Hey!
My thinking is about the combination of hyperthyroidism and impaired kidney function.
And thoughts about medication.
We did a senior check on my 14 year old cat and discovered high values on both T4 and kidneys, this made us try medication for hyperthyroidism (Felimazole).
However, he had strong side effects (itching and redness on the head, listlessness, withdrew, stopped spinning) so we stopped the treatment after three weeks.
At the same time, he has also started eating Royal Canin Renal feed to help kidney function.
Now, a year later, we have taken new samples, and they were at about the same level as a year earlier:
Kidney value – 400
T4 – 64
Blood pressure between 180-220
We measured several times. Unfortunately do not remember the lower value.
We also did ultrasounds on the heart and kidneys.
The heart looked good, not too thick walls. The kidneys were of normal size and shape.
Now I have been prescribed Norvasc (1/8 tablet a day) and Fortekor (1/2 tablet a day).
This is to lower blood pressure and thus help the kidneys.
He is alert, social and has glossy fur, eats a lot but with an appetite.
Weighs 3.78kg (has lost 0.12kg in one year) I think that the overactive thyroid gland contributes to the fact that he has to eat a lot for the metabolism to be very high.
I was in the mood not to medicate at all because he seems to feel good, is social, eats and drinks.
But I understand that it can be good in this situation to help the kidneys? (And therefore start giving him Fortekor.)
I’m a little skeptical of Norvasc because it’s a medicine for humans and needs to be dosed in such a small dose for small cats.
I feel more comfortable starting with Forekor to first see how it affects him, and then maybe start with Norvasc after a while.
How does that sound?
My feeling is that I do not really know what to do, on the one hand he seems to be fine, but I want to do what I can to make it easier.
On the other hand, it was such a bad experience when we started taking medication with Felimazole, so I’m skeptical about tinkering with his insides, so to speak.
And it feels like everything in his body is connected.
If one had succeeded in medicating his hyperthyroidism, his kidney values would probably have gone up far too much instead.
And in a way, his high block pressure helps cause all the blood to be pumped around through the kidneys.
So it’s so hard to decide what to do, because if you start lowering one, the other will rise.
Grateful for any answers.
Hey!
How sad that your cat is sick.
Unfortunately, it is common for older cats to have problems with both the thyroid gland and kidneys at the same time.
You should give the medication exactly as your veterinarian has recommended.
If you are worried about side effects, it is best to talk to your veterinarian about your concerns so you can get answers right away.
I would definitely prioritize getting your cat’s blood pressure down.
Going with such high blood pressure can be very harmful.
Norvasc is often used for cats and usually works well. It is also often used in combination with Fortekor or Semintra with good results.
I would not be worried about using Norvasc because it is a human medicine.
I understand that you think it feels difficult with medication as he reacted so badly to Felimazole but it is completely different medications with completely different side effects.
Unfortunately, during treatment with Felimazole, the side effects you describe occur from time to time.
Often you have to treat the thyroid gland and kidney disease simultaneously, but if your cat’s T4 is now 64 and he is feeling quite well, it sounds like the thyroid disease is doing without specific treatment at the moment.
However, it is important to continue treatment for the kidneys (with Fortekor, kidney diet, etc.).
Hope everything goes well with your cat!