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Lilith wrote: From my reading I've learned that psyllium should only be used in the short term - but at what dose? This doesn't seem very clear. I'm hazarding a guess that the dose you use is very small?

When a vet prescribed them to me for Lola who was periodically constipated he said that they could have been used for life. I started giving those seeds to both cats in May 2015 and never stopped.
Lola never had a blocked day since.
Pallina is still regular in her litter tray.
The dose the vet told me was 10-15 seeds a day.
At the beginning I used to count them, now I put a tiny amount of seeds, they can be 20 or 30 a day.

With the jelly it was harder to understand how much I was giving them.

Thanks guys - Booktigger that's encouraging to know (aww another Molly!) I hate having to syringe the stuff down her and so does she; it makes her heave. But if I did have to give it regularly I do know it works for her. Haven't tried it in food yet, perhaps I should - though she's very canny about knowing if anything's adulterated.

Antonio I wonder if the dose of psyllium recommended was a small maintenance dose. It's certainly worked for your cats. I just need to find something that works, that Mouse doesn't resent, and is easy to adminster and is safe in the long-term ... DO wish she'd go back to eating the Fibre Response!

I gave her some tuna in oil last night (and the gingers too of course) and didn't drain the oil from her portion. I was hoping for the 1812 overture, complete with cannons, but ... nothing as yet ... we wait in hopes ...

Lactulose is kind of sweet and they say cats can't taste sweet, so it should go rather unnoticed in the wet food

Try and ask your vet about psyllium seeds, it could be interesting to listen to a different opinion.

My Molly was picky about things being added in her food, and she was fine with Lactulose, which I put straight in her food. It is sticky though, so you have to be careful. Psyllium was mentioned by the CT vet for Lucy, as high fibre food is recommended for hypercalcaemia. Would Mouse eat a mix of fibre response and a different dry food?

Thanks - I will ask the vet about psyllium, and it's good to know a picky cat will eat Lactulose in food, but she's suddenly gone a bit off her food and a bit stary coated and the Lactulose was low so I resorted to the syringe in case she wouldn't take it in food. Poor love, she bore up very well, cuddled her afterwards and kissed her and stroked her throat to make her swallow; then she got down and had a cough, a proper Siamese cough, neck outstretched, high pitched croupy 'woof woof'' noise as she brings it up from her boots ... all Siamese and Siamese mixtures do this; it's a Siamese national custom.

Yes, I've been spiking her FR with different dried, in small packets from the supermarket, novelty, and it's been well-received but ... is it Mouse who's scoffing it or Molly? I can't be sure ...

The syringe reminded me of a disgraceful episode when my first Siamese litter went down with some sort of lurgy, and were prescribed antibiotics, to be adminstered by syringe. This was in 1985 and I was the oldest punk in Wakefield, shaved spiky black and pink hair, weird ratty clothes, lots of kohl, and living in a small and very nosy village. I had to chase the little horrors round the front room and catch them before I could dose them, and all the gossips used to peer in ... well, I suppose you would, if you saw some woman with black and pink spiky hair etc, running round a room with a syringe clamped between her teeth ...

Oh dear the embarrassing episodes our cats put us through ...

Well, a bit of an update ...

I ended up taking her to the vet to be on the safe side, as her appetite was up and down and although she was passing small hard motions I wanted reassurance that there was nothing impacted in there like last time ... there wasn't

The vet said that if she wasn't showing any interest in the dried food then her stools wouldn't be as bulky, but to go on with the Lactulose. I asked about the psyllium, Antonio, and she said this was a good idea too, so Mouse has been on Lactulose and psyllium, and is about normal now. Not horse droppings, but respectable. I'm also trying to tempt her with different dry foods to get her back into the habit of eating more dry, when I'll sneakily re-introduce the Fibre Response ... she's a cat that gets bored easily. Her weight's increased to 4.36 kilos.

So all in all, pretty good. I'm keeping her on the psyllium and hoping she gets more adventurous about the dried. I've probably been worrying too much, but I didn't want to let her down, especially after all she's been through.

Again thanks everybody who's been reading and posting on this very long thread, Mousey sends purrs

Hi again, a quick update. Mouse should have had her blood/urine tests a couple of weeks ago but they got delayed; however she's been today (she was a very good girl regarding the overnight fasting and the using of the plastic granules; I thought she might go mad, shut up yet again on her own, but she coped, bless her.)

