What is the lifespan of an indoor cat?

Why is my 10 year old cat so fat?

Obesity usually occurs in middle-aged cats, and generally in those that are between the ages of 5 and 10. Neutered and indoor cats are at the highest risk of becoming obese, due to lack of physical activity, or changes in metabolism.

What causes weight loss in older cats with thyroid problems?

Many older kitties develop hyperthyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid glands produce an excess of thyroid hormone. While this disease can produce a variety of symptoms, what all hyperthyroid cats have in common is weight loss.

What are the first signs of thyroid disease in cats?

This is why one of the first signs of thyroid disease may be a change in weight – weight gain if the thyroid is underactive and weight loss if the thyroid is overactive. In cats, an underactive thyroid is extremely rare.

What are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism in dogs?

Other behavioral changes such as overactivity, aggression, or vocalize (meow) more often Hyperthyroidism affects the heart, causing an increased heart rate and sometimes a heart murmur.

What do you need to know about hypothyroidism in cats?

Hypothyroidism in Cats 1 Symptoms and Types. This disease is rare in cats. 2 Causes 3 Diagnosis. A medical history and complete physical examination are important for the diagnosis of this disease.

How do thyroid hormones affect a cat’s body?

These thyroid hormones affect many of your cat’s body processes: 1 Regulation of body temperature 2 Metabolism of fats and carbohydrates 3 Weight gain and loss 4 Heart rate and cardiac output 5 Nervous system function 6 Growth and brain development in young animals 7 Reproduction 8 Muscle tone 9 Skin condition

Why are feline thyroid hormone levels different?

Much of the variation in published reference ranges for feline thyroid hormone levels is due to different techniques, assays or cat populations.

What happens if a dog has hyperthyroidism?

These symptoms can progress if the condition is left untreated, leading to a decreased quality of life for the affected canine. Not only is hyperthyroidism rare in dogs, but it is usually very serious. Hyperthyroidism in dogs is often due to thyroid carcinomas, which is a type of cancer that affects the thyroid gland.

Do cats with different thyroid hormone levels differ in their housing?

Published data have indicated a significant similarity between the thyroid hormone levels of cats housed together, compared with values from individually housed cats, although it has been difficult to distinguish between environmental and genetic influences ( Thoday et al. 1984 ).

Why does my cat have a low thyroxine?

There are a number of potential reasons for this. Thyroxine levels in the blood naturally fluctuate throughout the day, depending on the metabolic needs of the cat. If your cat has a mild or early case of hyperthyroidism, the thyroxine concentration may occasionally dip into the normal range.

Where is my cat’s thyroid gland?

Where is My Cat’s Thyroid Gland? Actually, your feline friend has two thyroid glands- one located on either side of its windpipe. Although a normal thyroid gland is small in size, it has a large responsibility for your cat’s metabolic function. The gland regulates the speed of all chemical reactions in your cat’s body.

What are the functions of the parathyroid gland in cats?

Two tiny parathyroid glands are associated with each thyroid gland. The parathyroid glands also regulate calcium levels in the body and increase calcium in the blood. The parathyroid glands also help regulate phosphorus levels. What Are the Functions of the Thyroid Gland in Cats?

Do cats with hyperthyroidism have an increase in appetite?

In cats suffering from hyperthyroidism, an increase in appetite is observed in roughly sixty-seven to eighty-one percent of cats. In addition to these symptoms, cats may also experience excessive thirst due to the overdrive of their metabolism. As they seek to drink more water, there is also often a correlating increase in urination.

What causes TSH deficiency in dogs and cats?

However, the degree of TSH deficiency in these dogs is variable, and clinical signs are usually caused primarily by deficiency of growth hormone (rather than thyroid hormone). In cats, iatrogenic hypothyroidism is the most common form.

What kind of hypothyroidism does a cat have?

In cats, iatrogenic hypothyroidism is the most common form. Hypothyroidism develops in these cats after treatment for hyperthyroidism with radioiodine, surgical thyroidectomy, or use of an antithyroid drug.

What is hypothyroidism in dogs?

Hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid condition, is a relatively common endocrine disorder in dogs. It is less common in other species. Hypothyroidism causes the bodily functions to slow down. Clinical signs of the disorder include lethargy, weight gain, and haircoat and skin changes.

Is hypothyroidism common in other species?

It is less common in other species. Hypothyroidism causes the bodily functions to slow down. Clinical signs of the disorder include lethargy, weight gain, and haircoat and skin changes. Synthetic thyroid hormone replacement (L-T4) is the preferred treatment for hypothyroidism.

Why is it important to diagnose hypothyroidism in dogs?

This is one of the reasons why getting an accurate diagnosis for hypothyroidism is so important. Hyperthyroidism occurs when your dog’s body produces too much of the thyroid hormone, increasing your dog’s metabolic rate to dangerous levels.

How common is hyperthyroidism in dogs?

This disease is rare in dogs and is much more common in cats, but when it does affect dogs, it is usually serious. A type of cancer, called thyroid carcinoma, is the primary cause of hyperthyroidism in dogs.

Can iodine be used to treat thyroid cancer in cats?

Radioactive iodine (I-131) treatment has often been shown to be an effective adjunct to the treatment of thyroid tumors in cats. I-131 can be utilized in cats that are poor surgical candidates or where vascular invasion has been identified in spite of surgical removal.

What does the thyroid gland do in cats?

What Does the Thyroid Gland Do? In cats, the thyroid gland has two parts, with one on each side of the trachea (windpipe), just below the larynx (voice box). The thyroid gland makes several different hormones (mostly thyroxine, or T4). These thyroid hormones affect many of your cat’s body processes:

What is the function of the thyroid in cats?

The thyroid glands regulate the speed at which your cat’s metabolism works through the production of thyroid hormones, much like the accelerator regulates the speed of your car. It regulates the speed of all body processes: kidney and liver function, brain, digestive system, skin, etc.

How old do hyperthyroid cats live?

The possible age range is 4-20 years, although seeing young hyperthyroid cats is very rare. What Does the Thyroid Gland Do? In cats, the thyroid gland has two parts, with one on each side of the trachea (windpipe), just below the larynx (voice box). The thyroid gland makes several different hormones (mostly thyroxine, or T4).

Where is the parathyroid gland located in a dog?

In rare individual dogs, it is found within the thyroid parenchyma. The second parathyroid gland is often embedded within each thyroid gland, generally in the caudal pole, at a depth that is variable. For this reason, this parathyroid gland has been referred to as the internal parathyroid gland.