Calling: all owners with hyperthyroid cats!

We are currently experiencing problems with our supply of Carbimazole tablets (called Neomercazole) from the pharmaceutical companies. We are not sure how long we will have interruptions with supply. Some human pharmacies may still have the medication on the shelf, so we can issue you with a script to attempt to source this.

Or maybe it is the time to start considering one of the alternative treatments.

Fortunately for our hyperthyroid patients there are several treatment options available – phew!

Hills y/d diet

For some cats a new dietary formulation from Hills may be the solution. Hills y/d is a specially formulated diet that is super low in iodine. Iodine is an essential building block for the thyroid hormone. If the cat has no iodine in the diet, their over enthusiastic thyroid gland cannot overproduce the thyroid hormone. Cats need to be eating at least 95% y/d for the diet to work. In the absence of Carbimazole tablets or if the idea of a non-drug based treatment option appeals to you this may be the solution you and your cat needs!

Methimazole compounded ear creams

For pet’s that are not suited to Hills y/d there are other drug based options such as methimazole. This is a cream compounded by a specific compounding pharmacy that is wiped into the cat’s inner ear twice daily. Supply of this drug is reliable and transition across from carbimazole tablets is normally very smooth.

Radioactive iodine

For a permanent cure radioactive iodine therapy remains an option. A carefully calculated dose of iodine 131 is administered by pill as a one off. This destroys the perfect amount of the overactive thyroid gland resulting in a normal thyroid level! Nifty!

If your pet is being managed using carbimazole tablets then we recommend that you come in and discuss your options with us. We are unsure how long supply will be interrupted but it would appear that it would be for long enough that some pets will need alternative treatments. There are lots of choices, let’s work out what’s best for you and your kitty cat!