The test results won't be back for a week or two, but her blood pressure is 170 (it was 140 last time; hard to know whether this is down to agitation though) and her weight is 4.6 kilos The other day I gave her a cuddle and thought - wow, you're back to being my heavy Mouse again. She's eating well and her coat's looking wonderful.

I'm very pleased with her

Lilith, last night I was going to write a post and ask you how Mouse is doing.
Well, it seems that she's doing fine and her weight is increasing, very good!
Don't know about the blood pressure, Pallina has never been checked on this and as far as I know it mostly depends on how the BP is measured. I know there are different methods (I've seen at least three differet machines) and how agitated the cat is and how long the trip/waiting has been.
Did they tell you anything about the pressure? Is 170 too high?

It seems I'm not the only one who has to wait a long time to get the results from a thyroid test...
Hopefully everything will be fine!
Kisses to Mouse.

Thanks - Mousey sends kisses back

I didn't know either about BP but I emailed the centre re her weight and BP and to tell them that though the tests are late, they've been done now, and got a message back saying everything sounded fine, and I've just googled and found out that normal BP is up to 180.

I think also she would have been scared about the visit.

Fusses to Pallina x

Hi Lilith & Antonio I'm following your posts on Pallina & Mousey and hope you both read this. Appears Mousey's coping well & Antonio hope Pallina's feeling better. Fusses to them both. Vivian

Mayday21, Pallina is feeling much better in the last day. Yesterday she ate her usual and tis morning she was even hungrier.
I keep giving her 1/4 pill of Cypro and two shots of Ranitidine daily, so I think it was mainly a problem of stomach ache now under control.
Fingers crossed she keeps going this way

Cuddles and kisses to all kitties!

Lilith, any news from the lab for Mouse's thyroid levels?

Hi Antonio - nothing as yet, and I've phoned them to pay the invoice. I think it was around a fortnight's wait last time.

But I'm not worrying - Mouse is doing fine

Lots of love to Pallina - have just been reading your latest post and hope all will be fine for her x

The Mousey update -

Results came through today - T4 19.9, liver enzymes ok, creatinine 140, STMA 14, globulin 46. All ok

Urine ok though a little dilute, and I'm advised to have an extra blood pressure check on her before the next test in February, just to monitor things, but no concern, no need for any intervention at the moment.

Mousey affectionate, cheeky and eating well, sends very loud purrs to you all

Lilith wrote:The Mousey update -

Results came through today - T4 19.9, liver enzymes ok, creatinine 140, STMA 14, globulin 46. All ok

Urine ok though a little dilute, and I'm advised to have an extra blood pressure check on her before the next test in February, just to monitor things, but no concern, no need for any intervention at the moment.

Mousey affectionate, cheeky and eating well, sends very loud purrs to you all

Very very good news!!!
It seems that the expense and the stress of this summer were well worth it
Cuddles to Mouse!

That's good news - her urine may be a bit dilute as 14 is the top end of normal on an SDMA test.

Hi Antonio, cuddles passed on and Mouse says thanks

Yes, Booktigger, Andrew (vet) said it was just within the ok level ... lol thought it was STMA, you know I ought to be clued up by now but I'm not - this is why I'm keeping this chronicle, not just as (perhaps) a guide for anyone in a similar situation but for me as well. Must google SDMA as at the moment I wouldn't know one if it crawled up my leg and bit me on my ... errm ... backside.

I've lived with cats for over 60 years and still learning!

Not sure what it stands for, but it basically picks up loss of kidney function at 30%, whereas by the time Urea/Creatnine are high, they have around 70% loss of kidney function, so the idea is that you can pick it up earlier and manage it earlier. It is a very new test.

I think I have understood that the sample has to be sent to Germany for the test.
IDEXX labs are all over, but it seems that they just collect the samples. I called the Italian branch two days ago, I asked them for a bit of info on some thyroid tests to be done at their labs.
They were very tight, they didn't want to talk to me because i am not a vet, however they said that any sample they receive is sent to Germany.

Antonio wrote:I think I have understood that the sample has to be sent to Germany for the test.
IDEXX labs are all over, but it seems that they just collect the samples. I called the Italian branch two days ago, I asked them for a bit of info on some thyroid tests to be done at their labs.
They were very tight, they didn't want to talk to me because i am not a vet, however they said that any sample they receive is sent to Germany.

