidism. American Academy of Pediatrics. How long can a cat live after radioactive iodine treatment? Radioiodine treatment avoids surgery, anesthesia, and anti-thyroid drugs. However, an overactive thyroid is quite common. Prognosis Although this procedure is usually very effective, it is more expensive and requires the cat being . Dietary restriction of iodine is, however, somewhat controversial because of concerns about the effects of long-term iodine restriction on overall health and the possibility that such a diet may actually backfire and worsen hyperthyroidism. We found out about the radioactive iodine treatment and after lots.of research decided this was the way to go. Weight seemed to stabilize in the long-term setting, with minimal increases between 8 and 12 months and at 24 months after radioactive iodine treatment. Before deciding the form of treatment, several tests are performed, including additional blood tests, a urinalysis, chest radiographs (X-rays), an ECG, and blood pressure measurements. There are four treatment options for feline hyperthyroidism: medication, radioactive iodine therapy, surgery, and dietary therapy. Your veterinarian has recommended I131 for your cat. The most common clinical sign of hyperthyroidism is weight loss due to the increased rate of metabolism despite an increased appetite. The recommended food for cats with thyroid problems is high in protein yet low in carbohydrates, iodine (around 0.32 ppm) and phosphate. What is the biggest concern with nuclear meltdown and why? 197(2): p. 125-136. The typical cat with hyperthyroidism is middle-aged or older; the average age of affected cats is approximately 12 years. Because of the short distances they travel they never exit the patient and as a result no one other than the patient is at risk from exposure to the beta particles unless they internalized the radioiodine excreted by the patient. The required dose of methimazole can change over time, so monitoring thyroid levels in treated animals is recommended every 3-6 months once their condition is stable. 4. Thyrotoxic cardiomyopathy may develop because the heart enlarges and thickens to meet the increased metabolic demands. Since fewer than 2% of cats with hyperthyroidism have cancerous growths of the thyroid gland, treatment is usually very successful. When it comes to survival, the studies that have been done show that cats cured of their thyroid disease by radioactive iodine live much longer (up to twice as long) when compared to hyperthyroid cats treated by methimazole. RAI is a form of radioactive nuclear medication that permanently destroys thyroid tissue. There are virtually no side effects, and there is no pain associated with 131I treatment. Finally, thyroid hormone has a role in kidney function and blood flow that may result in either directly damaging the kidney or obscuring underlying kidney disease that your cat may already have. Feeding an iodine-limited diet (Hills Prescription Diet y/d) can resolve clinical signs and lower thyroid hormone concentration. Conveniently, the main use of iodine in the body is the production of thyroid hormone, so a deficient diet shouldnt cause any other health issues in a hyperthyroid cat. If we use the linear no-threshold model we could estimate that the exposure to 1 mSv would therefore have a risk of less than 0.01% (or 1/100th of 1 %) of causing cancer over the remaining life of an adult. This is because the parathyroid glands (responsible for calcium balance in the body) are near the thyroid gland and may be damaged or accidentally removed during surgery. In some cats, anorexia develops as the disease progresses. Dry, dull coat. Endocrinology, 1988. If you suspect your cat might be experiencing some of these symptoms, the next step is visiting your veterinarian for a blood test to check your cats thyroid hormone levels. Hyperthyroidism may also cause vomiting, diarrhea, and hyperactivity. The treatment options for hyperthyroidism are: Oral medication. Do not allow your cat to sleep against your body. A blood chemistry panel and urinalysis will provide information about other organs and provide your veterinarian with an overall picture of your cats health. Ten patients (6.4%) had DS (Down Syndrome) and 33 (21.0%) had received ATDs before RAI ablation. . The majority of cancers occur later in life and the average lifetime risk of dying from cancer is 25%. Certain studies suggest that in some hyperthyroid cats, limiting the amount of iodine in the diet may be a viable option for treating this disease. If you can't bear to be away from him, or if he becomes very stressed or frightened when you're not around, that isolation could be difficult. JavaScript is disabled. About 25% of cats with hyperthyroidism become hypertensive. Hair loss. The advantages of radioactive iodine therapy are that the procedure most often cures hyperthyroidism, has no serious side effects, and does not require anesthesia. In a study of 524 hyperthyroid cats treated with I-131, only 11/524 (2.1%) developed The injection has no direct side effects. If possible, I would like to wear protective clothing so we can return to our familiar habit of living/sleeping in 24-hour close physical contact to minimize his stress and promote his recovery. Thyroid hormone regulates the metabolic rate of an animal. The radioiodine is eliminated in urine and feces. Thus, individuals who opt for . Hopefully this answers your questions and good luck with your cat. Radioactive iodine targets the thyroid tissue - as this is the only tissue in the body that uses significant quantities of iodine. The radioactive iodine damages these cells and causes your thyroid to shrink and thyroid hormone levels to go down over a few weeks. 2004. Note that the reference above excluding licensee's from considering "exposure to individuals administered radioactive material" in their compliance with the NRC regulartions does not apply to animals. For this long-term treatment, the cat is injected with the radioactive iodine, which destroys the tissue of the overactive thyroid gland. This disease is common in older cats. After initial stabilisation with oral medications, a number of curative treatments are also available. Remember that theNRC regulationsrequire that release criteria and discharge instructions provided to owners of hyperthyroid cats prevent exposures of more than 1 mSv. Also called thyrotoxicosis, hyperthyroidism is caused by an increase in production of thyroid hormones (known as T3 and T4) from an enlarged thyroid gland in a cats neck.
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