Cat with Hyperthyroidism...

How long does a cat survive with this disease once diagnosed and not on medication?

She's 15 and does not take well to traveling to the vet or having things shoved down her throat. In fact, she's not much in the lap cat category as she was a Ferrel kitty when I adopted her. The stress from giving her meds and the visits to monitor the dosages was one of the main reasons I decided not to treat her.

Now I'm seeing her lose a ton of weight, which is why I took her in to begin with and she's been even more hyper and skittish than before. She doesn't sit very long unless she's hiding from the boys and she's drinking and eating more than ever. Her pee is getting a stronger smell to it as well... I'm upset that she's gonna die, but ok with the fact that she's had a good life with me.

How much time does she have left? And when should I put her down so that she's not in pain or suffering?

[Thomas Dock, CVJ, Vet. Technician]

Happy weekend to you...I am sorry to hear about your cat's diagnosis.

As the thyroid gland has a prominent role in so many body functions, you will continue to see an increase in appetite, probably more diarrhea and weight loss and you could potentially see heart problems as well.

There is a transdermal medication that you might want to consider versus using an oral medication.   Many cats will do very well on this medicine that you rub into the skin on the year once a day.

Its really not possible to tell you how long of a life she has left, but I can tell you that untreated cats do go downhill quickly.   Similarly, euthanizing her is something that you will have to determine from her good days and her bad days, along with the advice of your veterinarian.  

I invite you to read a great article by one of our veterinarians, Dr. Brian Hurley, about "When is It Time To Say Goodbye?"   You can find ther article at petdocsoncall.com/page.asp?id=39&name=Quality of Life

[1centwiz]

Thank you... I will check into that. I just wish there was a way not to have to bring her into the vet as she does not travel well at all...

[Thomas Dock, CVJ, Vet. Technician]

Do you have a local veterinarian who offers house calls?   Some veterinarians will do this as a service for thier clients, but  you should expect to pay a little more than a routine office call.  

Some veterinarians even make a living doing housecalls.   You might check your local yellow pages or contact the state veterinary medical association for more information in your area.