I don't think they do in the UK, I'm trying to remember what the last IDEXX test I saw said on it.

I came to this forum looking for information about post radio-iodine treatment management - thanks for such a helpful discussion. Pippin is 14 and a half, rather arthritic but otherwise healthy, and was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism about 4 weeks ago after losing a lot of weight since Spring. He has responded well to ThyroNorm drops (which are very easy to give, as he is a placid, long suffering cat), gaining weight and steadier heart beat while not showing any signs of kidney or liver problems, and my vet agrees that radio-iodine is the best treatment option for him. Fortunately I have been stashing money into a savings account for some years (when insurance for two dogs and two cats hit £1,000 a year and rising it became the obvious thing to do!) so I can cover the costs, but I have been debating whether to bring him home ASAP and manage the isolation, or have him stay as long as possible in Wetherby. He is a placid, easy going cat who likes company but is happy to snooze in a warm spot, as long as nice food arrives regularly, but he is used to having access to the great outdoors, and I think if he were at home but shut in he might find it more difficult than being in a cattery environment. I am also just a bit daunted at the thought of keeping the dogs away from his litter tray (the one real risk seems to be from ingested faeces...) and storing used litter for months - we are not on mains drainage. There again, I have a study/spare bedroom that I could set up for him with an "air lock" to keep him in and dogs out, and spend time there keeping him company... Perhaps the answer is two weeks at the centre, and the rest at home? What has other people's experience been?

Hi fjm and welcome

Glad this thread has been helpful. I too was worried about the isolation period after Mouse's homecoming but apart from an initial 'I'm not staying in here!' reaction she was fine - I think I mentioned that even when the door to her room was open at last she was so used to being penned that she didn't come out for a while. Yes, with dogs about you'd definitely have to keep the litter tray out of bounds ... or jaws ... And if you're not on the mains you'd have to store used litter until it was safe, but if you've got a cellar or shed or spare wheelybin this might not be too bad at this time of year. When a cat is fresh from the iodine treatment you do have to stay 6' away from it apart from brief strokes; a cat wanting to climb all over you and kiss you can't be allowed, unfortunately, for your own safety, so it does mean that isolation has to be isolation unless you can arrange with Pippin to be on opposite sides of the room. I would give Mouse a quick stroke while I fed her; at the end of isolation we celebrated with a kiss!

One thing I can promise you, if you rang the Wetherby Centre they would take time to discuss any queries with you - they are incredibly helpful and understanding.

Good luck to you and Pippin, please let us know how you go on, whatever you decide and any queries, we're here on the forum too - Mousey sends loud purrs

Thanks Lilith - I am sure I will be having long conversations with them in the new year. We only got the results of the post-medication blood test yesterday, so I doubt my vet has been able to set the referral process in motion, and he will be away over Christmas, so it will be a few weeks before everything is sorted. Looking back it is less than 4 weeks since Pippin was diagnosed, it just seems a lot longer as it has been a busy month. He is now sprawled on my lap purring, after a dose of Loxicom for his arthritis served with cooked chicken and a dose of ThyroNorm squirted into his mouth while he was eating it. I am making the most of cuddle time while I can!

my late cat Trigger was given the Ii31 treatment in 2014, and was isolated at the vets for 16 days

I was not told I must keep him in, so he was allowed into the enclosed area of my garden, where he used his earth pit - I just poured a couple of pints of water into it each evening and buried solids into another part of the garden - I also threw out a blanket he peed on on the way home

I was told I would have had to have been more careful had I been younger, and of child-bearing age, but as I understand it the regulations are imposed by the licensing authorities, and are aimed at the most vulnerable, so total adherence to them varies according to the individual

Thanks Kay. I live in a converted Victorian building, with several acres of shared grounds that the cats consider their territory. There are children, young women and dogs using the grounds, so I will have to be scrupulous about keeping him in and managing waste - a secure private garden would certainly make it easier! From what I have read ingesting the faeces, even when the radioactivity is quite low, is the highest risk - and we all know how dogs can be around cat poo... It is good to know so many people have managed the isolation time without too many problems - the key seems to be preparation, and it sounds as if the Hyperthyroid Cat Centre gives all the advice necessary for that. I am already feelng more confident that I can cope.

