If your cat is exhibiting signs of hyperthyroidism, it’s essential to diagnose the problem.
This is commonly caused by an overactive thyroid gland. If left untreated, your feline could experience a number of life-threatening health issues.
So, when to put a cat to sleep with hyperthyroidism? Cats with hyperthyroidism often show symptoms that are extremely similar to common illnesses like viral infections and kidney problems.
This makes diagnosing hyperthyroidism difficult, and it takes time to realize that your cat has hyperthyroidism. Therefore, if your cat is showing symptoms of hyperthyroidism, it’s best to take them to an animal hospital or a vet for a checkup.
An animal hospital or a vet will examine your cat and tell whether your cat has hyperthyroidism or not. Once it’s confirmed, the vet will likely prescribe radioactive iodine therapy to put your cat to sleep with hyperthyroidism.
Radioactive iodine treatment puts your cat to sleep with hyperthyroidism quickly and painlessly with minimal risk. However, this treatment is expensive.
As a result, many people opt to just euthanize their cats with hyperthyroidism at home instead of putting their pets to sleep with hyperthyroidism at a vet hospital.
When To Put A Cat To Sleep With Hyperthyroidism?
The Cat’s Age
A younger cat has a much better chance of surviving than an older cat when it comes to putting a cat to sleep with hyperthyroidism.
However, an older or “senior” cat is much more likely to suffer from complications during radioactive iodine treatment for hyperthyroid cats.
It is probable that older cats are more stressed by the treatment than younger cats and more likely to experience problems with their heart and other internal organs due to the stress of the treatment.
94 percent of cats with hyperthyroidism are above the age of five, so most veterinarians advise against putting your cat to sleep for hyperthyroidism if it’s older than five years old.
Quality of Life
Cats with other medical issues, such as renal problems or other serious diseases can also benefit from euthanasia by lethal injection at home rather than by radiation treatment at a veterinarian’s office.
When a pet’s quality of life is low due to other medical problems, it may be more beneficial to euthanize the cat by lethal injection at home rather than stress it out by putting your pet through radiation treatment for hyperthyroid cats.
This is something to consider with your veterinary team if you’re faced with this decision.
They will illuminate the benefits of both treatments so you can make an informed decision about what is best for your cat and your family.
Major Organ Failure or Disease
You will need to account for your feline friend’s future health when making your decision between surgery and radioactive iodine treatment.
This will differ for every individual cat, but it’s important to think about whether your cat will be healthy enough to withstand surgery in the future, as well as if radioactive iodine treatment will damage vital organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys.
Some people, for example, may opt to avoid surgery if they have a pet with heart disease or other serious medical conditions that may worsen after an operation.
In reality, the chances of a cat surviving either of these treatments are very similar and the choice is entirely up to you.
A cat suffering from other sorts of health problems is more likely to die from surgical complications or side effects of radiation treatment than from untreated thyroid disease itself.
In cats, this might involve a biopsy of suspicious lumps or taking fluid from the abdomen for examination.
As a result, determining whether your cat has hyperthyroidism often requires several diagnostic tests.
Also Read: Why Does My Cat Sleep Under the Covers?
Conclusion
Examine this advice about when to euthanize a hyperthyroid cat carefully before making a decision about your cat’s health.
This is not an easy choice to make, but it’s something you need to keep in mind as your vet explains the pros and cons of each option.
Take your time, consult with your vets, and consider all of your options carefully before making a decision about your pet’s health.
