Hi Lorraine,



I am so sorry for what you and your kitty are going through. Hyperthyroidism is common in older cats but it can be tricky to find the right dose of methimazole, especially if bloodwork has not been repeated.



Ideally, you should have your cat's thyroid levels tested again. That will give the vet an idea how well the medication is working and if the dose needs to be adjusted. Both vomiting and diarrhea are possible symptoms of hyperthyroidism, as you have been told. Still, it is best to not adjust medication without bloodwork as a guide.



Methimazole should always be given with food, as it can be very hard on the stomach. But some cats cannot tolerate the medication at all and experience loss of appetite and nausea, sometimes even a bad skin rash. Your vet may not have told you that there is also the option of using a transdermal gel form of the drug, which is helpful for cats that get sick on it. This form is a bit more expensive and doesn't work quite as well, but for some cats it is the best you can do. It would have to be ordered from a special pharmacy.



Hope this info is helpful to you. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask.



Regards,

PHKitkat

[ Hide Replies ]

• advice needed - lorr1911, Wed Jan 2 17:13:04 2008
• RE: advice needed - PHKitkat, Thu Jan 3 15:30:54 2008
• RE: advice needed - PHDrTobin, Sat Jan 5 10:51:47 2008