I am also beginning to realise just how much time Pippin spends on my lap - he has just eased Sophy-dog off, by gently spreading into her until she could bear it no longer, and is now in prime position. Poppy-dog is cuddled in beside me, and Tilly-cat has squeezed between the two. It is no wonder I get so little done these days - I spend half my life under a heap of animals!

Fjm , my cat was diagnosed with HT in September 2016 and treated with radio iodine in August this year. This long time was due to the inexperience of my vets because here in Italy this therapy is mostly unknown.
I have a thread on my experience.

Pallina, my cat, stayed in isolation at the facility where she received her radioactive injection. She was isolated for 4 days and then was discharged with a long list of do's and dont's. I was allowed to stay in the same room with her, but she should have stayed at least 1 metre from me. I was allowed to stroke her for not longer than 10 minutes a day, I was told to wash my hands after every contact. I should have used disposable gloves for scooping her litter, store the litter in a spare bin away from home for at least 3 months.
Well, I did everything as instructed except for the isolation. Pallina couldn't stand to be kept away from me, so I took my chances and allowed her to curl on my lap when she felt like.
The spare bin is still at the back of my yard, I could have gotten rid of it three or four weeks ago, but it's cold now, it doesn't bother me, I will dispose of the content in the next spring.

Thanks Antonio - Pippin is happy to curl up in a warm bed almost anywhere, so I think a cosy spot in my study and occasional cuddles will keep him reasonably happy. I have two huge garages (full of assorted workbenches, projects and stuff!) so do have somewhere to store litter etc, although I think a lidded bin by the dustbins may be easier to manage. He is bit of a dribbler, so I plan on covering the spare bed and other soft furnishings with polythene and then throws, that can be stored or chucked as appropriate. But it all really depends on the advice I get from the Centre - they may even find something that makes him an unsuitable candidate for the treatment.

fjm wrote:Thanks Antonio - Pippin is happy to curl up in a warm bed almost anywhere, so I think a cosy spot in my study and occasional cuddles will keep him reasonably happy. I have two huge garages (full of assorted workbenches, projects and stuff!) so do have somewhere to store litter etc, although I think a lidded bin by the dustbins may be easier to manage. He is bit of a dribbler, so I plan on covering the spare bed and other soft furnishings with polythene and then throws, that can be stored or chucked as appropriate. But it all really depends on the advice I get from the Centre - they may even find something that makes him an unsuitable candidate for the treatment.

I hope they do not think he's not a good candidate!!!
When I went to Ghent, Belgium, they were going to refuse the treatment because they found a slight heart murmur in my cat. They ran ultrasound and x-rays and then they decided to proceed. Thanks God! I had travelled 1100 km and prepared Pallina for this treatment for months!
The long course of tests made her receive her injection a day later.

As for the litter. I have a small lidded bin next to the door to the garden. I used to put the dirty litter in there (a plastic sack is in the bin), very handy when I have to move the whole covered tray outside for cleaning. Then, every second day I would tie the sack and dispose of it in a larger lidded bin at the end of the yard. I also put a sticker with the yellow warning sign for radioactive risk on this bin, it was something that I had dreamed of for decades

Lol Antonio, I did SO wish that Mousey's litter glowed green in the dark!

Shucks, it never did ...

Hi fjm, my Mouse has a heart murmur too but like Pallina this didn't prevent her from being able to receive the radio-iodine treatment. I think the preliminary screening by your local vet is usually enough for the centre to accept a cat for treatment, hope so anyway - good luck Pippin (and Pallina too) and all other cats with or recovering from HT for the new year

The Vet practice phoned me today to check some details for Pippin's referral to the the Hyperthyroid Cat Centre in Wetherby, so things are progressing. He is gaining weight steadily since he has been on Thyronorm, despite only getting a half dose for the few days I was away over Christmas (I wanted to make it as easy as possible for the kind neighbour looking after the cats). Research online into the optimal diet for rebuilding muscle after hyperthroidism indicates that is pretty nigh identical to what he gets already - meat with a balanced mixture of bone and offal - so I have simply increased the quantity and made sure he can reach it easily. I have also packed the freezer with small treat pots of cooked chicken to have with his Loxicom drops. He is thoroughly enjoying it all, despite the accusatory glares from Tilly-cat and the dogs, who feel any chicken going should be shared more equitably!